SENSATIONAL BURGLARY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 172, 19 January 1912, Page 8

SENSATIONAL BURGLARY.

BRAVERY OF THREE WOMEN,

REVOLVERS BROUGHT INTO PLAY.

A sensational case of'burglary occurred at Nailsworth, a suburb of Adelaide" (S.A.), early, on the morning of Sunday week, when the inmates of the residence of Mr. S. J. Blitz, a well-known' dental surgeon, immediately opposite the police station, were held up by three mask'ed 'burglars between 3 and 3.3o.This burglars -prized open tjie ; dining-room window, and while two of them entered the dwelling the third kept' guard 'outside. The house was occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Blitz, who were sleeping in the front bedroom, and their daughters, Sophie, Jeannie, Sarah and Kate, who occupied three bedrooms in the back part of the house. The intruders first entered the rooms of the young ladies,, two of whom on being' awakened found themselves confronted by armed and masked men. Miss Kate was not aroused by the unwelcome intrusion, and the burglars respected the plea that she should not be disturbed, as she was in delicate health.

Miss Sarah Blitz screamed loudly for help, and one of the men, pointing a •revolver at her, ordered her to lie quiet, and tell him where a certain bag was. Her cries aroused the father and mother, into whose room one of the intruders walked, and, pointfng his revolver at Mr. Blitz, began to search for money. Miss Sarah Blitz continued to call for help, and Awhile the burglar, who had seized her roughly by the arms, was trying to silence her, Sophie and Jeannie ran from the house to summon assistance. Miss Sophie was held up by the man on guard, who threatened to shoot her if she did not go back. She promised to do so, and to make no noise if he would take an oath to leave her parents alone. The promise was given, and she returned to the house. Miss Jtannie, however, managed to elude the guard, and, sealing the fence, gave the alarm to the police. The intruders, while keeping Blitz covered with their revolvers, searched the drawers of the wardrobe for money, but without suocess. Then they opened the front door, and while they stood conversing on the step Blitz seized his loaded revolver, which he had concealed under his pyjamas, and proceeding to the ope-! 'loor, said to the men, "Look here, old fallows, you need not fear; it is ov' iY>v v ', and you will hear no more ab(it." He then drew his revolver 1 and fired shots at both; men, each of whom was'hdt' more than a yard away. He immediately jumped across the hall towards the drawing-room, and as he did i so the 'burglars fired three shots, two of which lodged in the plaster of the wall, the third grazing his pyjama coat and ((perforating the hall curtains, finally lodging in the wall. Thev then decamped.

Miss Kate Blitz slept soundly through the whole disturbance.