Rensselaer Standard, Volume 1, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 July 1879 — A Widow’s Peril. [ARTICLE]

A Widow’s Peril.

Mrs. Rachel Hollis, an elderly widow who lives alone near Oil City, awoke at 3:30 o’clock yesterday morning almost suffocated, and found her bed, her clothing that hung the window curtains and the carpet in her room all on fire. Mrs. Hollis kept nearly $1,700 in bank-bills in a cupboard near her bed, and her first thought was of her money. She fought her way through the smoke to this cupborii and found that she had been robbed The old lady then managed to get to a window and give an alarm. Her cries were heard ami assistance quickly reached her. The loss of her money had almost crazed her f and it was with difficulty that she was taken from the room, which was all ablaze when her rescuers entered. The flames were soon extinguished and the discovery was made that oil had been poured about the room and fired. Fire was also discovered burning in four other rooms in the house. The fact that Mrs. Hollis kept large sums of money in her house has long been commonly known, and the robbery was no doubt committed by parties familiar with the premises and with Mrs. Hollis’ practice of keeping money, aud it is believed that, whoever they ware, they were prepared to add murder and arson to the criche of robbery. The house was damaged to the amount of SSOO. No arrests have yet been made.—[NewYork World.