The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-03
TAKEN IN.
AND THEN TAKEN OUT FROM THE
GAMBRINOUS SALOON SUN
DAY EVENING.
The BOldest Piece of Thieving Yet
The Drawer and Contents Taken
From q Saloon Full of Men.
Two Other Adventures of the Light
Fingered Gentry, One of Which
Brings the Thief to Grief.

The thieves seemed to have q good
time of it Sunday night, and by their
GOODNESS and daring made success in
at least one instance. Nearly all win
ter there has been gang of rascals in
this city who have been doing
bold and daring acts of bur
glary and robbery. One or
two of this gang have been caught,
but the greater number have kept
themselves hidden in the shady places
to which the officers of the law have
not been able to trace them. Perhaps
the boldest act Of these bold thieves
was the one committed Sunday night
at the saloon under Judge Teg9ner's
court room. 1t was hardly dark when
these professionals made a raid upon
this place. 1t is thought by the pro.
prietOrS that at least two men must
have been engaged in the work
of robbery, but no one seemed to no
tice anything peculiar in the conduct
of any Of the parties hanging about
the Gambrinous saloon, as it is called
Several strangers came in and went
out, but no one took notice enough OF
any of them to give the matter pass
ing thought. The GambrinOuS sa-
loon where
THIS BOLD ROBBERY
occurred, is peculiarly situated. There
is very small bar room al
most entirely shut off from
room in the rear, where
there are a great number of tables
around which the German patrons of
the place sit and sip their nectar and
smoke their pipes of peace. Others en-
gage in social game OF dominos, and
some of the younger play pool on ia
bles that occupy the extreme rear. In
front of the bar-room is a small open
room used for no purpose whatever.
The only opening to the rear room is
a small arch in the center of the par
tition. There is, however, an
opening from behind the |
bar to the room in front |
which has a door hooking with |
hook and staple on the bar-room side. |
1t is necessary for the reader to get an |
accurate idea of the situation in order |
to understand how nicely the sharpers |
worked their game, which is certainly |
one of the shrewdest ever worked in
the city. The affair occurred about 8
o'clock Sunday night, and at the time
Ill of the guests of the place hap
pened to be in the larger room i'll the
rear. Some one, perhaps a pal OF the
gentry" who
DID THE WORK,
called the bar tender to the room in
he rear to serve drinks, and while he
was cut ono slipped behind the bar
md removed the money drawer, IN
hooked the bar door spoken of leading
20 the front room, took out the till in
he drawer containing $25 in money,
md leaving all but this till in the anti
'oom, skipped. There were probably
persons in the back room
1T the time, and at that time of night |
Pecan street is crowded with pedes-
;rians. Of course as soon as the bar
keeper returned from the rear room he |
the robbery and gave the |
alarm, but the men had made |
good their escape, and not |
/ clue was left by them to lead to their |
detection. The till taken from the |
money drawer was found this morn
ng in the privat9-house at Lanes |
wagon yard. Here, perhaps the
thieves had hitched their horses and |
lere they probably went with the till,
hiding it in the place mentioned. Con-
,idering the place, the situation, and |
he time of day, this robbery, for bold |
lash and complete success surpasses
which has occurred here as |
ret, though
THERE ARE MANY
with which to compare it that The
has been called upon to
'ecord within the past six months.
This robbery was the work of experts.
There was another in the first ward,
llso Sunday night, the work Of be-
yinner. This fellow, who probably
sor the first time, tried his hand at
,obbery, gives his name as T. S. Smith.
lie was lodging for the night at Matt
Overs clearinghouse, and in the
same room with him was fellow
;EaveJer in this wicked world. His
aforesaid room mate had been sip
Ding fire-water from the red
lot tanks of that Elysium of Austin,
Ind as result he was not in frame
If mind to look after such things as
mere earthly wealth. Mr.. T. S. Smith
however, was. He says the devil
empted him, and he went according
% the promptings of that gentleman
If horns and hoofs, to the side of his
roommate and removed
OrCy-lV6 collars 1rOlu Ills O1u ClOGu6S |
o the still older ones of himself. That
vas easily done, but when
MORNING CAME
he man missed his money and natu-
ally enough suspicioned the man who
lept in the room with him. He was
and the money found. He
hen made full confession and said
Re might as well be in Huntsville as
n the first ward, and by no means
seemed to regret that he would have
20 work for his board and clothes for
/ year or two. 1t will probably be the
only chance he will have of leading a
sober, yirtuous life. There is still an
other robbery reported from the coun-
5ry, said to have occurred between this
city and Hornsby's bend, but the par
5iculars of the affair could not be
learned. Neither could it be definitely |
settled whether there was really rob-
berry, or that it was anything more |
than a rumor. Austin is having her |
share of affection from these light
fingered gentry. The catching of one |
only seems to call another brood upon |
her.