New-York tribune., 1907-06-17
BOLD BURGLARS IN AUTO
USE CHLOR1L on VICTTM.
Farmhouse Near MincOIa Robbed in
Broad Daylight.
iBy Telegraph to The Tribune. ]

tBy Telegraph to The TribuneI
Mineoia. Long Island, June 16.-The Oswald
farmhouse, on the old Jericho Turnpike. between
this place and Westbury. was the scene early
ths morning of one of the bodest robberies in
years. The thieves drove up to the farmhouse
in a red touring car, knocked down Herman
Schwerter. farm hand, forced several ounces
of choral down his throat, then broke open a
safe and carried Oft $1,000 in cash and several
pieces of valuable jewelry.
That the robbery carefully planned was
shown afterward by comparison of reports Of
the neighboring farmers: that the thieves had
determined 10 sacrifice lives, if need be- to ac-
ccmpiish their purposes apparent from the
fact that they forced chloraI down SSchwerter's
throat The farmland found by Charles
Oswald, Oh returning from church, lying on the
hoor bound hand and foot and almost dead from
the effects Of chloral poisoning. He was hurried
10 the Nassau Hospital, and after working over
him for three hours the physicians revived him.
he is not Yet out of danger. however
The Oswald farm lies in a secluded section on
Jerlcho turnpike, along the level stretch between
Mneola and Westbury, where the automobiles
sped the fastest in the Vanderbilt cup races
Everybody bereabouts knows Oswald farm and
its owner, Charles, son of Father Oswald" as
the late head of the family known. The
Oswalcs were always a thrifty class. and, al
though Believing in banks etc, kept money and
JeWelry IN a safe in the dining room.
Within sight Of the farm the country seats
OF some of the wealthest New Workers. They
are always protected and deemed by the COM
mon thief to he as strong a fortress. But
oswald farm had only young Charlie" his
mother and a farm hand named Schwerter The
Oswalds never took extraordinary precautions
against thieves believing that the beggar would
be satisfied with milk and bread and that the
big thief could find no attraction old fash
Toned farm. But developments showed Oswald
farm was marked by desperate band OF
thieves, who are believed 10 have been operating
In the guise OF pleasure seekers.
When Charles oswald and his mother started
out for church yesterday morning leaving
Schwerter in charge, they attached no particu-
lar Importance TO a group of men gathered
about a red automobile stones throw from the
farm. Oswald observed that the men were
trying to fix something, and walked
church. He hardly out of sight when the
group jumped into the machine and drove up
10 the farmhouse. The leader knocked on the
door. Schwerter writing a letter to his
mother. in the old country.
What dye want, sir?' he asked in broken
English The leader of the gang inquired for
Mr.. Oswald. Schwerter's answer what they
had expected. Oswald was out. There wasn't
living soul on The premises but "me''-the farm
hand The door was wide open. The leader
threw himself against the farmland, and the
second of the band struck him blow that sent
him staggering to the floor. Schwerter is a
strong bodied man, but was only one among
half dozen.
There was a struggle but it was brief,
schwerter was overpowered and his hands were
ed tightly behind his back. Then the thieves
forced open his mouth and compelled him t"
swallow the choral, after which they gagged
him. There was no rifling here and there. The
thieves did not break open drawers or enter
bedrooms. but went directly TO the dining room,
where stood the safe in which the Oswalds kept
the money box and the family heirlooms. They
had pickaxe. which one of them stumbled over
as they were going up to the door. With this
they ripped open the safe and carried off every
thing Of value in IT.
The farmland lay groaning on the floor as
thex hurried away with their plunder- II was
the work Of five minutes. The red machine was
out on the road inscharge Of a chauffeur, CULVER
ing to be off II was hardly O'Clock, and
though il was a beautiful morning there was
little traffic on the pike. The thieves sped away
with their plunder without exciting the susp-
cion Of passersby.
TWO hours after they left the farm Charles
Oswald and his mother returned. They had
walked leisurey from church. and found nothing
n excite their suspicion until they opened Jhe
door and saw their faithful farmland uncon-
scious Oswald looked out into the road. There
was no person in sight. He hurried TO nelgh-
boring store and Informed the police ana Mas
sau Hospital. Then he cut the ropes that houhd
schwerter The man seemed to be dead When
the ambulance reached the scene, the physl-
clans tried 10 revive him, but could not ana
took him to the hospital.
L was almost noon before he became con-
scjors He told briefly how he had been pouhH
and the choral forced upon him. His deScrlp-
lion of the thieves convinced oswald that they
we're the men he had seen around the autoiho-
bile. Sheriff Gildersleeve took hold of the case
This afternoon and with several deputies Is
making thorough search Of the countySlde III
hone of closing in on the thieves.
A. the Nassau Hospital this evening II was
sold that Schwerter would probably recover
but that he was by means out OF DANGER
Mrs Oswald was Frustrated by the eXclellGhl
II was said that the money taken was all they
td yo,,ng oswald would neither confirm nor
dcnv this but appeared TO be downcast at the
turn Of things.