Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-04-20
An AaTRTIc J0B,
But One Which Hardly Repaid the
Labor and Risk.
The Professional Burglar Abroad on the
Island Two Residences Ran
sacked from Cellar to Gar
ret, Saturday Night.

A rather mysterious proceeding occurred
on the Garden Spot, yesterday morning, IN
which several professional crooks seem to
have been the actors and the residences oil
two prominent citizens the theatres Of their
operations.
About 4 o'clock yesterday morning a ser.
want girl at the residence of Mr.. Franklin
Coen, corner Of South Penn and Ohio streets,
was awakened from her slumbers by the
opening Of the door oil her room. The head
Of the bed stands Just text to the door and
when she heard the noise she looked up and
beheld a man standing just outside with a
lighted candle in one hand and a revolver
in the other, pointed directly at
her. As q matter, OF course,
she q frightened but made no oUtcry, ex-
cept to ask what was wrong, whereupon the
man disappeared. The girls sister, who
was sleeping with her, was awakened by
her voice, and then they entered into a
short discussion as to who the mysterious
visitor was, one of them thinking that it
was q member of the family. However,
they soon came to the conclusion that
something was wrong and called for help.
The other inmates of the house were
awakened and Mr.. Coeu, upon learning the
state of affairs, started down stairs in the
dark and lighted the kitchen gas, by which
time the rest of the family came down and
an investigation was made.
1t was found thatthe burglars had broken
open the pantry window, on the east
side of the house, and by that means gained
entrance. The sill Of the window is about
seven feet above the ground, and this leads
to the conclusion that there were two men,
and that one assisted the other to gain access
through the window. From the pantry the
marauder passed into the kitchen adjoining
and from there into the dining room where
part OF the silver service was sitting on the
sideboard with other articles of value. Moth
ing was touched here, ! however, and he
passed OUT into the hall and went up stairs
into a front room where a number of valu.
able dresses and wraps were lying on the bed
and hanging in the room. Neither was any
anything touched here, except that a bureau
drawer was about half opened, and he went
to the servants room, as stated. From here
he evidently went down stairs again and
passed out of q back door, taking nothing
but a hand satchel containing s~ixty-three
cents, which belonged to the servant girl.
1t would appear that the parties were
only intent upon securing money, as pre-
vious to this escspsde they went through
the residence of Robt. L. Prall, which
stands Immediately in the rear of Mr..
Coen's, facing on South Broadway. Here
the burglars gained &C ess to the house
in the same way, and wen
through nearly every room in the hous
without awakening the inmates. 4 bureau
in the servant girls room was opened, but
nothing taken except a cloak belonging to
her which was afterwards found in the yard
of Mr.. James Neil. The marauders were
evidently very proficient in their line Of
business, and somewhat high toned as
they had opportunities in both houses to
take valuable articles, and there is no doubt
but that they were merely after cash. There
is one thing certain, they were very deliber-
ate and cool in their actions.
This incident recalls to mind one of like
nature, which occurred several years ago at
the residence of Dir. Coep, when his daughter,
Miss Jenny showed a commendable and
wonderful presence of mind. Several young
gentlemen callers having left about ten
o'clock. Miss Jenny was left alone with no
company except her little brother. She
started to put him to bed, when in passing
the bathroom door, which had been open
but a short time before, she found it locked
on the inside and Immediately sus,
pected that a burglar was
inside. Without exhibiting any signs
of fright she performed her mission, and
going to her fathers room procured a re
yolver and sat with it cooked and pointed at
the door until her parents returned, when it
was found that the man had escaped
through a back window onto a shed, thence
to the ground.
Thus endeth two real "stories" that are
quite interesting on account of the mysteri.
business of the proceedings on the n hand
and the bravery Of a young lady on the