Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1886-06-04
rH1ExRs ArWoRK.

A Sneak Thief Enters the House OF
Mr.. wilbur II. Day on York street
an the Absence of the Family
and steals Over $1,000 Worth of
JeWelry.
People as a general thing are very careful
Just before they retire to securely fasten all
the doors and windows 50 that burglars can
not enter, but this seems occasionally to be
of little use, and most of the recent thefts
and burglaries in this city have been before
the people of the house have retired for the
night The latest victims of the sneak thief
are the family of Mr.. Wilbur F. Day, presi-
dent of the New Haven National bank, resid-
ing at 80 York street
On Tuesday afternoon about O'Clock the
members of the family went out, leaving
two female servants in the house and the
gardener at work in the yard. When
Mrs, Dav returned-about z oclock-and
went to her bedroom she noticed that the
bottom drawer of her bureau was half open,
and upon investigating, as she knew the
drawer was shut when she went out, she
found that pair of diamond earrings val
ned at $500 which had been kept in the
drawers were gone. She opened the
$500
found that three valuable rings,
gold watch with "Jennie Osborne in
scribed on the covers, and diamond neck
lace were missing, and that the family had
been robbed of between 81, 200 and 81, 500
worth of jewelry during their absence of
about three hours. Mrs. Day alarmed the
household, but nothing else was missing and
the thieves or thief had not stolen anything
from any of the other rooms. The theft was
probably committed by someone who knew
| lust about where to find the valuahles, al
though the family have no thought that the
theft was committed by any of the servants.
A lady who lives opposite Mr.. Days house
noon she noticed addressed man, about
| five feet six inches tall, with dark
hair and eyes, enter Mr. Days
yard, with a timid, careful step,
and after walking on the grass disappear
around one corner of the house, but she took
no particular rotice of it at the time. The
side door of the house was open and 1t Is
thought that this man, seeing the family
leave, entered by this door and escaping the
notice of the servants, who were in the base
ment, made his way to the second story, en-
| tered this room and after going through the
bureau made his escape in the same way, not
daring to stay in the house longer. One of
| the servants who had to go up stairs says
| that about o'clock when she went by the
room where the theft was committed she no.
ticed that the door leading into it was closed,
but when she passed it again about fifteen
| minutes later the door was open. The police
we're notified and Detectives Reilly and
| Brewer were put on the case, but they have
| no clue except that furnished by the lady
| living opposite Mr.. Day and the thief will
| probably never be caught. The detectives
are of the opinion, however, that the
theft was the work of professional sneak
thief who had watched the house, and seeing
| the family leave had entered and found his
way to this room from which he had been
frightened by the girl passing through the
passage and had skipped. The watch stolen
| is a Swiss watch and valuable family relic
which the family valued very highly and
were sorry to lose. One peculiar thing about
the theft was that it was the day before the
circus, and that the day before the circus
showed in Bridgeport, Danbury and Water
| bury similar thefts were committed in each
of those places, possibly by the same thief.
| Sometime during Wednesday night some
local burglars gained an entrance into the
grocery store of Charles Hauser on the cor
ner of Davenport avenue and Orchard street
and stole about So in change and some cigars
and tobacco. An entrance was effected
through rear window and was probably the
1 work of boys.