The San Francisco call., 1905-06-27
Wonan's Revolver
Causes Flight
of Robbers.
Desperadoes Invade
the Home of
Mrs. Orth

Fearlessly grasping revolver. al
though too nervous to shoot. and al
the same time calling for her nephew
for aid. Mrs. v. B. Orth of AL Page
street held two would-be robbers al
bay until the appearance of her nephew
caused them to seek safety in flight
The attempted robbery took place at IL
o'clock Sunday night, and although the
police have been notified there is sligh:
hope of catching the criminals. This
adds another deed of violence to the
many already recorded in the vicinity
of Page and Webster streets and in the
neighborhood of the City Hail.
Mrs. Orth retired early Sunday. even
ing and in the house at the same time
was her nephew, Prescott P. Badger,
who is about to enter the University of
California. He had also retired. Mrs.
Orth's son. Irving Orth, foreman of the
east Office of the Pacific States Tele-
phone and Telegraph Company, also
lives in the house. but was out to a
theater and 1t was HIS return that the
mother was expecting.
About IL o'clock the doorbell gave
two quick rings and, Mrs. Orth, think
ing it was her son who was returning,
stood in her nightrobe at the head OF
the stairs and pulled the cord opening
the door. A well-dressed young fellow
of about % stepped inside and politely
lifting his hat, inquired il a Mr.. Pease
lived in the house The light in the
hall was low and she could not dis
tinguish his features. but he wore a
tightfitting dark coat and trousers. a
black derby and was smooth shaven.
In his hand he carried what ap-
peared to Mrs. Orth to be a black silk
handkerchief, but later she saw it was
either mask or black scarf that con :
cealed a revolver. The young fellow
murmured an apology and at the same
time put his foot on the bottom step
and asked her if she knew any one of
the name in the fleighborflood. He
continued the conversation and with
each question advanced slowly nearer
the woman.
Suddenly he grasped the cord that
opens tn door catch, and exclaiming,
Come In qhiclxs bounded up the stairs
toward Mrs. Orth. AT the cry another
man entered and hurriedly closed the
door. Mrs. Orth did not wait to see
more. She ran into her bedroom at the
top of the stairs and grasping a pistol
that she. always has under her pillow,
stood in the doorway and pointed it at
the men. AS she ran she called to her
nephew, who appeared in the doorway
of his room, and the men who were be-
ing held at bay at the top of the stairs,
fled to the street.
Mrs. Orth then ran to the front win
dow and saw them running up the
Page-street hill She then fell in n
faint on the front room lounge. After
hurriedly seeing that all was safe
Badger returned to his aunt. revived
her, and then telephoned the Hall of
Justice. Yesterday the police called at
the house and investigation Is under
way.
Mrs Orth believes that all that pre-
vented her from being robbed and DOS
sibly beaten to death was the unex-
pected appearance of her nephew on
the scene. She believes the crooks as
certained the fact that her son was out.
and believing her to be alone, made the
attempt Had they obtained entry they
would have succeeded in making a
large haul Mrs. Orth had at the TIM,
over $500 in the bureau and numerous
costly articles of toiletware and jew
eIry lay on the dresser