Gypsy Heart
Gold Member
Abraham LANZ, aged 90, the victim of a twenty-year-ago robbery that
attracted nation-wide attention, died Saturday, March 8, 1924, on his farm
near Clinton, Allegheny county, from injuries received when he was kicked by
a mule about a week ago.
Twenty years ago last month at the lonely farm of LANZ, where he then lived
with a brother and sister, all unmarried, a man appeared and by torturing
the aged farm folk by placing their feet in the glowing coals of a
fireplace, forced them to reveal a cigar box, containing $500. Fearing the
robber would return and force them to tell where they had $1,500 hidden, a
man named MCKENDRIE was hired to act as guard at their cabin.
The robber returned within a week after his first appearance and was shot
to death through a hole in the cabin door by MCKENDRIE. Fearing the man may
have had a confederate the aged people refused to open the door and the
robber's body lay in the snow for hours, until detectives appeared on the
scene. Weeks later the dead man was identified as a resident of Midway,
Washington county.
*An accompanying story concerning the original case has been posted to the
PAWASHIN list . In it the name is spelled LANCE.
attracted nation-wide attention, died Saturday, March 8, 1924, on his farm
near Clinton, Allegheny county, from injuries received when he was kicked by
a mule about a week ago.
Twenty years ago last month at the lonely farm of LANZ, where he then lived
with a brother and sister, all unmarried, a man appeared and by torturing
the aged farm folk by placing their feet in the glowing coals of a
fireplace, forced them to reveal a cigar box, containing $500. Fearing the
robber would return and force them to tell where they had $1,500 hidden, a
man named MCKENDRIE was hired to act as guard at their cabin.
The robber returned within a week after his first appearance and was shot
to death through a hole in the cabin door by MCKENDRIE. Fearing the man may
have had a confederate the aged people refused to open the door and the
robber's body lay in the snow for hours, until detectives appeared on the
scene. Weeks later the dead man was identified as a resident of Midway,
Washington county.
*An accompanying story concerning the original case has been posted to the
PAWASHIN list . In it the name is spelled LANCE.
