The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-11-26
SLAIN BY ROBBERS.
Preacher and Wife Muir.
dered in Their Home.
nOUStKfEPER HIDES IN TERROR
Aged Minister Shot Down in His
Study, While Wife is Murdered
as She Investigates Night
Noise.
HOUStKftPfR HIDES IN TERROR

drew L. Armstrong. the eighty-year-
old pastor of the Presbyterian church
at Dutch Neck, ten miles east OF the
city Of Trenton. and his wife were
murdered at their home by burglars.
Then the house was ransacked. but
nothing but money and the handsome
gold watch OF the aged preacher ap
parently was taken.
At first Il was declared that burg
lars committed the crime, but the cir
cumstances surrounding the case led
TO the conclusion by the authorities
that the murderer or murderers were
no ordinary thieves. but persons famil-
lar with the premises and the habits
OF the inmates Of the house.
The authorities questioned Joseph
Sears. son OF Mrs. John Sears. the
aged housekseper OF the Armstrong;.
Sears was put through a rigid exam
nation by Prosecutor William J.
Crossley.
Sears had left the house on hunt
ing expedition and returned COON after
the murder was committed. His moth
er was on the second floor Of the
house. heard screams and the shots
and hid I'm terror under the bed. but
was not harmed.
Sears was brought to Trenton by
Kirkham, the county detective. Kirk
ham and the prosecutor also brought
another men.
A gun that was supposed to have
been used in the shooting OF the Arm
strongs was found. but It contained
only one empty shell. and the authori-
ties are at loss TO understand how
the other shot was fred. Sears, 1t is
UNDERWOOD, says he can prove an
alibi. and insists that he was In New
Brunswick.
Mr.. Armstrong and his wife were
both shot in the breast and both. 1t
seems certain. hed instantly. Their
bodies were found in pools OF blood
on the first floor Of the house.
The aged pastors body was lying in
bis study. while that OF his wife was
lying In a doorway leading from the
kitchen to the diningroom.
From the condition OF the lower floor
Of the house II was plainly to be seen
that there had been a struggle by the
elghty-yearold clergyman and his wife
10 escape the assasslns It Is believed
that the murderers were recognized
by the Armstrong; after they had en-
tered the house and that the aged cou-
pie we're killed because OF this recog-
milton
Cash apparently Is what was want
cd, and with the exception OF money,
they apparently took nothing away but
the handsome gold watch OF the aged
pastor. This was roughly torn from the
charm worn around his neck, and his
pockets were turned inside out
Mrs. John Sears. an aged woman,
has been housekeeper in the Arm
strong house for many years. Her son.
Joseph, young man. also lived In the
same house.
Early in the morning Joseph Sears
arose to go hunting in the neighbor-
hood OF New Brunswick. He left his
mother and the pastor and his wife at
home
Mr.. Armstrong and his wife seldom
retired early, as most people In the
rural districts do Mrs. Armstrong was
fond OF reading and would sit In the
diningroom and read while Mr. Arm
strong would spend the evening In his
study on the same floor
Mrs. Sears heard the screams and
shots. and in terror for her own life,
hid. Thus the time and circumstances
OF the double murder are pretty we'll
Established
II appears that the burglars entered
the house between 10 and IL o'clock.
They forced their way In and surprised
Mr.. Armstrong and his wife.
Mrs. Armstrong. apparently. arose to
see what was going on and was shot
first. a bullet entering her breast Then
the aged pastor rushed from his study
and he also was made the victim OF
bullets. The woman rolled over on
her side, with her arms over her face,
and almost Immediately after her hus-
band dropped over dead on the study
floor
Mrs. Sears was in her room and was
preparing to retire for the night when
the first shot was fired. She realized
that something terrible was happen
ing, but she was powerless to give as
slstance.
The aged woman closed her door,
and, frightened almost to death, she
crawled under her bed. She thought
her fate was to be the same as the
Armstrong;.
After the burglars had slain the old
couple, Mrs. Sears heard them ran
sacking the house.
Mrs. Sears expected her son at any
minute, as she lay under the bed al
most in a state of collapse. About II
o'clock Sears returned. AS he walked
into the house he met his mother run
ming down the stairs. The grief-strick'
en- mother met him in the dark and
told him of what had happened.
Sears and his mother ran to the
homes OF Enoch Coleman and George
Dennison and called on them to help,
Other neighbors were aroused and
crowd soon collected in the house.