The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-08-31
MYSTERIOUS MARAUDERS
Bold Burglars in Rock Island
Several Houses Successfully Operated,
Although Little Booty IL Obtained
1.-The Scamps Elude Capture.

That the cities of Davenport and Rock
Island are infested or have been at least
with a gang of successful burglars, is
matter that is causing the police no
little concern just now, and that the
scamps who have proved themselves
no slouches in their line of business,
having played their game so well as to
leave little or no clue to their detection,
is somewhat embarrassing to the dandy
coppers. On Thursday evening of last
week four houses were visited on the
central bluffs in Davenport, and consids
cradle booty secured in each instance.
When the Davenport police were notified
Friday morning they said. those fellows
were good ones but well hear no more of
them. They have left this town ere this. y
But the police across the creek were mis-
taken, for on Friday night five houses
were visited on Mount lda-another part
of the city, and although the marauders
were hardly rewarded for their trouble,
their systematic and mysterious manner
of committing their depredations showed
that they were professionals, and experts
enced ones at that.
Saturday night, however, Rock Island
had the felicity of entertaining these
mysterious and unwelcome visitors. And
while up to this writing they have eluded
the clutches Of the police, they did not
escape unseen. From after appearances
the first house visited was that of j ID.
Taylor, 904 Ninth avenue. The burglars
evidently entered through window into
the pantry, and after ransacking the low
er floor of the house, escaped by the way
in which they entered. and taking with
a pie and other eatables from which they
feasted on the lawn.
The residence of Mrs. A. II. Guyer
726 Nineteenth street, was next hOnored
An entrance was effected through a side
window into the back parlor. After ran
sacking the library and all the othe
rooms on the lower floor, the books oil
the shelves in the library were examined
and the sideboard drawers and other fur
niture were searched. All that was tax
en-, however, was a pair of opera glasses
which were on the mantle piece in the
parloT. The glasses were mounted Will
mother pearl and gilt, were a costly pair
and the initials e. H. G. were engraved
on the top. Mr.. Guyer, to whom the!
belonged. places their value at about SIC
Another less costly pair of opera glasse
were also on the mantle, but were undis
turbed. Jewelry and silverware wer'
| unnoticed, cash and cash alone seeming t.
be the only object of search.
, The palatial residence of Mr. Ben Har
4 der, 639 Eighteenth street. was entere'
by means of a window into the dinin!
room, which they raised by means of
e spade They made a tour of the lowe
4 floor and had no desire to 60 into th
sleeping apartments above. They foun
t young Fay Harper's toy bank on tn
r mantle piece in the dining room and too
i it into the yard and emptied it of its cor
n tcnts-$1S5 in small coin. A dollar
e worth of postage stamps was also taken
. They then paid their respects to tn
: residence of Mrs. Henderson. whose lC
k adjoins Mr.. Harper's on the north. A
entrance was forced into the dining rooI
y after cutting the Stats ,in.the shutters
$ was about a. m. that DR.. COwden, VIII
3 occupies portion OF the house, wa
z aroused from his SAUNDERS by noise
y the adjoining room-the dining room. II
|. listened for a moment, and thinking
= was member of the family coming
late, he went to sleep again. Soon i
heard some one walking in their bal
d feet. Then he spoke, saying who
C there?" but no response came, and a SEE
70 ond later he heard some one leaving til
house as if through a window. As a
was dark inside he was unable to distin
It guish whether there was someone still l
n the house or not, but he waited no longt
e and hastily made his way to the telephoI
- and some time was lost in getting the pC
IT lice headquarters. Marshal Eckhar
e when informed of the attempted bul
n glary, made his way in the directio
: from which the message came as quick
e as possible, but he was too late-the myst
workers of the night had beat silent re
treat.
Attempts were also made to enter Mr.. n
= Rosenfield's house 1903 Seventh avenu,
They got into the kitchen after picking
:, lock, but on attempting to 60 furthe
found resistance in well fastened doors
: They took an empty cigar box and stoo
il upside down on the porch as a sign {
their contempt for Mr. Rosenfield. The
cut several Stats in the shutters, but d
not succeed in getting into the body {
= tie house.
Mr.. J. B. Davis house, 804 Nineleent
street. received a fashionable call The
helped themselves to some eggs and ves
E. etahles which had been left in the il
J. box on the rear porch, but did not ept,
the dwelling
|. Sunday morning there were We
|. defined foot prints of man