The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-09-07
FOUND THE SAFE OPEN,
But Could Discover No Trace Of Six
Hundred Dollars.
p. E. WARD, THE rLASTERER, THE
VICTIM OF A ROBBERY.

Somebody Stole His Keys, Went to His
Shop on Casco Street and Rified the
Safe-An Arrest on Suspicion.
Yesterday afternoon, Mr.. P. e. Ward,
the plasterer, left locked in his safe in
his shop, No. IS Casco street, S643. Three
hours later Mr.. Ward found the safe I'M
locked and the big roll of bills missing
Mr.. Ward says he received $500 of the
money in payment of debt due him
from Portland carpenter last Saturday
night. On Monday he started to put the
money in the bank when he remembered
that it was Labor day. Yesterday he
again intended to make the deposit but
was very busy and neglected to do so.
Mr.. Ward employs a large crew of men
who were at work in Deering yesterday.
In the afternoon Mr.. Ward himself went
to the houses in process of erection by
Mr.. Stevens on Spring street and spent
three hours in putting some finishing
touches to work done there by his men.
At two o'clock. when leaving his shop,
Mr.. Ward put the S643 in
Bills in His Safe
and locked it. He then locked the shop
and, on arriving at the Spring street
house, left the keys to the shop and safe
in the pocket of his coat which he took
off before going to work.
While Mr.. Ward was at work, a man
whom he discharged from his employ
several weeks ago came to the house and
talked with Mr.. Stevens, the owner of
the property. At about five o'clock Mr..
Ward returned to his shop. Then he dis
covered that his keys were missing from
his pocket. Going to the back of the
building where there is another door, Mr..
Ward discovered that a window on that
side had been broken and opened. Mr..
Ward soon knew the rest The safe was
unlocked and the money was gone. The
thief, however, had overlooked box
which contained smaller sum, about
500. The keys had disappeared with the
money.
Suspicion Was Naturally Directed
to the discharged workman, who had
been around the Stevens house at the
time Mr.. Ward was working there. The
man knew that Mr.. Ward sometimes had
considerable sums of money in the safe.
He was also familiar with the shop and
presumably knew how easily an en-
trance could be effected by means of the
rear window, which is sheltered from OBJ
servation by high board fence, while a
man unlocking the front door and enter
ing that way would be in plain sight of
neighboring houses, Mr.. Ward himself
living on the same street.
Mr.. Ward reported the case to the po-
lice and the suspect was found and ar
rested. He admitted being at the Stew
ems house but denied all knowledge of
the robbery. He said he went home at
half past four but this his wife denied.
The officers also learned that the man
had been on Fore street between six and
seven o'clock in the evening and had
made bet of So on the Sullivan-C orbett
fight. He carried quite load of rum
but did not have the missing roll of bills
on his person. At a late hour last night
the police were of the opinion that while
the circumstances were suspicious, there
was little real evidence on which to hold
their prisoner, and for that reason de-
clined to give his name. IF the police
are right and the arrested man is not
held, they will be left without a clue to
the biggest robbery which has taken
place here for some time.