The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-03-17
DARING HOLD-UP ANO ROBBERY!
Lewis Partridge Bound and Gagged at the Point Of
Revolver.
The BOldest
Man Nearly Stranged and otherwise Roughly
Clothing Sashed Through in Search of
Money-The Robbers Probably Professionals.

cause. when he was seized by man in
the back part of the wagon, who bent
his head back, and thrust block of
wood into his mouth, while the other
robber held revolver within few inches
of his face. He was then dragged out
of the buggy, blindfolded, his overcoat
stripped off, and search of his pockets
made. The bulk of the money was in
the inside pocket of his vest. For some
reason it appears that the thieves were
not content to secure their booty by
rifling their victims pockets in the or
dinary way but, turning back his coat,
slashed down both sides of his vest, the
cuts passing through not only that gar
ment, but his sweater, and two shirts,
reaching his skin directly over his heart,
but fortunately inficting no wound on
his body. Through one of these gashes
the large package ofbills was taken, and
the balance from other pockets draw
string purse being stolen from a pants
pocket. Some silver lying under the
purse was not disturbed, and the thieves
very considerately left Mr.. Partridge his
watch
Just what occurred for some time af-
ter the assault and robbery Mr.. Part
ridge does not know. He thinks he
must have tainted, as he has no recol-
lection as to how long he remained in
the road, or when or how he got back
into the wagon. He thinks his assail-
ants must have lifted him into the buggy,
taken the blind from his eyes, and start
ed the horse. He recalls his suffering
from the gag, which by every movement
OF his arms was forced farther into his
throat, and his realization of the neces-
sity for relief at the earliest possible
moment. But he does not know, he
says, how the horse came to stop at
Mr.. Kellow's, or how he managed to
get out of the wagon, and to the door.
Considerably more than an hour had
elapsed between the time of his assault
as fixed by the tram whistle and his
arrival at the house as shown by the
clock, and'yet the distance can easily be
walked inside of four minutes.
"On hearing Mr.. Partridge's story, de-
tective and deputy sheriff Spencer was
called by phone, but he was in Hawley
at the time, and the message was then
sent to Sheriff Braman. Thinking that
the call was for rig simply to bring
Mr.. Partridge to town, carriage was
sent up to Mr.. Kellow's by one of the
stable men. Finding that the officer was
personally wanted, the man came back
after the sheriff, and it was half-past ten
when he reached the house. He drove
out over the road, and found Mr.. Part
ridges coat at the point where the rob-
berry took place. The next day the fold
ing pocket book was found in the road
near that spot, and about halfway be-
tween there and Mr.. Kellow's the empty
purse was picked up. As it would be at
about this point that a person wishing
to reach the East Honesdale Erie water
tank would take short cut down over
the fields, it was surmised that the rob
bers had taken that course, and stations
along the line were notified to be on the
lookout for them.
When Mr.. Braman returned to the
house with the overcoat. he found the
victim of the robbery still in highly
nervous and hysterical condition, and
so fearful of fartherviolence that he was
anxious TO stay all night. He was final
ly persuaded to come into the centra
town; but when he arrived here he went
with his horse and wagon to Braman'f
stables, and remained there until morn
ing, bemoaning his loss. When he final
ly went to his home later in the day, ht
was seriously prostrated, and found il
necessary to take to his bed. Even now
he complains of sleeplessness, and il
evidently suffering from the nervous
shock sustained.
The gag used by the bandits was 1
particularly villainous instrument of tor
} ture. The block was whitfield from sof
white pine, slightly tapering, three AND
three-quarters inches in length by two
and a-quarter in width, and an incl
and a-half thick, with roughly rounded
corners. Through the larger end two
large gimlet holes were bored, through
which two stout hemp strings were tied
The smaller end of this wedge wa
thrust into Partridge's mouth so far a
nearly to stop his breathing. The string
were then tied back Of his head, notche
in the sides of the block keeping then
in place. His hands were tied behinC
his back with another stout cord anC
|. | fha txuN sn.naA hxK trOAk
bers has been obtained it is understood
that the officers have two or three sus
| nactod naraona undar aI1rvaiIlanca anf