RECENT COMMENTS
Robbery on 27th Street (1862)
Robberies on Church Hill. – Nearly every night, on Church Hill, some thievish scoundrels waylay and rob persons passing in the public streets. Sunday night, it is said, about 10 o’clock, a man was knocked down and robbed of his watch, on or near Clay and 27th streets, and again on Monday night the same party were seen on Marshall street, in the same neighborhood, armed with knives and pistols. After stealing from a marketmen the amount for which he had sold his produce, they fired their pistols and cut with their knives at some persons, who hearing the alarm had pursued them. The gang is composed of quite young men, and an effort is now being made to detect the guilty ones, and bring them to justice. Church Hill has heretofore been noted for the quiet and peace that reigned in its vicinity.
Thugs…
I wonder whether RPD caught them?
The store mentioned is of course the old Wills Grocery building that remains a hollow shell. The Wills family had no interest holdings on it in 1862 and not sure exactly who did? Still researching but in 1852 it was called Francisco Cassala Grocery and in 1883 was Bourn & Elam. The house was owned by Martin Sweeney during 1862 who was a grocer so possibly he operated the building as his business then?
I had seen similar newspaper articles of the period concerning thefts and other crimes for the block and glad someone is working on such a project.
Eric
When I read this the first time I thought it was recent!