A Fight With Two Burglars Who Robbed Two Students

A FIGHT WITH TWO BURGLARS WHO ROBBED TWO STUDENTS

One of the Students at Prettyman's Knocked Senseless

While Grappling With a Burglar-A Hundred an Sixty Dollars in Money Secured

A bold burglary and a fight with burglars occurred at Prettyman's, on N. University avenue, at 3 a. m. Wednesday. Fred L. Thill, of East Dubuque, Ill., and Edward A. Thompson, of Belvidere, Ill., both members of the law graduating class, were robbed of about $160, a gold-filled watch and two pair of pants. They roomed together upstairs and one had received his money last Friday and the other had cashed his draft Tuesday, preparatory to leaving for their home.

The burglars entered the hall door down stairs, from thence through the upper hall to the front verandah and had then forced open the screen to the window of the room which the students occupied and one of them had crawled into the room. Mr. Thill was aroused and sprang out of bed. The robber sprang out of the window and Thill after him, grabbing him on the front verandah. The robber jerked away and ran into the upper hall, Thill still chasing him. At the head of the stairs a second robber was encountered, who hit Thill in the pit of the stomach, knocking him out. By this time the house was aroused, but the robbers had escaped.

When Mr. Prettyman and Mr. Thompson, Thill's room mate, got out, they found Thill almost unconscious on the floor at the foot of the stairs. They were totally unaware of what had happened and Thill was unable to tell them. Thill was carried to his room and a physician sent for. None but Thill, at this time knew of the robbery. After a doctor had worked over Thill for some time he recovered consciousness enough to tell what had happened. He was still confined to his bed this noon.

From appearances one of the robbers at least must have been somewhat familiar with the house.