A robbery where the burglars met with more than they had bargained for; the woman whose home they chose to rob was a sexton, not a normal occupation for a woman, which meant she was able to put up a bit of a fight.
‘A daring robbery, attended with peculiar circumstances, occurred on Wednesday night the 19th inst. at the village of Sibsey, near Boston. A woman named Marshall, 68 years of age, has long resided in a cottage there, rather lonely situated, herself being the only inhabitant of the hut. For many years she as officiated as sexton of the parish, and in this strange capacity for a female, she was said to have hoarded a considerable sum of money, which it was generally understood she kept secreted in her house. Tempted, doubtless, by this rumour, some villains, on the night above-mentioned, broke into her cottage. About eleven o’clock, Mrs. Marshall was aroused by hearing one of the windows broken, and rose from her bed to ascertain the cause, when she was astonished by the sight of a man’s head protruded through the broken window. He swore at her, and insisted upon her going to bed, saying he did not wish to hurt her ; but she was not daunted by his appearance, and prepared to resist the intrusion, and to defend her hoard even at the imminent peril of her life. She accordingly armed herself with a large hay-fork, the best weapon at hand, and struck with the tines at the head of the robber ; but, enfeebled by age or paralysed by terror, she missed her aim ; she contunued striking, however, at the man, until he wrested the fork from her grasp. During this conflict, an attempt was made to break open the door of the house, but the spirited old inmate rendered this unavailing, as she placed a large fork in a slanting position, so that the ruffians could not succeed in this attenpt. Thinking the robbers would not venture a second time, after being thus defeated in their nefarious attempt, she went to bed, but was again aroused by hearing a noise in the house. On proceeding to discover the cause of this second intrusion, she was suddenly seized by a desperado, who threw the old woman down on the bed, and pulled out a knife, with which he threatened to destroy her if she did not lie quietly. The robbers had effected an entrance this time, by pulling out a window in the back part of the house, while a third kept watch outside. They told her they knew she had sold a fat pig lately, and they were come for the money, and money they would have. One of them then proceeded to rifle the house. During this transaction, the other man watched over the unfortunate owner of the property, and when she endeavoured to extricate herself from his gripe, he drew a knife from his pocket, and swore that if she did not remain quiet he would cut her throat, to which she replied that he might, and then she should be done with. He did not proceed to this extremity, however, but pocketed the knife without further alluding to murder. The ruffian then asked her if she knew him, but she gave an evasive answer. They remained in the house nearly an hour, during which time they plundered it of guineas, half-guineas, sovereigns, and seven-shilling pieces, to the amount of 50l. They also took a quantity of plate, &c. valued at 10l., making the total loss 60l.–During the same night, another daring burglary was effected in the neighbourhood. The house of Mrs. Towl, at Langret Ferry, was broken open, and plate, &c. to the value of 10l. was stolen by the depradators, who never disturbed the inmates, and got clear off with their booty. Several circumstances tend to the suspicion that both the robberies above-mentioned were committed by the same parties. It appears that, after plundering the poor old woman at Sibsey, they made off across the country in the direction of Lincoln ; and it is probable they adopted a circuitous route, so that they might take Langret Ferry in their course. After leaving Langret Ferry, it is supposed, they proceeded to Dog-dyke, whence they went by the steam-packet to Lincoln, where they were all apprehended by Mr. Cuthbert, constable of Coningsby. It appears that the old woman had a distinct knowledge of the parties, who reside at Sibsey, and have long borne notoriously bad characters. Two of them are brothers, named Lammiman. They were examined before the Magistrates acting at Spilsby on Monday, and will in all probability be ultimately committed for trial at the next Lincoln assizes.–Boston Gazette.’
Stamford Mercury, 28th November, 1828.