The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-02-18
A BOLD

|
The Store OF Mr. {. 4. Austin, Burgla-
riOuSly Entered on Saturday Night, |
the Safe Blown Open md the Robbers
Decnmp with their Booty, damage to
Stock and Building.
One Of the most daring burglarics
ever committed anywhere WAS commit
ted in Johnstons On Saturday night last,
between midnight and day. The vic
TEN Of this diabolical act is our worthy
townsman Mr.. G.. A. Austin, dealer in |
tin ware ind stoves, confectionery and
notions. At the front end Of the store
counters extended back, on either side. |
about fifteen feet. These were mostly |
covered with show cases filled principal
~ with confectionery. At the end Of
the counter on the right ns you enter,
stood tho iron safe, the contents of which
the burglars seemed to regard as being
Of more Importance than any of the
goods which were open to them in the
store. At least so far as is known no
goods were taken.
Entrance to the store was eff ctcd
through a back window, the shutter of
which consisted Of single pieces Of plank
set up and held in position by An iron
crosS-bsr attached in the usual way,
which lar was pr!S..i out in the center
sufficient to admi, "f taking on, one or
two Of the plankS. But b"fnr"nr subs :
qucnt to this, the burglars had broken
int" SiiaS Boukni:ht's blacksmith shop
and provided themselves with tools
necessary fnr their further operations
brace. drills. punches, slcdge. hammer.
etc., ant also n Scantling and rop.. with
which to obtain lever pressure on the
drill to facilitate it's work. Thus equip
ped they turned their attention to the
safe, first rolling it from the end Of the
counter to the middle Of the floor and
turning it down, door upward, n box
Of candy being placed behind it to break
the fall, the candy stopped the safe at an
angle Of about 20 degrees. And
now the drilling and the blow up. The
former process was doubtless slow, but
the latter quick and terrible in it's effect,
the entire front plating Of the doc, be-
ing hurled, Pathways, through the upper
ceiling Of the store, which is Of plank.
striking betwean the ceiling joist and
leaving \ hole the exact size Of the door.
The lining and inner plate OF the door
were broken and scattered promia.
cuouly. but no damage was done to the
books in the safe, and none. VIC suppose
TO the money, of which it contained
SIZE s>a.;-h the scamps secured. Blu.
ne1oss ofthe SAT- and money Is scarcely
equal to :he damage done 10 the stock
and building by ]concussion produced by
r the explosion. Several show cases were
completely wrecked, and the glass in
the double sets Of sash in the front win
} dows were broken into thousands OF
| pieces so also were the glass in the
transom light. Indeed, 30 gre: Was the
c]oncussion that the entire from, part OF
the store wns moved outward about six
| inches. Two stoves were broken and
. there was general destruction Of other
goods. Mr.. Anstin's loss cannot fall
short OF $4U and may reach $500. And
it is a heavy loss to him, for every dollar
of his accumulations have been gained
by hard work.
The drill used to make the hole by
means Of which all this destruction was
, wrought. was nbout tivc-SiXtccnth Of an
inch in diameter, and the hole WA.
drilled Immediately beside the comb.
nation thus the open spaces necessary
in the construction Of the lock were
reached to receive the powder. Eyi.
IDENTIFY the parties did not know the
power Of powder when thus %confint d
or else they had charged more heavily
than they were aware OF. But with
this terrific explosion in the dead hours
OF the night, nome were sufficiently
aroused to stir themselves to ascertain
the cause. No person sleeps on the
block on which this store is located, and
1t really appears that this fact must have
been known to the burglars, else they
surely would not have attenpttd sc
daring O deed. And the most daring
part of the deed was that, after the ex-
plosion. with its attendant din Of broken
glass. they should return to the store ia
secure the booty. We should suppose
the noise they mad created would have
frightened them way.
Two tramps who we're here on Satur-
day were arrested at Ridge Spring on
Sunday, oil suspicion, but being evident
~ innocent they were soon released. 1t
is to be hoped a clue will he had that
will lead to the arrest and conviction OF