The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-03-09
BOLD BURGLARY.
Cracksmen Max = ItiGll Haul From =
Clothing House.

Cracksinen Make \ NiGli Haul From \
Clothing House.
Tho most suecossful and one OF the neat
est burklarica over perpetrated in Helena
occurred on Monday evening. The suffer
orB ara Aessrs. Levy d Elias, proprietors OF
tho Plymouth clothing house on Main
street near Broadway. On the evening
mentioned MI. Elias locked tho ators and
went home at 8:l5. He loft two electric
lights burning. ono about III tho center Of
the store, and the other In the rear, almost
directly under Il skylight. Yesterday morn
Ing when tho store was opened Ut seven
O'clock, IL looked ms though II had been
struck by . Cyclone. Thu goods in the
show caaes in the front were all turned
topsy turvy. empty boxes were lying on the
floor, whils clothing Of all sorts WIS strewn
about promiscuoualy. Drawers wore standing
open. their aontenta On the 1oer. while this
whole establishment was flied with dirt
and dust. The rear door was open, the
skyliRht was Oh, md the. wind was sending
all tho trash in tho immediate %neighbor-
hood into the store. In an instant ii was
realized that thieves bud baen at work. The
building is q oue-story one. and in the rear
there is = slanting skyliRht shout Ave feet
long and two fest wide. 1t had been nailed
down, but the thieves had prisd it off and
left it on ths roof. Two pieces Of scantling
run under tbs skylight and from these two
pieces Of well-worn half inch rope dangled.
The thieves used them to get down into the
store, but when they loft they uhbarred the
rear door, taking their plnnder out that
way. The burglars must have Ind q knowl-
edge OF the value OF goods, because they
took nothing but tbs best quality. They
selected I'll the finest silk underwear, espe-
cially those dark in color. There was a lot
OF jewelry il ono Of tbs cnaos and OF this
the most expensive was selected. Twelve
dozen colorel silk ha~ndkerchiefs were
among the things taken. In clothing the
same discrimination was shown. The bast
goods are kept in drawers and these were
ransackod. They did not take entire suits
Of my one pattern, but selected 4 ooat Of
one, a pair Of pantaloons Of another, or 4
coat and vest of III style and trousers of
another. Mr.. Elias was making out a list
yesterday Of the goods taken, and up to five
II. n. he found that thoy amounted to about
$1,000. But the stock is a big one and with
out an invoice it will not b. possible to tell
took a hat and a pair Of shoes. The only
things they Left bshind Was a half-smoked
cigarette and a soiled sock, the mate To
which was found on Jackson street. They
used the twine, kept in tho rear of the
store, with which TO Tie up thsir bundles.
The thieves must have spent at least
three hours in their work, and with the
bright light in the store, neither member
Of the firm can understand why, il the
officer on. the beat was yigilant. they were
not detected. The robbers worked all over
the store, both front and rear. carefully &C.
lected the best, and then carried it away,
MI. Elias is of the opinion that at least tive
men were in the Job, and that they made
several trips from the store with the goods.
Detective Walters worked on the case ali
day yesterday. but up to a late hour last
night had not found a clue.