The Sun. — 1856-03-18 (London, England)

GEORGE MORLEY.  ANOTHER BURGLARY TN YORKSHIRE. --On Saturday morning a burela:y of a most desperate character was perpetrated at the house of Mr. Frederick Birtles, atone merchant, Hands werth Quarries, near Sheffield. Mr. Birtles occupies a lonely house near his quarries, and about half-past 1 o'clocl on Saturday morning his wife was awoke by a noise of persons boring at the cellar kitchen deer. She informed her husband, wile sleeps in the room over tke cellar kitchen, and he instantly jumped out of bed. The robbers heard the noise and at once took to their heels. Mr. Rates slipped on his trousers and ian after them, leaving the dour unfastened. He caught one of them in a field at a elicit distance, and the men immediately called out for assistance. A second man ran up, and the two threw Mr. Birtles down. One of them, who was aimed with a life preserver (a pliable stick, with a large lump of lead at the end), placed his foot upon Mr. Birtles throat, and said to the other, " We have the fast now, you go and ran-ack the house." The second man left for the purpose, and Mr. Birtles made an attempt to get upon his feet, upon which the man who was keeping guard over kiln struck him a violent blo et ©n the leg, and another on the side, with the lifepreserver. In the meaetime six men entered the bedroom where Mrs. Birtles and the youngest child were in bed, all wearing crape over their faces, and two of them formidably armed, one with a sledge-hammer and the other with a spade. The two men who were armed stood over Mrs. Dirties and demanded the keys. She persisting in saying that she had not got them, one of the men was cent i• Mr. Birtles to demand them. He said he had not got them, telling the man to search him. The man did so, taking out of his pockets a purse containing some silver, but not finding the keys. 9n this man's return to the house the robbers threatened Mrs. Dirties' life if she did not find the keys, and she was so terrified that she got out of bed and fetched them from her dress pocket. The men-then proceeded to ransack the house, and found in the drawer of a box 201. in notes, 9/. in gold, and a life policy for 2001., of ail of which they at once possessed themselves. While these proceedings were g, ing on Mrs. Birtles anxiously inquired whether they had murdered her husband, and one of the villains replied,—" No, we'll bring bias back, and he shall breakfast with us off some of this ham," pointing to some hams suspended from the top -of the room. The search was a prolonged one, and the man keeping guard over Mr. Birtles began to shiver with cold, and inquired whether his prisoner would lie still if he tied his hands fast ? Mr. Dirties' answer was, "Yes, I think you've given me enough to make me do that." The man a: once proceeded to tie Mr. B.rties' hands together iu front of him with a piece of strong cord, and, having done so, left him lying on the ground, Before the men had got many yards away, Mr. Dirties had bit the string in two, jumped upon his feet, and ran towards, the nearest hou,es, which were at the distance At' 300 yards, and are occupied by his workmen, crying " Murder" as be ran. The man ran after him for 100 yards. but finding Mr. Birtles too fleet of foot, gave up the chase. Mr. Birtles' cries were heard by the burglare in the hopse, one of whom called out, "Off, lads !" to the men in the house, and to a seventh nian who had been keeping watch at the door, and, in the words of Mr. Birtles, "Off they went like a shot." Mr. Birtles found the house deserted by the thieves on ieurning with some of his mon. At a later period, two of the 51. notes were found in a hedge bottom, about 50 yards from the house. All the robbers—eight in number— had their. faces covered with crape.  "