Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1890-05-29
CRACKSMEN AT WORK.
WATCHES. JEWELRY Il CASH
STOLEN.
A Robbery That Created Great
EycitemenG.

A Robbery That Created Great
Excitement.
1t was a great robbery.
Cool, collected Williams completely
cleared the store of John G. Sheldon,
and in place, more public than any
other business house in the city.
Who they are, or where the thieves
went is a mystery, but that they made
a rich haul is only too well-known.
Mr.. Sheldon, the popular jeweler,
left his place of business about eleven
O'Clock Saturday night, after he had
carefully collected the most OF his
valuable stock, and securely locked 1t
in his large Marvin safe, which stands
in the rear of his store, opposite the
large show window, and any one pass
ing along the street, has an unop-
structed view of the large iron recep-
tacle.
Sunday morning, about seven o'clock,
Mr.. Joseph Sheldon, father of the pro-
prietor of the store, came down town,
and as is his custom, entered the store
and turned out the gas, which was
burning dimly. He noticed nothing
wrong about the store, and soon re-
turned home. Shortly after nine
o'clock Thomas Sheldon, brother OF
John, and who is employed in the
store, entered the place. For some
time mice have proved an annoyance,
and a trap has been set under the safe.
Thomas went to examine the trap for
mice, when he noticed on the floor
some small steel chips. He could not
account for them until his eye caught
several streaks on the safe door, caused
by oil, and following them saw that
the combination lock had been tam
pered with.
Hastily making an examination he
saw the store had been entered and hur-
rying home notified the proprietor. Mr..
Sheldon soon appeared and the police
officers we're informed. They immed-
lately commenced thorough examin-
alton, First the safe was examined.
1t was Immediately found that hole
had been drilled into the lock, cutting
off the combination from the bolts,
and allowing the burglars to open the
safe without trouble.
Opening the safe, the investigating
party quickly learned that the entire
conteats had been removed.
How had the burglars effected an
entrance?
The party turned to the only place
possible for such an entrance, and saw
the catch of large window in the
Southwest corner of the store. Rails
ing the window they saw part Of the
bolt off the shutter, and directly be-
meath it hole through the shutter,
had been made by an inch auger.
Throwing open the shutters, the party
found pile of empty trays, safe draw
ers, ETC., lying around, together with
some cheap jewelry which the thieves
would not carry off.
1t was about ten o'clock when PIo-
NEER reporter with Officer Parvin, be-
gan to make close examinations, and
with the aid of others, developed what
is believed to be the manner in which
the robbery was committed.
That the work was done by cool, cal
culating, professional cracksmen, there
can be no doubt.
When the thieves, there must have
been at least three of them, were ready
for work, they must have gone up the
stairway leading to j. L. VanSyckers
Office. Continuing up this stairway,
to the third story, the burglars went
out upon the roof over VanSyckel's
office, through a small door. From
this roof a board walk continues over
the tin roof to the third story of the
old Ne,rs Office, which is between the
Post Office and Jacob Mengel's build
ings. Here a glass door was broken
out and the thieves went down from
the third story to the second story of
the old Ne,cs building. A window was
raised here and the burglars made
their way out upon the roof of Shell
don's store.
The second story of Mengels build
ing overlooks this roof, and the bold
perpetrators of the deed, deliberately
took out the lower sash of one of the
old fashioned windows. Entering the
second story OF this building, the sash
of the window was carefully placed be-
hind a large pile of cigar boxes, where
it could not possibly lsll and make a
noise.
The thieves were now in the stock
room of the cigar mandatory, and a
door, which Saturday night was
looked, leads out to the open stairway,
which has an entrance on Commerce
street. This door must have been un-
locked, as the lock VAS not broken.
Apothar dOor diroctlv acrosa tho stoir