Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1908-03-12
POST OFFICE ROBBER|ES.
Pedricktown and Bridgeport
Offices Looted.

At IL 80 o'clock last Saturday morning
the village of Pedricktowp, quiet little
hamlet in Salem county, near the Glouces-
ter county line, was shaken by an explo-
sion that awoke the entire town. The
people hurried into the street to find smoke
issuing from the biggest building in town
known as Red Mems Hall. The building
is occupied by families, stores, post-ofice
and lodge rooms.
The smoke was coming from the store of
Harry M. Green, who is also the postmaster.
The first arrivals found that the explosion
had been produced by burglars in forcing
open the post office safe, and the same force
upset the stove and scattered live Goals oyer
the office. These were doing their deadly
work, and the people for time centered
their efforts to saving the building After
this was accomplished then investigation
showed that the burglars had taken the
yaluables from the safe-$384 in cash,
postage stamps and lot of registered
letters.
AT BRIDGEPORT.
About Las the village of Bridgeport,
miles north Of PedricktowD, was treated to
an explosion like that which awoke Pedrick-
town, at IL 80, and those first on the street
saw horse and buggy going up the river
road toward Paulsboro. The post-office
here is in the Springer Building, large
frame structure used by secrete societies
and John McIlvain as a wheelwTjght and
blacksmith shop. Freeholder Usingerknew
there was no use in following the buggy, so
he got surrounding towns on the phone,
and told whas had happened. At Paulsboro
the draw bridge was opened, and men armed
to the teeth stood back OF every tree from
2.l5 to day light
The value of the loot taken was $305 in
cash and $406. 90 in stamps.
AS clarksboro Undertaken Clark got the
word, and as he was up With his sick wife
giving her medicine every hour, took
his gun and spent his time between her
bedside and his gate. About so as he
was giving his wife medicine, buggy went
past his house, the horse on a keen gallop.
IN WOODBURY..
At 6 O'Clock officer Sam'l Merchant was
standing under the awning at G. G. Pear
sons meat market, just on the point of 60
ing home, when he saw horse and buggy
coming toward him. The horse gave every
indication of being iaded. In the buggy
were three men. The officer was clothed
in oil skins and wore hip boots, the only
evidence of his official station being his cap.
He walked toward the curb. By this time
the buggy was just north Of High street,
and the driver seeing the cap, turned the
horse and attempted to go the other way.
Merchant unlimbered his Colts, and about
that time the hind wheel of the buggy
gave way. The three men jumped out and
started down Broad street, Merchants in
pursuit. One of the robbers opened fire on
Merchant, and sent five bullets agaist tree
behind which be took shelter. After this
Merchant pursued, as best he could, bur-
dened with rubber coat and big boots.
just as the three men passed P. B. Burk's
store, MIR. Burke was opening up, and the
first man with an oath ordered him
inside. Mr. Burke obeyed without asking
any questions.
hn kod
street, urged on by bullets from Merchants
pistol, and were lost sight of near the rail-
road tracks.
SEEN NEAR WENoNAH.
Elwood Price is the engineer of Wenonah
Water Works and about o'clock be saw
three men, one of them bareheaded, go so
house OF colored man near the pumping
station. The news Of the robbery had
reached him, and while not expecting TO
see robbers near bis secluded station, never
theless bad bis eyes open. He hurried off
TO WenoDah to tell the authorities. Officer
Geo. Parks, who, by the way, was serving
bis first night as town Marshall, Jesse Eng
lish, JOS. f. Truncer, Assemblyman VIM.
C Cattel, Harry Young, VIM. Greenig and
others responded. Before the posse arrived
the men had moved Oh. There was light
snow on the ground, and tracks of the men
led through the brush toward Mantua
creek These the posse followed up Man
tua creek toward the pumping station Of
Woodbury. Water Works. A man named
Batty occupies a small farm near the pump
ing station and swo men were seen go-
ing through bis corn field into the barn.
The burglars knew they were cornered aud
attempted to scare 5heir pursuers off BY
shooting at them through cracks in the
barn. Marshall Parks got around the barn
and entered by another door, and the foh-
bers then took 80 the open, shooting occa-
ioDally at the posse Parks followed more
closely than the others, and one of the rob