Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-04-04
FAIRFIELD.
BURGLARS DRIVEN AWAY.
Officer Discovered Two Men Trying
to Enter Post Office.
Shots Exchanged and Men Escape but
Without Any Booty.

People dwelling in the vicinity of the
Fairfield post office were awakened at
an carly hour, Thursday morning, by
the report of Il pistol firing several
shots in succession, but before they
were thoroughly aroused and able TO
reach the scene of the trouble, the
cause had disappeared, and it was then
discovered that two men had attempted
to enter the post Office.
II was just about O'Clock in the
morning when a special car arrived
here from Waterville bringing a num-
her of people who had been TO that city
to attend Il ball.
As the car was returning to the car
harms, Officer Joseph Quincy boarded
il ard rode short distance. When he
started to return to upper MAIN street.
he noticed two men in front Of the post
office. He moved slowly and awaited
developments. The next thing Mr.. Cur
ney saw was the two men attempting
to force an entrance to the Office. he
shouted to them to move on, but they
paid little attention. and in an instant
bullet whizzed by his head. He did
not stop at this, but continued to walk
toward them.
When he was nearly in front of Ho-
tel Gerald they fred again, and started
to run in the direction Of Railroad
street. Mr.. Quincy returned the shots,
and as one Of the men fell down, thinks
he must have wounded him, but not TO
any extent, as he quickly arose ana
continued on his journey. The would
be breakers must have taken to the
track and have gone in the direction of
| Watervile at q rapid pace.
The officers Immediately telephoned
| to Waterville for the police to be on
the lookout for these gentlemen They
| were unable to discover them, but two
men were seen clinging to the special
freight train which left that city, .af
about o'clock for down river. The
Waterville police al once telephDfied to
the Augusta and Gardiner zee. AS
| the train did not stop in Augusta, moth
| ing could be done there, but it is re-
ported that the men were seen at Gar
diner when the train reached there,
and that they evaded the Gardiner of5i-
GERS and escaped. a.
| 1t was learned, Thursday, that two
strange men had been seen hanging
around Waterville and had made sew
eral small purchases at. the various
stores. They asked no Questions which
would seem to arouse suspicion, but
minded their own business They We're
| fairly well dressed. 1t is also under
STOOD that they came up toSEairfield in
| the early part of the evening, proba bly,
| to look the ground over. They secured
| nothing at the office, and il cannot be
| learned that they attempted to enter
anywhere else in this place, bnt it has
been learned that they proba bly, secured
| their tools with which to worllat Wa
| terville, as places were broken Into in
| that city, Thursday night. Theschisel
with which they were trying to- effect
| an entrance at the office was found on
| the sidewalk, Thursday morning. A
bullet was also found in front of the
hotel.
In the past few months, a number Of
attempts have been made by night
providers 10 break in at different places
| in this town and blow up safes. but
they have not succeeded in securing
enough money hardly to pay them for
their dynamite. They have broken into
the freight depot twice within a short
time. the jewelry store of II. F. Bur-
CESS about year ago, and there have
been minor breaks. Whether they are
the same parties or not, it matters not.
Let us hope that they will now give
Fairfield q rest