The daily gazette., 1879-04-28
A Bold Burglary.
WORRELs OPERA HOUSE DRY GOODS
STORE DEFTLY BURGLARIZED-How
THE AFFAIR WAS CONDUCTED.

/ STORE DEFTLY DISQUALIFICATION
THE AFFAIR WAS CONDUCTED.
Some time Saturday night or Sunday
morning, the dry goods store of Granville
Worrell, Nos. $40 and S22 Market street
i'll the Masonic Temple, was burglarizet
in the most neat aud systematic manner
The entrance was effected through a
window opening into an area about 10 by
| IL feet located between the store and the
auditorium portion of the Opera House
This area is accessible from the King
| street alley, and it can also be reached by
entering the main vestibu of the Opera
House, and going down the basement
stairs, at the foot Of which is an unfast-
ened window opening directly Into it.
by this latter route 1t is supposed the bur-
glars reached the area, as il afforded them
an easy passage and an opportunity OF
reaching The desired point without max
Ing any noise or attracting the slightest
suspicion.
Once in the area the burglars set TO
work. They easily priced up the lower
window, which was only secured by a
couple of nails, and then sawed one Of
the inside bars completely through close
to the window sill, This sawed bar W as
then so bent by means Of piece of scant-
ling, which was afterwards discovered
leaning up in corner of the area, that it
was easily slipped through the cross bars
and finally removed entirely from its po-
sition. The removal of this bar left an
aperature about nine or ten inches wide,
through which the burglars effected an
easy entrance into the basement OF carpet
department of the store.
After getting inside the burglars pro-
ceeded up stairs and with an expertness
that showed precise knowledge of the
store and ITS contents, made raid on the
SILK department. Fortu nately the stock
OF silks then on hand was rather light,
the sales during the past month having
been unusually good, but there was
enough left to give the burglars a con-
siderable haul of black dress silks, with
a few pieces Of the colored varieties.
None OF the other stock on this floor was
taken, and there was no evidence of any
OF the other goods having been disturb.
ed.
The thieves also operated down stairs
IN the hosiery and linen department,
though in rather a strange and unbusi-
ness-like manner.
They opened a number of boxes con-
tanning fine stockings and handkerchief
and took only few articles from each
box, when they could just as readily
have taken the boxes and contents en-
tirs. The extent of the operations In
this department il not yet known, but
they are not very heavy.
A witt was paid to MIR. Worrell's Of
flee, but nothing was disturbed. The
money drawer of the cashiers desk was
also broken open, but the little money
remaining there was left untouched.
The exact extent Of the robbery is not
yet known, but Mr.. Worrell says his loss
VIII not be as heavy as has been stated
by the street reports, which placed it all
the way between two and three thousand
dollars.
After securing their booty the robbers
doubtless made their exit by means of
the rear alley, az the lock on the King
street gate was found to be broken Sun
day morning. This theory is further
by the fact that the piece
OF scantling with which the window bar
was evidently forced was found standing
In the corner of the area, as though the
burglars had used 1t to assist them in
chm bling to the top of tho wall.
The burglary was doubtless committed
after midnight, as Mr.. Worrell and his
clerk did not leave the store Saturday
night, until after 10 o'clock.
Mr.. WOrrell attaches some blame for
the complete success of tho robbery upon
the Opera House watchman, who, he
thinks, should have detected the bur-
glars in their operations, had he CAREFUL
ly made his rounds during the night.
The police are now engaged In looking
into the affair, but as yet have obtained
no clue.
II IL reported that some residents along
King street saw wagon drive up to
the rear of the Opera House, late Satur-
day night and after waiting few min
utes drive Oft again. But this report
lacks confirmation, though it is very
probable the plunder was carried off in
IN this manner.