The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-04-30

Paris. April e7.-Three masked bur-
glars entered the American Express
Company's office last night. surprised
the watchman asleep. gagged and
bound him. and escaped with 30 oeo
francs
The burglary was carried out Inost
audaciously and was evidently the work
OF American experts.
The manner in which the burglars
proceeded indicates that they were ia
miliar with the arrangements OF the
office. The street door was opened
with the proper key. as the lock. which
is equal TO a safe lock. was not
scratched
An American colored boy, who was
sleeping on the second story, says he
was awakened about / o'clock in the
morning by a choking sensation and
found man with his face half hidden
by a handkerchief kneeling on his
chest with his thumbs pressed on his
windpipe. Another man beside the bed
| pointed a revolver at his head. A
| third man held a portable electric Ian
| tern. the light from which was shin
| ing in his eyes. The last said with n
| good American accent: Don't move
| or I'll shoot you. We have come here
to do n little job and mean to do it,
| One burglar. it is claimed then stuff
| ed towel into the mouth of the bow
| who said he was about scared TO death
| and tried to wriggle his head. where
| upon one Of the men dealt him a heavy
| blow on the head with his fist which
left big bruise. The burglar accord
ing to the boys story, then tied his :.'',a
and arms SO tightly as almost 70
the flesh. while he left the marks g..
his knees on the boys chest.
Two of the burglars. after a conye--
sation in English. left the room and &, j.
third. according to the story told,
quietly drew up a chair and sat by the
bedside with a revolver pointed at the
boy and the rays Of the lantern direct
ed at his face. The burglar the boy
added. again said: Now lie still and
you will not be hurt: but IL you are
troublesome ! will blow out your
brains
The boy. continuing the story, said
he then heard the noise OF the bur
glars working below. drilling, hammer
ing and laughing. apparently with not
the slightest fear OF INTERRUPTION.
, Later. he said he heard an explosion
. and then a second detonation, which
: shook the premises. After a short in
. terval his guardian. who. from time 10
/ time had exchanged kind of bird
whistles" with his confederates below.
smeared something On the boys face
and said: II am going down stairs "a
help my pals for ten minutes II you
stir / Will Kill you when come back. -
But. the boy added. he never came
, back The boy said he then ,e~t his
senses and had evidently been ~ .oro-
formed When he recovered he assert
ed he was afraid to move.
An office cleaner. who arrived at s,,t
{ express company's Office at $40 O'Clock
a. m. found the street door atar. the
safe dynamited and the boy, gagged
and bound. lying on the floor besides hi
oed. upstairs The burglars had col
, lected the heavy carpets from the re.
{ | ception rooms and wrapped then
around the safe IN order to deaden ths
I sound Of the explosion.
An astounding feature Of the bur.
: giary is that the policemen heard o. aav
! nothing Of the burglars. in spite os th.
. fact that the latter worked loudly and
E that the sound Of the explosions wa
. sufficient to awaken a porter on the
top story Of building across the street
ana cause him to descend and search
his own house for intruders.
{ Later it became known that the Do
lice had detained the coIored hoy
. watehman. not being satisfied with the
! story told by him OF the burglary.