Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-05-07
LOCAL NEWS.
SAFE ROBBERS IN A PUAJc
BUILDING.
Georgetown Branch Post office En-
tered and the Safe Robbed
Futile Attempt 10 Break the
Custom Mouse safe.

The custom house and branch post on ,e
building In Georgetown erected By the govern
ment) was entered last night by burglars and
the safe OF the post Office was bored and broken
open and robbed OF s275 In cash, sl7l worth OF
stamps and 81 900 In bonds and $50 In money
and.a gold watch and chain valued at s275, the
private property OF Miss Blackford, the postal
clerk In charge of the Office. The discovery
colored janitor, named joseph Beckett. S - wSea he
he went to open the office, and he at once le-
ported the case 10 Mr. Parkhurst deputy col
,hector' haa' Who VIII live lives lust opposite the custom
lector since Collector Dodge's death and pend
ing the confirmation OF Mr.. j. Henry Wilson,
n0miSated nsa for the position and who is not yet
at the building he found one OF the basement
doors open, also door In one OF the halls,
which should have been closed, and finding
that the post office safe had been broken into
and that office rifled he proceeded up stairs 10
the custom house, where he found that an un.
successful attempt had been made on the large
IRON safe there. Word was at once sent TO Act
ing Lieutenant Swfndels, who detailed some OF
MS omcers TO keep watch OF tie building,
ana WORD was sent to police headquarters and
Detectives McDevitt and Voss repaired to the
tEes, coming to the conclusion that tn work
was done by professionals.
HOW THE POST OFFICE SAFE WAS "BCRGLEpn
A brace and bit had been used fn boring three
holes In the center Of the door OF the post
Office safe above the lock, the size about an
inch In diameter. One Of these holes was
failure however, as the bit struck chilled
steel bar In the lock. Crowbars which had
been lett ny some labOrers who had been en-
ployed In doing some work within the outside
enclosure were brought in and the safe burst
open and the valuable contents removed as
above described.
THE FAILURE TO BREAK THE CUSTOM HOUSE SAFE.
The robbers then proceeded up stairs and
made an attempt TO drill holes In the custom
deposit OF cash. but, as 1t appears, they failed
In this. There were three holes bored, but only
one through the outside sheathing of the safe.
Some strips OF paper were then pasted closely
over the edges where the doors met and acros IS
the lower edges or the doors to prevent the
escape OF the gunpowder which they poured
into one OF the holes made by the drill which
had penetrated through. In This considerable
powder was poured, and fuse thrust In and
aud so the boring was the only damage done to
this safe. The windows had been raised on this
story to prevent the crashing OF glass in case
the fuse had 1gn1ted the powder. bottle OF
gunpOwder was found near by, and another
section OF the fuse which had not been used,
also paper OF loose powder was found lying
on 4 table In the room.
DETECTIVE M'DEvITTS THEORY.
his was the state OF things presented when
MI. McDevitt arrived. Nothing was left by the
burglars to indicate who they were but Mr.
three OF them-One who secreted himself In the
basement during the day and was locked In by
the 1anitor, aid who opened the door letting
In another with their IOOlS some time fn the
night, AID that the third one ''piped" on the
outside.