Rensselaer Union, Volume 5, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 October 1872 — A Cool and Audacious Robbery. [ARTICLE]

A Cool and Audacious Robbery.

A recent New York dispatch says: Mr. Samuel Pope, a member of the New Jersey Legislature, is six feet in height and a giant in strength. He lives in Broadway, Paterson. His beautiful residence is on Broadway Hill, about half a mile from the nearest house. On Monday night he and his wife retired early. 'About eleven o’clock Mr. Pope was awakened by somebody shaking him gently by the shoulder. Rubbing his eyes, he saw five outlaws surrounding his bedside -with cocked revolvers pointed at his head. Two others stood by the window. All were fashionably dressed, as could be seen by the light of the lamp, and of several sperm candles which the gang held in their hands ; but their features were hidden under masks, all black, with the exception of one, which was white. The leader of the party, in a gentlemanly voice, told Mr. Pope that he need not be alarmed. All he had to do was to remain quiet while the gang were at work and submit to their manipulations, and hp would be unharmed, otherwise instant death awaited both him and his wife. Mr. Pope signified his willingness to remain quiet. Therobbers then tied Mr. Pope’s jiands behind hisback, and also tied his ! feet with a long piece of tarred rope. He was then carried to a closet under the stairway, and fastened therein. The robbers returned and subjected Mrs. Pope tti similar treatment. ; Her hands and feet were securely tied, which operation was performed" with ' rigid regard to the delicacy due a woman . en dixhabiUe. Both Mr. "and Mrs. Pope ; could see that the hands of the masque- | raders were white and soft. The bur- ; glars proceeded with the object of their ; yigit. They stationed two of their num- i ber.at the window, and it was ascertained*: | by their conversation that, there were ! three more outside, keeping watch. There were altogether about ten men. The five inside, who commenced to gather up the valuableSj wore women's stockings over t hei r’'boots. -Procuring the key of the safe fco® Mr. Pope’s pocket, they opeitedit. Others- ran sacked the bureau! and closet, TUg scraped together

nearly 110,000 in money, a good part of wi}icn was in specie, and $2,000 worth of watches, diamonds, Jewelry, silverware, etc., including a handsome set presented to Mr. Pope while he was in the Legislature. From the s|ife they extracted $7,500 worth of railroad bonds and other Valuable property, .including a large lot of mortgages. Their search continued for an hour and a half, during which time Mr. Pope was shivering in the closet, although the' thieves gave him a blanket to keep nimself warm, and Mrs. Pope. was shivering with_ fright in bed. When ready'' theTETeves awoke Mrs. Pope’s little adopted daughter, took her down stairs and placed her in the bed with Mrs. Pope. The thieves handled her gently, and told her .no harm would happen to' her if she remained quiet. They told her that she must not untie Mr. and Mrs. Pope for some time, after which they drove off in a carriage. No trace of the thieves has been discovered. The only thing which the authorities have to work upon is the tarred rope and stockings which they left behind. It is certain that the thieves are well acquainted with Mr. Pope and his business, and that they do not live many miles from Paterson. The family watch-dog was poisoned a few days ago, probably to get him out of the way of making an alarm. Mr, Pope, on Monday afternoon, expected to receive a cash payment of $38,000, but was disappointed, and the burglars were disappointed in not finding it in the safe. It is the most audacious robbery ever committed in Paterson. Mr. Pope has stopped the payment of the stolen bonds.