The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-08-09
BURGLARS AGAIN.
A Bold Attempt at Burglary frustrated by the
Vigilance of the Police.

Last night. shortly before II o'clock, a
pistol shot was fired in the vicinity OF
Water and First street, which seems TO
have been the SEQUEL to a bold attempt at
burglary, For several days past Officer
Dunbar has been watching three men
whom he took to be crooked, and he has
every reason to believe that the two who
refused to halt last night even on sum-
mons from a revolver, are a part OF the
same gang. Although he has come out
on the streets during the day, he has
never been able to see them, but on several
evenings shortly before midnight he would
notice them in consultation on some part
Of his beat. He attempted to watch them
unperceived, but they would slip away
as mysteriously as they appeared, winch
led the officer to suppose they must nave
had a room somewhere near by. Although
being convinced in his own mind that
there was something wrong about them,
he concluded they had no immediate de-
signs and paid less attention to them than
usual Their favorite stand was in front
IF the Arcade or Munson's and Nc
Namaar's, and once when standing IN
front of the former place the officer
fancied they had a big bunch OF keys III
their possession. As they were
very cautious, however, he dld
not know it for fact
and he had about come to the
conclusion that it was his Imagination.
He had instructions from the chief to re
leve Turnkey Antrim last night at II
o'clock and mentioned for the first time
his suspicious of these men to Officer
tn
them if they made their appearance. On
his final round previous to reporting at
headquarters he again noticed the men for
the first time last night come west down
the alley just north of Douglas, cross Main
and keep on toward Water street lie
thinks that they thought their movements
were unpsrceived, as they PAID no appar-
ent heed to anything. The officer lmme-
diately went west on Douglas in order to
watch them and turned north on Water
street, but they were nowhere to be seen.
| After short and fruitless search he was
driven to the conclusion that they had
mvsteriously disappeared as usual His
curiosity was so much aroused that he
made up his mind to investigate the alley
! between Main and Water. With that OBJ
| iect in view he turned out of Water street
| into a cross alley running just north OF the
| Hotel Petzold. Just before reaching the
alley in question he heard noise and IN
an instant two men were running at 1uIl
speed north up the alley toward First street.
| From the noise and the sound, as II they
| Jumped, the officer is certain they were on
a little wooden platform which is in the
rear entrance of the Arcade. 1t was his
intention. if he could, TO have come upon
them unobseryed to wait until he could
have caught them, but their ears were toe
sharp. From hasty examination of the
premises afterwards it is evident that they
had not got to work, but there can be no
doubt regarding their intentions, or, else
why such a haSty retreat? Inc ofnceI
could not swear, of course, that these are
two of the three men he saw going into the
| alley a few minutes before, but has nc
doubt on this point in his own mind
| CHANGING at the store and seeing that nc
entrance had been effected, he pursued the
men up the alley and fired shot to stoT
| them. He got to First street and met Dep
utv limited States Marshal Metcaf, who
had heard the shot and ran down TO learn
the cause. Metcalf was positive the men
had not crossed First. They paid No
attention to the order to halt OF
the pistol shot. What became of the
third man is a mystery as well but ne
doubtless made good his escape during thu
excitement in one of the cross passages Of
the alley.
All three of the men were average helgh
and build and dressed in clothes with col
ored shirts on, probably flannel. The OH
Ger thinks that one of them had top boot
on with his trousers tucked on the inside
If it had not been for the officers vlgl
lence it is quite possible that they woul'
have made rich haul at the expense o
the Arcade