Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-06-05
BURGLARS At suckelelo.
rosr OFFICE WRECKED AND SAFE
BLowS.--A FUsILLADE OF SHOTS AND
A HOT BURGLAR CHASE.

BucKFIELD, JUNE 2, 1900
The burglary Friday morning at the
post Office for the sixth time under TIT
administration of Postmaster Cole-ir
three of which the safe has been wrecked
was the sensation OF the season. The
explosion Of the safe about 2 A. NJ, the
arousing OF the citizens, the fusillsde OF
revolvers and Winchester rifles and shot
guns by both burglars and citizens, gave
the gray dawn OF Friday morning sui
phurous smell, II not taste Of war
About twenty shots were exchanged,
soaring several buildings, principally
the post Office. They made two breaks,
one at b. Spsulding & Sons arcade
building, and the post office, securing at
the Spauldings' about s5 In change aud
lot Of cigars. The people were thor
oughly aroused, and gave the day to 8
general hunt down the line Of the rail-
road, Sheriffs Tucker OF South Paris,
Porter of Rumford Falls and Warren
being on the ground. No booty 81 much
the inner steel vault was not opened,
though the knob Of the combination was
Knocked of. The burglars were driven
into the thick forest below East Hebron.
Immediately after the explosion, A. +.
Tilton, who lives near the post office,
got his Winchester and fired nine shots
from II into the post Office building. The
village WAS awakened by the racket, and
as soon as possible party Of men were
pursuing the fleeing burglars down the
railroad, taking q handcsr. The burg
lars struck into the woods west of the
railroad, about three miles below Buck
field villsge.
An extended search was made In the
woods Friday, BY force OF twenty-five
or thirty men. Tracks supposed to be
those of some Of the gang were seen &C.
casionslly, and IL Is thought that they
were heard signaling once or twice, but
they were not captured.
Friday night a message was sent TO
South Paris from Mechanic Falls stating
that two men had been seen TO enter
box car Of an up-bound freight train at
that place. They were found In the car
AZ South Paris. and were taken 70 tn,
jsil BY Deputy Sheriff Cross. They said
they came from Portland. One OF them
gives his name as James Davis; says he
Is n shoe worker, and lives In Hsverhill,
but has been out OF work for about six
weeks. The other man, Edward ksva-
nsugh, says he had been st work 10 the
foundry department OF the Portland
Company until within q day or two.
The men were held until Saturday
afternoon, when they were taken before
the Norway Municipal Court for ex-
animation, and there being no evidence
to connect them with any Illegal bush
ness, they were discharged.
A Pinkerton detective visited the
scene Of the burglary Sunday. He was
on the Berwick bank robbery,
and declares that the Buckteld job was
done BY the same parties. He identified
a chisel In the Buckfeld post Office as
coming from Berwick, said the drilling
Was done by the same drill, and the
blowing done by nitro-glycerine.
Ii Il 10 be regretted that the vigorous
,hsse made By the Buckfeld men did |
not result in the capture of some OF the !
burglars. but we may hope that II has
given the gang scare which will put = !
heck to the extensive operations which |
hey have been carrying on In this part |
u the state for the last few weeks.