The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-30
OFFICER SAW
BURGLARY
Tied Hand and Foot and Made
to Watch Operation Of Riflirg
the Postoffice Safe. .
HELD UP BY THREE MEN
With Three Pistols In Ills Face,
Special Policeman Had to
N Go-Made Good Haul.
fspecial 70 r,hc Times. DIspatoh3

Especial to The es.DlSpatch NJ
WEST POINT, VA. Dec 2o.-Threa
masked men held up and securely bound
Policeman Garrett about 1880 last night,
and conducted him to the postoItice,
where two or Tho men broke open the
front door OF the postohce with crow
bar. They bound Policeman Garrett TO
chair, telling ntn that they would ptt
q mail bag oYGr his head and smother
him, but for tho number Of his children.
One man guarded Mr. Garrett while tue
other two proceeded to blow open tue
safe In the postofiice With dynamite
which they succeeded IN dooing a1tor .
little. 81
MADE GOOD HAUL.
Tho amount Of money. clamps and mail
n,attar taken has not been fully deter
mined as yet, by Postmaster Anderson.
but It Is thought tho amount was large. 81
The town people arc very much I ex.
cited and efforts have been made = O.
intercept the robbers, but no clue has as
yet been found
Policeman Garrett was left bound to
the chair and he remained there until
about clock. when he succeeded IN
crawling to the store Of Ned Bland y
Bro. and waking Mr. Sam Bland. q me
above named firm. VINO released MN.
Parties were at once sent out. out no
trace Of the robbers uas been found
NO ONE WATCHING. (. III
Tho postomca is in til cnew block OF
brick buildings recently erected by united
1 States Marshal Morgan Treat and ihDne
( OF them are Inhabited at night. 4, !.
Town Policeman Garrett reported 10 the
Mayor that he was seized from behind
by a masked man. while another stepped
In front OF him, pointed a pistol at his
face face and todhim that II he resisted
or made a sound his brains would be
blown out 5
The me nordercd the Waterman TO
10 with them, AM they led him to the
postofIlce the door Of which they opened
/ ma moment with jimmy. forcing the
lock and small bolt, with apparent ease,
and without breaking tho glass IN The
4 door.
Once inside the policeman was bound
hand and foot and gagged Then one OF
the robbers knocked Tho combination knob
off the door OF the safe and inserted nitro
glycerine or dynamite, after which they
covered the hole with beeswax and set
on tho fuse. me explosion blew the door
completely OF tho hinges and broke It In
many pieces.
BEEsyvAx.
4 Tho beeswax was blown over q num-
Der OF pouches which had been piled
against the sate's dnnr, The. ga fea lis To-
Gated In teh rear Of the building ana can
not be seen from the street The light in
the Office which Is kept burning all night
shows but dimly through the glass front
In the lock boxes.
According to the policeman s statement,
the two men whom he saw inside the
office and who did the work were white.
He. caught occasional glimpses OF their
White skin through the eyeholcs In the
masks as they would turn from time 10
time to look and see that be was secure
He says that II there was a third man.
lie remained outside to keep guard while
the two on the inside were blowing open
the safs and getting It's contents. TIE
men were evidently experts. Mr.. Gar.
I, rett said 1t was not moro than fifteen
minutes from the time they entered the
building until they had gotten the booty
and left.
MASONIC BANQUET.
The Masonic Lodge. No 233S A. +. & a.
NJ, OF West Point, served a banquet in
their lodge room al the Masonic Hail last
night in celebra ton Of St. Johns day.
District Lecturer Park Jones', ofRrWil-.
Harrisburg, was present and conferred tho
Master Masons side degree upon several
ladies' Of this place. The banquet was
well attended and maGniflcently served