The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-02-20
KANSAS NEWS.
A Chanute Woman Has q Most
Unusual Caller.
a Craz8d Horse Breaks in the
House After Bed Time.
DESTROYS FURNITURE.
Women Residents Flee to Neigh
bOrs in Night Clothes.
Probably 500 People Out to
View the Performance.

Chanute. Feb 20-The Tribune says:
One of the most unusual cases of house
breaking. of which the Tribune has ever
heard. occurred at the home of Mrs.
Bloomheart. no South Central last
last night The housebreaker was a.
demented race horse belonging to S.
Strickland which was suffering from an
attack of spinal menensitis
Mrs. Bloomheart says Of the happen
ing:
My girl, May Rice, who is staying
with me, entertained company until
about 9 o'clock We went to bed soon
after that time, in the east bed room
and she on the lounge in the sitting
room. dropped asleep at once and was
awakened probably half an hour later
by some one rushing in, throwing them
selves on my bed and screaming, on,
my God grandma, somebody is in the
house ] had become fully aroused BY
this time and asked, Where are they1
oh, I thought they were In my
Il got out Of bed and started in to see.
Just then we heard an awful crash In
the narlor as if some drunken persons
had pushed the furniture and all my
fine china in a heap at the same time.
q asked her if she was sure she had
locked the front door and she replied
that she was certain she had. Another
crash came ana StLiELAAll5 A14A AA@ftf AAJ
against the door close to where we were
standing Mary grabbed me and we
lunged out the back door through the
snow with only our night clothes on to
Chris Fredericks', the nearest neighbor.
All this time Mary was screaming,
was too scared to shout We reused
some of the neighbors but they were
afraid to go into the house We stayed
at one of the neighbours until the horse
was gotten out, but was so frightened
that i could not sleep the balance OF the
night"
The two front rooms presented a
chaotic ppearance-almOst 1ndescrlb
able The widest confusion reigned in
both apartments. In one parlor the
chairs were all tumbled into one corner
and a little bracket shelf, which had
been loaded with fine china had been
wrenched from its fastenings and lay in
the middle Of the floor surrounded by
scattered heaps OF broken china. a
small stand and an easel supporting 4
picture Of son were utterly demoi-
ished "A portion Of the frame being
dragged into the adjoining room. A
pound of fresh butter which was put
ON the window sill was im0artially
spreading itself among the fragments
heaped under the window. The animal
gained an entrance to the bedroom by
breaking the door off its hinges 1t
apparently stumbled and fell in here, as
the walls and bed clothes were both
covered with blood. Mrs BiOOmheart's
clothes which We're hung on one side
of the room were deposited in a tumbled
heap on the bed. which stands in the
opposite corner Of the room. They
We're badly torn, and a couple of hats
were crushed into d shaDeless mass OF
lace and feathers.
II would be impossible to estimate the
damage done. as many of the articles
destroyed were keeDsaIes which Mrs
Bloomheart would not have parted with
under any consideration. After the an
imal had been elected. 500 people wakes
through the house to view the damage
Spectators tell several good ones on
the marshal When he first arrived the
intruder could be plainly heard rafting
the window. as il an attempt was being
made to escape that way The boys
say that Sam dropped on one knee at
the corner of the house. drew steady
bead on the window and waited patient
ly for the burglar to come out. No one
appearing, he finally went around into
the kitchen. followed by two burly
young colored fellows armed with shots
guns. just as the little band had gotten
well inside the door an awful crash re-
sounded from the bedroom, and with
out more ado the valiant squad uncere.
mouiously turned and fed. Once more
sam marshaled few supporters ana
cautiously approaching the parlor door
he suddenly swung it open, and ad-
yelled calmly, Throw up your handsi~
Receiving no reply. he shouted again,
Surrender Finally some one thought