The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-03-16
BRAVE YOUTH
R0UTS ROBBER
Brother Joe, Aged Seventeen.
Grappled With the Man, Forced
Him to Retreat and Sent
Bullets After Him
IN Street.

MOND, VA-Special
Discovered by little girl on the
second floor OF the home Of John View
land, OF S1S East Cary Street, shortly
after 10 o'clock last night. a desper-
ate burglar, finding himself cornered.
attempted to shoot Mr.. Weyland's son
and was prevented only after a ter
rthc struggle. tn which young Mr..
Weyland succeeded in wrestling the re-
voiver from the intruder.
The burglar then fed, leaping from
porch some ten or twelve feet to
the ground. The young man. Joe Wey-
land, now armed with the thief's own
gun gave chase and fired at the fiee-
ing man twice before he managed to
get out OF sight
It Is supposed that the intruder on
tered the Weyland home from the rear.
he secreted himself in a room which
In the summer is used as a kitchen
and In winter as a kind of store room
The door OF this room is usually kept
locked, but the burglar In order TO
keep himself informed as to the move
ments of the family. opened II slightly
and stationed himself behind II SO he
could peep through the crack.
Discovery OF the Burglar.
Miss Emma Weyland, the fifteen
year-old daughter of John Weyland.
noticed that this room, which is Just
across from her chamber, was open
last night as she went upstairs to re-
tire, and going to the door TO close
It. she was terrified to hear someone
move, and finding that a man was hid
den behind the door she rushed to
her brothers room and told him that
a burglar had broken into the house.
Joe Weyland is only seventeen years
old. and he had no pistol. but he did
not hesitate for even the fraction OF
second. He walked 10 the door to
jerk IL shut, thinking that he might be
able to hold the burglar a prisoner un-
til the police could be summoned.
Divining the intention OF the young
man. and unwilling to be trapped, the
burglar sprang fun into the doorway
as young weyland reached for the
knob. and dealt the young man a
smashing blow IN the face. knocking
him against the opposite wall.
But before he could recover the
thief was locked In the arms of Joe
Weyland, who. though blows were be-
ing rained upon his head, attempted
to force the man back into the room.
Finding himself q poor match for the
muscular young man. the burglar
drew his gun and tried to force 1t
against his assailant's breast.
A Desperate Struggle.
Then began a struggle, which,
though in reality lasting but a few
minutes. stretched across fully an
hour, the young man thought. as he
and the burglar fought and writhed in
had the burglar by the wrist trying TO
keep the pistol pointed upwards.
while the man was making every ef-
fort to lower the gun. so that he could
fire IL into the boys body.
Finally. needless OF the blows show
cred upon him. Joe Weyland managed
TO get both hands on the burglars
wrist He wrenched the mans arm
back and forced him to loosen his hold
on the revolver, which fell on the
boys arm. and was Immediately seized
by him.
The whole fight took place in black
darkness, and so young Weyland does
not know whether the burglar was
white or colored. Even when the man
rushed to the porch railing and leaped
over. the boy says he could only see
that he was tall and heavily built.
When the Intruder landed In the
street Joe was at the rail. and leveling &
the revolver at the fugitive, he fired.
lie thinks that the ball lodged In the
mans back. for the thief was so close
that the boy can hardly understand
how he could miss him.