Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-03
Desperate Trio Of Robbers Raid
Wealthy Farmers Home
Near Davenport
THE FAMILY TERRIBLY ABUSED
Farmer Knocked senseIess with Gun
and His Scalp Almost Torn Off =
His Wife Dragged About by Hair and
Sick Son Beaten - House Ransack-
ed and Valuables Stolen.
70 Times-Republican.


Davenport, Jan. S.-The Republican
this morning publishes an account OIL
one of the most sensational robberles
that ever took place in Scott county. 1t
lis believed to have been perpetrated by
the same gang that held up the Bur
|lington train recently. The crime oc-
Cured at the home of Fritz Schlichtins,
six miles west of this city. AT the point
az reyolyers they forced the occupants
Of the home to remain in the rooms
and after brutality mistreating them
looted the house of everything of value
~ contained and made good their es-
|cape.
Mr.. Schlichting is che of tie wealthl-
est farmers Of Scott county and lives
about six miles west of the city on the
Second street road. His young son mas
been quite seriously II for severai DAYS
land Yesterday afternoon, at the tlliis
mentioned, he was sitting IN the parioi
| Of his home awaiting the coming ol
DR.. Hageboeck, the family physician 10
administer to the sick lad. He heard
KNOCK at the door. aid, thinking that
the doctor had arrived, he hasteneu "
lopen it. Almost as soon as the ooor
Twas thrown open he was greeted Win
a fusilade of pistol shots. He tnre" up
his hands Immediately, knowing thae
resistance against the intruders was
useless. AS they entered the room one
| of the men. they were three in num-
lber. struck him heavy dow Al 'ne
face. He fell backward and ms heau
struck the floor heavily. The force OF
the blow rendered MIN senseiess.
Hearing the sound Of the pistol shots'
Mrs. Schlichting, who had been IN the
Kitchen. hurried to the assistance OF
her husband. AS soon as she entered
the room one of the robbers seized her
and the rest Joined him. The defense
less woman was at their mercy and,
With M other aim than barbarism, they
nrar ged her about the room by her mar
| and kicked and beat her When tney
had satisfied themselves with ABUSING
her. and she was quite helpless from
the injuries they had inflicted, the rop-
lbers turned their attention 10 the poor
sick lad lying helpless on the pea. ne
too fell victim to their insane cruelty
and was bruised and hurt from their
attack.
After thus mistreating the inmates,
thew proceeded to what was propapiy
their real object In coming. They ran
sacked every available hiding place IN
the house where money might possibly
he secreted. AS result of their search
| thew secured $50 in cash, all the cur
rencv there was in the place, and valu-
able papers, such as notes, mortgages,
etc. to the value of many hundred dc
Lars. When they had fully satisfied
| themselves that there was nothing
more Of value in the house, they left,
cursing the unfortunate occupants that
there was not more money there for
them.
Neiohbors to Assistance.
| Neighbors living not a great ways
distant from the Schlicting home
heard the shots and fastened over 10
| inquire into the origin. But they were
| too late. The robbers had worked fast
and were gone. AS they pushed open
the door one of them stumbled over the
senseless form of Mr.. Schlicting. A
glanc around the room was sufhcient
| to inform them Of what had happened
and they ran to the road to see II the
robbers were still in sight. But they
! had disappeared as mysteriously as
| they had come. Mr.. Schlichting was
brought to this city by the neighbors
| and taken to the home of his father.
Hans Schlichting, of 2215 West Second
street after the neighbors had done
what was possible for them to relieve
the sufferings Of both he and the bal
ance of his family. Drs. Hageboeck and
| Rudolf were summoned to attend the
| injured man and his family. They
found him to be suffering from ter
rible wound stretching across his scalp
| and necessitating several stitches In
| the closing. Otherwise all the mem
bers of the family are resting as COM
| fortably as could be expected. Mrs.
Schlichting sustained numerous bruises
about her body and discolored eye
| from the attack.
| But a meager description of the rob-
bers could be obtained from the vic
| tins They were all well dressed and
wore overcoats. Their faces were pro-
tected from Identification by handker-
chiefs arranged as masks. They all
carried revolvers and We're well ac-
| ouainted with their use. The neighbors
| hold stoutly to the belief that the rob-
berry was executed by neighborhood
characters of unsavory reputation, but
the police are inclined to the belief that
a man experienced in desperate work
planned and possibly assisted in the
execution of the job. Mr.. Schlichting
is very wealthy farmer and might
we'll be supposed to have considerable
sum of money in the house. This I'M
doubtedly accounts for his home being
selected as the scene of the robbery.
A COUNTRY SCHOOL ROW.