The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-07-24
TWO BURGLARIES.


ton. He lived in an old,iashioned re-
brick house, to the right OF which was tn
brewery and all the buildings necessar.
to such an establishment. He was tn
husband Of a handsome vile and the IA
Their Of two children, a son and daughter
who at the time Of this narrative wer
aged respectively l6 and 10.
In September, 1881, there came to Mar
ket BOswOrth one Layton, a man appar
emily about 10 years of age, OF medium
height, ~thiCk.set, and with a weather
tanned face, He wore q full beard, ayery
unusual thing in those days, and hac
small circles Of gold in his ears, giyln,
him the appearance Of q foreigner. Hi
didn't hide the fact that he had been to see
for many Yeas, Having grown tired Of 1t
however, he had TO get, he said, as ial
away from the salt water as he could, and
deeired to get some decent occupation &c
that he might earn u little to add to q
small income which he already possessed,
He applied to Brewer Redeem for work,
and, as no was strong anti intelligent, he
was engaged at a small salary to help In
the brewery. The brewers son, Charles,
took a fancy 10 the man, and was very
fond OF getting him to tell stories OF his
adventures in strange lands and on stormy
seas. Charley's cousin Fred, whose father
was a banker in the town, soon became
equally interested in Layton's narratives,
and both boys got the man to take q ship
for them, in which they were to enjoy q
common interest. He drew a ship in a
storm, made sketches OF all the parts OF a
vessel and explained them, go that before
long the boys were well acquainted with
the mysteries Of the ocean craft. Lay.
ton boarded with q shoemaker, who resia.
ed a Btone's.throH from the brewery,
which was very convenient, as his duties
required him to be at the place early and
late,
Christmas Day, 1881, was, Of course, q
holiday, and in the evening Mr.. Rediern
had a number OF friends at his house.
The party broke up Rt midnight, and all
retired TO rest, Next morning 1t was dis
covered that the house had been entered
in some way tnexplicabls, and all the sill.
yer, worth about $500, had been stolen.
The silver in ordinary use was kept in q
closet on the second floor, in a small work
parlOr used by Mre. Rediern. The larger
and more valuable part Of it was usually
stored in a strong oaken chest, which lay
secure under Mr.. Redlern's bed, but it had
been brought out for Christmas use and
hastily placed for that night along with
the other silver.
The investigation which was had failed
to disclose any clue TO the robbery. Fur.
thermore, the manner in which the bur.
glar or burglars had entered was a mys-
terry, Every door and window was found
securely fastened, and nothing was dis
turbed in the house. 1t was certain, how
ever, that no one in the house had stolen
the silver, for although the domestiCs
were beyond suspicion, all had been rigid.
ly examined and every nook and Granny
searched without any result.
No strangers had been seen around the
town, aud the constables and magistrates
were at q lOss tornDprehend the situa-
ton. However, nothing could be done,
and the matter had 10 rest where it was.
But before a month had passed a much
more important and remarkable thing
happened.
Ga the night Of January 81, 1882, the
bank OF Robert Redeem was entered, but
only Gl4,0O0 was stolen, though over ESQ.,.
900 was in the safe. AS the former case,
90 in this, there was positively no clue.
Bu! the means by which the thieves had
got into the bank wal evident. The rear
door opening into q yard and guarded was
found open. The door leading from the
entrance hall into the contingencies had
been penetrated with q Centre.bit and a
large circular piece removed, leaving ahole
large enough to admit O 4
Then the trap.door leading 10 the cellar
where the safe was kept, and locked with
three enormous padlocks, had been bored
through with IN augur in about fifty dit-
ferent places, the holes forming q square,
and then the wood between the holes had
been Chiseled away and the centre Of the
trapdoor removed.
In thoEe days safes were much simpler
than now and more easily demolished.
The safe in the cellar had been wrenched
open. The instrument with which this
had been done was lett behind. There
was a fine wedge with an edge like arazor,
which lay in a steel socket set in an iron
frame. The two sides Of this frame were
connected with q screw at top and bottom,
and we're bent over like the claws OF q
hammer. The steel socket, moved along
two bars extending to each side. This
frame was placed against the side OF the
sale, with the CLAW like edges grasping the
back and front Of the safe, and the screws
at top and bottom were frightened, then
the socket was moved along until the fine
edge Of the wedge rested against the line
which indicated where the door aud the
body OF the safe joined. Over this socket,
and Rrasping with curved edges the two
hars, was placed q steel arrangement that
looked like q small iour.legged stool. In
the centre Of this wUH q cylinder contain.
ing a screw. Through the head Of this
screw q bar wa placed, and when II was
twisted 1t forced in the screw upon the
wedge and drove the wedge in between
tho door and the safe.
The question was-how came the rear
door to DO open. The iron chains were
unhung, The enormous bolts had been
drawn. II was uninjured In any way.
The only occupants oil the building were
Nr. and Mrs. Robert Redlern and one
servant gitl, the only child, Fred, staying
that night With his Cousin Charles, At the
brewery.
It was a mystery, and experts came
down from London 10 examine and theo.
rice. No suspicious persons had been
seen about the town, and the thieves,
who had evidently entered from the rear,
must have crossed three walls and two
gardens before reaching the garden Of the
bank. Not a sound had been heard on
the night, and yet a wide stairway led to
the sleeping apartments on the third floor,
the second door being occupied with the
parlors and dining room. The officers oil
Justice were baiisd, and RavO up the case
as beyond their genius 10 explain.
On February l4Lh Layton announced 10
MI. RedieFn that he had grown tired Of q
landsman's lie and was going 10 sea once
moro. The next day he quilted Market
BoSWohh, taking the mail coach fol
leicester. He left behind him at bid
iodQinVs an old oaksn chest containing q
few worthless clothes, an old clock and 4