The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1893-08-24
SAFE CRACKERS At WORK
Chappell 4 C0X'S Safe Blown 10 Pieces
and Ri1ed.
The JOB DONE BY PROFESSIONALS
An Early Monday Morning Robbery
for which Two suspects Were Arr
rested, Hut Released - The Loss
was Nominal.

When Clerk Cody. for the firm of
Chappell d Cex, grocers on the corner Of
Second street and Yakima avenue, step
ped into the store about @ O'Clock on
Monday morning he was considerably
surprised to find the room filled with
powder smoke. hurried investigation
developed the fact that clever safe crack
ers had been operating therein aud that
the large safe in the Office room at the
rear of the store had been blown open
and its contents rihed. The firm was
Immediately notified and careful in.
quiry into the results of the job was be-
gun. The discovery was made that
1860 in gold and small silver and $3.50
in county warrants had been taken,
while in pigeon hole near the drawer
from which the gold was taken lay sack
Of 1880 in silver which the robbers had
overlooked.
The operators entered the wareroom
through small rear window, from which
they removed pane of glass, and, by
the use OF chisel, they had pried open
the light door between that department
and the Office. skillfully drilling through
the heavy door Of the safe, they deposited
enough powder therein TO blow the door
completely from its hinges on to pile OF
bean sacks which they had carefully
nj q l,a
the safe in an oblique direction-appar.
emily understanding that the force OF the
charge would not carry the door directly
in front of the safe. The large safe,
which originally cost $3.50, is total
wreck.
The county warrants stolen were in an
envelope in the drawer with the gold.
They are made to resemble slightly the
appearance OF greenbacks, and it is prob
able that, glancing into this package,
they mistook its contents for paper
money. Otherwise, it is believed. they
would not have taken them, as it will be
extremely difficult for them to realize on
them.
The theft was committed after O'Clock
Monday morning. Mr.. McCook, who
has lodging apartments in the Fred r.
Reed building, retired at that hour and
soon thereafter he heard glass break.
Peering into the street from his window
snspecting that the noise came from the
direction of Aliens drug store he saw
the nightwatch approaching, and con-
Guiding that there vas no disturbance in
that vicini y, again retired and quickly
responded to the command of Morpheus.
Another circumstance indicating that the
robbery was committed in the early
hours of the morning is the fact that the
room was yet filled with smoke at &
o'clock. although the transom over the
front door was open, the partition door
was open and the window through which
the robbers effected an entrance was
open, thus creating a draught directly
through the room.
On Monday many people visited the
store and viewed the remains of the big
iron repository. All pronounced the theft
a clever piece OF work.
Two young men, strangers in the city,
who had been acting suspiciously, were
arrested on Monday, but were subse-
quently released, the authorities having
become satisfied that they were not the
perpetrators.
The tools used were left in the room.
They belonged tosthe blacksmiths of this
city.
1t was the general suspicion that the
Crackers" were pronounced single
standard gold bugs, inasmuch as they
took the gold and left the silver. Their
position on that important matter, how
ever, will not materially affect the mar
ket.
Following is a list Of the warrants
stolen. The public is warned against
purchasing THIN: