American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-10-07
A Daring Robbery in Chicago

The Inter- Ocean of the 9th tells the
following: A well planned and daring
robbery was perpetrated on the West
Side Monday afternoon, and there
seems but little chance of capturing the
men engaged in the crime, as it is prob
able that they are ere this enjoying
their i'll gotten spoil at distance from
Chicago. One of the Monday evening
trains doubtless conveyed them away
from the city before the circumstances
of the affair had been made known to
the police. The fact that such an au-
dacious robbery was committed in so
thickly settled a section of the city in
broad daylight, will cause many timid
women, while alone in their dwellings, to
keep their doors locked and to beware
whom they admit to their houses during
the absence of their liege lords.
Mr.. Alexander Weide, builder, hav-
ing an Office at No. 313 West Lake
Street, and residing at No. 311 West
Lake, early Monday afternoon received
a note at his dwelling signed "Henry
Miller" and requesting him to meet
him at the Halsted Street Tivoli at 2
o'clock that afternoon on important
business. Mr.. Weide, after a short
time had elapsed, started for
the place designated. He had
proceeded about one-half the distance
on foot when nicely dressed man
stepped up to him and inquired if he
had the pleasure of addressing Mr..
Weide. The latter replied that such
was his name. The stranger then drew
him aside, and in confidential manner
informed him that a person on the
South Side had some new saloon fix
lures on which he wanted the builder to
pass an opinion, and requested that he
meet the party at a certain point in the
South Division at 8 O'Clock. Mr.. Weide
replied that he had an appointment at
2, which might occupy some little time,
although he did not yet know its nature,
but he would try and be at the place
designated promptly. He fastened to
the Tivoli, but found no one. After
waiting some time he proceeded to the
South Side, and again found no one
who wished to interrogate him. The
proprietor of the place named by the
strange man had no saloon fixtures that.
he desired to have inspected. Mr.. Weide
spent considerable time on the South
Side, being little aware of the crime
that was being enacted at his home dur
ing his prolonged absence.
Between the hours of and 5 O'Clock
two strange men knocked at the door
of Mr.. Weide's residence. The wife of
the builder responded. She had no
sooner opened the door, and was about
asking the business of the persons, than
they seized her by the throat. She was
severely choked and prevented from
screaming until sponge, well saturat-
ed with chloroform, had been applied
to her nose, rendering her insensible.
The ruffians then conveyed the woman
to sofa, arranged the sponge near her
nostrils so that she would continue to
feel the effect of the chloroform, and
coolly went to work to ransack. the
house. The building was, searched
from top to bottom, not a bureau
drawer, trunk, or closet escaping the
scrutiny of the robbers. They were
aftersmoney and articles that they could
carry away on their persons without
detection. They appropriated one
open faced gold watch worth 300; one
silver watch, $40; one gold chain, SIS;
one silver chain, 50; one set of gold
jewelry, $50; one breastpin, $50; two
pairs gold spectacles, S25, and about
$500 in money. Over $500 of the latter
was about Mrs. Weide's person. Hav-
ing secured every thing that they desir-
ed, the men fled.
Mrs. Weide is able to give fair de-
scription of one of the robbers, but can
tell almost nothing regarding his COM
panion. One of her assaulters was of
medium size, about 25 years of age,
light complexion, and wore bla k
He had on dark velvet
coat. The man whom Mr.. Weide met
on the street while walking to the Tivoli
was about As years of age, wore black
suit of clothes and stovepipe hat. He
was about feet 10 inches high, rather
stoutly built, and had a full, dark beard.
Mrs. Weide had just commenced to re-
cover from severe illness, and the eff
feet of the chloroform administered to
her, together with the shock consequent
upon the bold robbery, will probably
exert very bad influence on her
health.