The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-01-29
Attacked by Burglars.


j Washington Hunter, well known resi-
dent of this county, lies in a precariou
condition from the assault of murderou
burglars who entered his home shortly
after midnight on Friday. Mr.. Hunter
lives in Cinnaminson township, between
Riverside and Riverton, in the neighbor
hood of Cambridge.
He did not feel right we'll on Friday and
decided to sleep on the settee in the kit
chen on Friday night. About midnight
he was awakened by noise at the door.
He arose and walked to the door which
he opened and at once two men pushed
themselves in and grappled with Mr..
Hunter. Notwithstanding he is rs years
of age, he is wiry man and he proceeded
to defend himself. With an iron grip he
grasped one of the intruders by the neck.
The fellow tried to break loose but was
unable to do So His companion got be-
hind Mr.. Hunter and threw his arms
around the old mans neck, but he still
maintained his grasp.
The fellow in front was armed with a
chisel and file. With these he struck Mr.
Hunter on the hands, tearing the flesh and
cutting the hands to the bone. Still
Hunter held on. The man who was
choking him from behind relinquished his
hold and seized shovel with which he
hit the old man on the head. This did
| h.,o n fo11 70 hn
The men then left him and went out
Mrs Hunter had been awakened by the
noise and came down stairs With her
help her husband got into side room and
locked the door. With the probable
thought that they had not finished the
job the two men came back and went to
the door of the room, forcing the door.
Mr. Hunter had secured his revolver, but
suffering from the wounds on his hands,
the loss of blood and the shock from the
blow of the shovel he did not feel able to
shoot. So he told his wife to fire. She
said she could not. Hold me up, then.
that may shoot" said Hunter.
The wife did as requested. The chisel
had cut the old mans hand to such de-
gree that it was useless The two first
fingers of his right hand, bleeding and
torn, were almost useless, but with nerve
that was remarkable, he pulled the trig-
ger twice. One bullet struck the file, for
it was picked up afterwards with the i'm
prints of the tool plainly discernible. No
trace of the other bullet could be DIS
covered and it is thought one Of the men
carried it away with him. The burglars
then left Outside there was third man
awaiting them. They did not all take the
same direction. Two went towards West
field, while the other tried to cross the
creek near the house. Unable to do that
he wandered to the river shore and walked
up the stream for mile and half.
From that point his tracks were not dis
cernible.
A man who worked for Mr. Hunter was
asleep upstairs The first he knew of any
thing wrong was when the door was
broken open at the second attack. He
heard the two pistol shots and hurried
down stairs. With the idea that Mr..
Hunter and his wife had been murdered
the man gave an alarm and searching
party was at once organized
In the scuffie one of the burglars drop
ped his hat. 1t is derby made by Haas,
of New York. On the band were the
initials &C. A. s." The hat is covered
with blood from Mr.. Hunters wounds.
They also left the chisel and file. All that
they got for their trouble was an old
watch
The burglary was undoubtedly for the
purpose of robbery. 1t was supposed by
many that Mr.. Hunter kept large sums of
money in the house On Friday he was
paid $3.50 after banking hours, and it is
probable the transaction was known to
the men, as it took place at the railroad
station. Mr. Hunter is in very bad con-
dition, and his wife is Frustrated The
attack was so sudden and so soon over
that Mr. Hunter did not get chance to
get look at his assailants, and could not
tell whether they were white or colored.