New-York tribune., 1920-07-18
Thief
ROuses Terror
In Tarrytown1
Face Blackened, and Armed
With Knife and Gun, He
Robs Two Homes and
Visits Four Others
Gets Jewels and Cash
Locks Daughters of D. L.
Luke in Room; Forces
Mother to Open Safe

Burglars who travelled in an automo-
bile, and whose leader was clad as the
Headless Horseman Of Sleepy Hollow
except that he lacked a pumpkin, in
vaded Tarrytown before dawn yester-
day, visiting SIX houses, two of which
they robbed and at one of which thew
were fired upon.
1t was long before cock crow when
David L. Luke, president Of the West
Virginia Paper and Pulp Company, was
awakened by the sound Of stealthy
footsteps in the upper hallway of his
home, on South Broadway. When he
flung open his bedroom door, electric
torch in hand, his first thought was
that spooks were abroad.
tall white figure, apparently head
less, was revealed by the beam of his
torch. A chorus of screams came from
the rooms Of Mr.. Luke's daughters, who
also had been aroused and had caught
sight of the apparition Mrs Luke, with
one glance into the hall, fled down the
back stairs.
Zone more yell and I'll shoot the lot
Of you!" warned the CHASTITY burglar,
and he motioned the young women to
enter their fathers room.
AT the gesture the sheet which draped
him from head to feet fell back, ex-
posing revolver in his right hand. He
moved his other arm also, and re-
vealed long knife clutched in that
| hand. His order was obeyed promptly.
AS soon as he had the four in one
room he removed the key and turned it
in the lock from the outside.
Face Black as Coa1
Freeing his face from the folds of
the sheet, the burglar descended to the
kitchen, where he found Mrs. Luke re-
covering from swoon of terror. Her
senses almost left her again at the
second glimpse of the intruder, for his
| face was black as coal, whether natur-
ally, from the use of charcoal or be-
cause he wore a mask, Mrs. Luke in
her terror failed to discern.
"Open that safe!" commanded the in
truder, pointing toward the dining room
where there is q safe in which the
family jewels were kept.
Mrs. Luke tottered to her feet and
knelt before the safe. In her fright
her fingers refused to close about the
combination disk and all recollection of
the formula slipped her mind. She sank
back trembling and wondering whether
her husband would be able to summon
help
Mr.. Luke. as matter of fact, had
started to slip out of his bedroom WIN
dow, hoping to be able to Chamber down
the shutters of lower window to the
ground, but had given up the endeavor
| on discovering that two men were
patrolling the house, keeping a watch
| full eve also on the motor car in which
they came.
The burglar in the dining room had
no intention Of permitting Mrs. Luke
to faint again and he aroused her with
a nudge of his revolver muzzle.
"Open that SAFE" he said with deadly
earnestness, cor I'll shoot you as sure
as Pm standing here!"
Mrs. Luke Opens Safe
Mrs. Luke rallied her failing facul-
ties and managed to get the safe open
with fumblng fingers. Then she lost
consciousness. When she recovered
her senses the burglars had gone,
taking with them all her jewelry.
TIE burglars stopped at the home Of
Colonel Robert Crowley, former presi-
dent of the Western Union Telegraph
Company, but finding every entrance
securely fastened, abandoned their at
tempt to get in and broke into the
home of William Fletcher, Mr.. Crow
ley's superintendent, where they found
jewelry and money.
At the next house, the home Of Will
lam A. Buckley, they were frightened
away by police dog belonging to Mr..
] Buckley. Next they visited the home
of Harry Purdy, on Archer Place. Mrs.
Purdy heard them at window and
awoke her son, who fired pistol shot
at the trio. They got into their auto
mobile and went on.
They next stopped at the home OF
rank Hustled on River Street. The
aheeted burglar tripped on his disguise
and fell against woodplle, This clat-
tered to the ground, awakening the
household and the burglars fled. Sew
eral finger prints were obtained by the
police.
-~... u>1, EvrhJnvns AnSfYy an1ved hV