Year: 1876

Miss Matte G. White, of this city,


who was visiting In the family of Mr.,


John Whittlesey, the cashier of the
Northampton Bank, writes TO bel


brother, Mr.. E. l.. White, an account
of her experience with the burglars.
She says About u o'clock, or a lit
tie after, five burglars entered our
peaceful home with all the violence
that we have often had pictured to US
through the papers, and such as is
hard to believe, and can only be re-
allied through experience, such as we
have now hsd. The first intimation
Laura had of what was going on was
that man was entering their room,
over the sitting room, and he had a
dark lantern in his hand and imm edi-
ately sprang to their bed, while both
screamed. They were then held by
their bed, while both screamed. They
were then held by their throsts, two
men being then there, and at once
handcuffed aud held down. / hsd
not been asleep over ten minutes, for
| heard the town clock strike 10, and
at half-past II we were all under their
entire subsection, there being a man
or two men in my chamber at once.
The first knew man entered my
room, and the dark lantern wakened
me, suppose. l screamed, thinking
it was John, and that the house was
on fire, and sprang out of bed. He
put me back and ehoked me, and then
told me he would treat me kindly if
would keep perfectly quiet. He said
w1ak oil III
and you may as well give up" He
then told me must get up. 1 beg
ged him to let me be there, but he
said "No," and pulled me up and led
me into the hall, and then handcuffed
me. He then took me into Laura's
room-no, not quite yet. After get
ting me into the hall he said I would
take cold without more clothing, and
1 told him 1 would take my death of
cold that way, and he led me back
into my room, when I obtained more
clothes, and he took me with tkem.
Shortly after Maria, Aunt Hattie, and
her husband walked in the same room
and the girl was brought in with us.
After they had got US all in that room
they made us all get up separately
and dress. OF course we were rugged
in each others clothing, and some
were half dressed. They kept hurry


ing us up, and we were all wonder
fully self-posessed. 1 was very calm,
and acted accordingly. They opened
LIS bureau drawer, and took out her
handsome velvet cloak and handed it
to her, saying, 81 guess this is what
you want" She put that on with her
balmoral skirt, and then 1 was fixed
up, and they fell short of handouts.
Then Laura and 1 were Joined by one
handcuff, and they took US off into
the front room and put us in the bed,
and then tied our hands and feet with
leather straps buckled as tight as
possible. Then they took heavy ropes
aud slipped through these, and
brought the rope under the bed, and
fastened it with extra ropes besides.
They served us all this way. They
treated John cruelty also Aunt Hat
tie. The last operation was to gag us
with rubber gags. John was blind
folded and tied in another position.
They then dragged him in the lower
bedroom, and he was almost dead
when found. Laura and extricated
ourselves first by the greatest effort,
and we dragged ourselves, bed and all,
to the window, about o'clock in the
morning, aud with one free hand
opened the window and alarmed the
neighborhood. We had our hand
cuffs filed apart, and it was about 9
o'clock when Laura and 1 were separ-
ated. We are alive and well, only
that we are scratched and bruised, and
Johns chest is black and blue. They
held a pistol at his head after they got
him in the bedroom, when they de-
manded the keys and the eombina-
ton. They did not touch the silver,
but took Johns watch and chain. L..
grabbed hers and flung 1t under the
bureau. and thew missed il,