JW’s House Broken-into

Sat 20 Nov 1784: At three in the morning, two or three men broke into our house through the kitchen window. Thence they came up into the parlour and broke open Mr. More’s bureau, where they found two or three pounds. The night before, I had prevented his leaving there seventy pounds, which he had just received. They next broke open the cupboard and took away some silver spoons. Just at this time the alarm, which Mr. Moore by mistake had set for half past three (instead of four) went off, as it usually did, with a thundering noise. At this, the thieves ran away with all speed, though their work was not half done, and the whole damage which we sustained scarce amounted to six pounds.