Connecticut western news., 1908-11-05
NEGRO ROBBED SHEFFIELD WOMAN
WAS CAUGHT IN HUDSON, N. Y,

Archle Golden Knocked Down Shet-
 field Postmistress and Stole Post
 office Money Confessed Deed and
 Showed Where Loot was Hidden. Miss Eunice Burch, postmistress at Sheffield. was knocked down and robbed by an unknown man as she was about to enter the home of Miss Hattie Smith on Main street in Sheffield shortly after o'clock Friday evening says The Eagle. The robber secured a handbag which Miss Burch carried, and which contained about .$130 ill money, some stamps, blank money orders and registered let ter. The only clue given by Miss Burch as to her assailant was that he was a short, thickset man.
 An attempt was made several months ago to burglarize the postoffice ct Shef- field but was unsuccessful.
 The postoffice closes at 8 o'clock every evening except Sunday and it was shortly after that hour W hen Miss Burch, the postmistress, and Miss Beatrice Ellis, clerk at the postoffice, completed their work and left for their homes. The office is located on Main street ill DOT tion of the store occupied by " b. French which is only few minutes walk from the depot.
 Miss Burch has room at the home of Miss Hattie Smith which is but short distance from the postoffice and on her way home was accompanied by Miss Ellis. The young women talked as they walked along, having no idea that their footsteps were being dogged or that some one was lying in wait for the postmistress.
 When they reached the entrance to the Smith home Miss Ellis continued on her way home, while Miss Burch turned into the walk leading to the house. Miss Burch was walking slowly and had reached a point about half way to the house, probably 20 feet from the side walk, when she was thrown to the ground. The woman had no opportup- ity to defend herself, the assault came quickly. She was felled and in a mom- ent her assailant had pulled from her hand handbag which she always car ried home at night and in which was the money taken in at the postoffice during the day.
 fin the handbag there were about $130 n cash, money order blanks and reg i istered letter addressed to Mrs. Ralph Newton, of Sheffield It is believed that the robber made no effort to open the handbag following the assault, but made his escape as quickly as possible.
 The assault came so quickly that Miss Burch was able to obtain only a meagre description of her assailant. She says that he was short. rhickset man. Be- yond that her description does not go. Miss Burch screamed and was heard by several persons, although they paid little attention to them at the time. Miss Burch was somewhat dazed. but man aged to reach the house where she gave the alarm.
 That the robber was familiar with the habits of the postmistress after closing the postofice and that 1t was known she always carried home with her at night tho receipts of the postoffice is the opin- ion of the people of the town. There is no safe in the postoffice and the postmis- tress had made it practice to take money, registered letters, etc. home with --her at night. The money orders are from 9403 to 9600 in number and "Shef- | field, Mass" is stamped upon them. They were made especially for that office.
 The news of the robbery was tele- phoned in all directions and among others Chief of Police Lane of Hudson. N. Y. was notified therefore when white man and colored man were ar rested in that city on suspicion of hav- ing attempted to burglarize a store there, Sunday morning, he suspected the negro of being the Sheffield robber. He gave his name as Archibald Golden and the white man gave the name of Guy Bruise. Both claimed to live in Sheffield.
 Chief Lane upon learning that Bruise and Golden came from Sheffield at once began to question the colored man with reference to his whereabouts on Friday. might. The chief was convinced that Golden knew something regarding the robbery.
 Golden finally confessed that he alone robbed Miss Burch and said he had hid den the money under bridge near the Shearin place in Sheffield. Golden sig nified willingness to go to Sheffield and he was taken there Monday after noon.
 Golden has a court record in Berk-