Smyrna times., 1931-04-29
4 BANDITS ROB AGED PAIR
OVER At CENTERV|LLE, MD.
GET $1,000 CASH, A SCARF PIN
AND A WEDDING RING
MIR. and Mrs. Frederick Allebach
Report to Sheriff But No Clue
Has Led to an Arrest as Yet


How four armed bandits held up
an aged man and his wife in their
own home near Perry's Corner,
Centreville,. Md, last week and es-
capped in high-powered car with
$40 in cash, a wedding ring and a
valuable scarf pin, was revealed
Thursday to Sheriff ]. Elmer An
thony and Constable Louis B. Per-
kins, by Mr.. and Mrs. Frederick
Allebach, victims of the night raid
ers, while in that section investi-
eating a hennery robbery. When
Allebach told the thugs that they
were stealing his last twenty dol
lars, one of the bandits pleaded
with his associates to leave the
aged couple a part of the loot.
Give the old folks chance, by
leaving them at least couple of
smackers," he said, according to
Allebach. The others with curses
and fiourishes of their revolvers,
ignored the plea, and demanded
not only the money, but also Mrs.
Allebach's wedding ring and a
diamond scarf pin found in their
bedroom. Mr.. and Mrs. Allebach
were aroused shortly before mid
night when a light colored roadster
stopped at the house. Four men
came to the door and called. When
Mr.. Allebach responded, they told
him that a neighbor wished to
speak to him. Thoroughly dis
armed by this information, the
aged man stepped from his front
doorway and Immediately the three
men aimed revolvers at him. The
fourth remained in the machine
and kept the motor running. The
bandit leader told Mr.. AlIebach
that they wanted his money, warn
ing him that they would not hesi-
tate to kill him if he refused.
Frightened by their desperate at
titude, Mr. Allebach assured them
he did not have a penny on his per-
son, but admitted he had a few
dollars in his bedroom upstairs.
Without further ceremony they de-
manded admittance and forced him
to lead the way to his bedroom.
Mrs. Allebach who was upstairs,
fearful that the men would kill her
husband, had hurriedly gotten to-
gether all the money in the room,
and when they entered pointing
pistols at her, she handed over $40.
Dissatisfied, apparently, by this
meagre raid, they began to ran
sack the home and finally compell-
ed Mrs. Allebach to take her we'd
ding ring from her finger and give
it to them. The stick pin also was
found and taken. At only one
stage of the holdup Mr.. Allebach
tried to make a move toward de-
fense by grabbing his shot gun but
it was quickly snatched from his
hands. And then to render it use
less, so he would be unable to fire
upon them as they left, they took
away a part of the gun with them.
Both Mr.. and Mrs. Allebach are
former residents of Germany, but
have lived in this country for a
number of years. Less than ten
years ago they purchased the home
near Perry's Corner and had re-
sided there. Neighbors know them
as hard-working, industrious and
honest citizens, and it is assumed
that the bandits had some reasons
to believe they kept large sum of
money in the home Mr.. Allebach
told the officers that all four of the
holdup men were white, and that
he could easily be able to recognize
them as they wore no masks or
face coverings of any kind. Sheriff
Anthony and Constable Perkins
are working on the case. Informa-
nation concerning the hold up was
received by chance when the Of
ficers visited the Perry's Corner
section, investigating the theft of
about forty hens from the farm of
Mrs. Beatrice Bryan. That robbery
occurred Saturday nioht