The morning call., 1893-03-04
LOOTED THE SAFE.
Burglars Make a Haul in
a Hotel.
MRS. COUGHS HEAVY LOSS
They Got Away With About $4,000
Worth of Money and Diamonds
and Jewelry.

Mrs. Couch Of the ST. Nicholas Hotel, cor
ner of Market and Hayes streets. was the
victim of a most daring robbery committed
in her rooms yesterday morning. whereby
she lost S6270 in money, and diamonds to
the value OF $780, and possibly other val
uables not missed yet. The police are busy
looking for the burglars.
When visited yesterday forenoon by
CALL reporter, the suite OF five rooms occu-
pied by Mrs Couch, her two daughters, and
Mr.. Foster her partner in the management
of the hotel; were still in the state of cOnfu-
sion they were left in by the thieves
Drawers, vardrobes, trunks, dressing
cases and everything that had a lid or a
door had been flung open and the contents
tossed about heller skslter
A small iron safe with a ombination
lock, standing in one of the rooms was also
wide open and its contents strewn about
the floor. II was from this the IN oney and
diamonds were taken.
The rooms are at the end of the building,
fronting Market and Hayes streets on both
sides. At the end of the hall, on the fist
floor, short distance from the hotel office.
they open into each other and have doors
opening into the hall. Mr.. Fosters sleep
ing-rOom is at one end of the suite and that
of Mrs. Couch is at the other. and the two
rooms are on opposite sides Of the hail. All
the rooms had Yale locks.
The robbery took place between and 9
o'clock yesterday morning, while the family
were at breakfast, and from the way it was
accomplished must have been committed by
some one thoroughly familiar with the ar
Tangement Of the rooms aud the habits of
the family, for no trace whatever was left
of the way admittance was gained.
SAID Mrs. Couch: Il have ALWAYS keCt nv
rooms locked, and when | went out this
morning to breakfast locked the door.
II was not gone more than half an hour
and when | returned l found | could not
get into the rooms. | hastily returned to
the dining-room and got Mr. Foster and
Special Harry Hook to return with me.
Mr. Foster unlocked the door of his room
and we found the rooms as you see them,
but the burglars gone. and each door of my
rooms fastened on the inside.
II went at once to the safe and found the
door open and the money and diamonds
gone, though l am sure l had turned the
handle of the lock as | always do; the COM
bination was not set. II ii had been, the
safe could not have been opened before /
returned. as | only know the combination.
Il always kept considerable money in 1t,
and also my diamonds, but last December,
when l went away upon the death of my
husband, took all the diamonds and put
them in the large safe in the Office, except
pendant, a diamond necklace containing
nine large solitaire diamonds and q dla-
mOnd Maltese cross that were left heIe and
have been taken.
Il don't know exactly the amount of
money taken. had $4,000 tied up in one
handkerchief and in another handkerchief
from which l had paid out some money
yesterday there was at least S3270. The
money was in greenbacks and gold coin.
I'VE have hardly any clew whatever as to
who committed the robbery. l noticed two
men last evening in the hall, and at first
mistook one of them for Mr.. Ridley, who
occupies the next room to Mr.. Foster. but
when they saw me they disappeared sud
denly, which seemed strange to me at the
time, but | gave it more thought"
There IS another clew the police are work
ing on which they refuse to give out, as 1t
might put the guilty parties on their guard
and nreYent their detection.
During the last two months several of
the bOarders have lost personal property of
every description, the articles being taken
from their rooms, from the upper corridors,
and even from the hat and cloak racks at
the entrance to the dining-room aud not
forty feet from the main office.
Several hundred dollars in cash have
been taken from the different uulucky ones,
besides sealskin wraps, cl0aks, hats, neck
ties and handkerchiefs.
Detectives have been constantly employed
with view TO checking these larcenies, il
not to stop them altogether, but the tbefts
have not diminished. and the conclusion has
forced itself upon the bOarders that the
guilty parties must be inmates of tho house.