Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-13
MALIGNANT RASCALS
Properly Describes the Burglars
Committing Recent Robberies.
NOT SATISFIED WITH PLAIN STEALING.
The Officers Think Some ex-Con
vict is at Work for Revenge.
NO CLUE YET DISCOVERED.

The burglars who have been operating
here for several weeks and who have COM
mitted such outrageous acts of vandalism
In addition to carrying off what portable
articles of value they have found have
proved themselves too much for the local
detectives and police In some respects
they initiate the Ghost burglar who oper-
ated here SO extensively several years ago.
He. too was at large a long time. but he
was finally captured by Officer Shehan, who
found it necessary to use his revolver. Fer
several weeks the Ghost burglar went
about the city visiting houses in the DIFF
ferent sections. Several times he w3s
seen, but up to the time of his capture
on the street the officers had been unable
to locate him or even find single article
OF the proceeds of his numerous crimes.
In this respect these burglars are the same.
only they are adding insult to injury by
disfiguring to the largest extent possible all
the property which they do not intend to
carry away
Cash and articles Of jewelry are what
they want and seldom do they take any
thing else Before leaving, however they
resort to all sorts of mean things to destroy
and deface articles of clothing furniture
and the nicely papered walls of residences.
dences these same burglars or some who
are trying to initiate them have made their
appearance at places of business and CON-
United acts of burglary and vandalism.
Two weeks ago they appeared at the saloon
OF NJ L. Carley, on Goth street, where they
secured only about 81 in cash and a few
bottles of liquor. Before leaving they gave
We heht 10 their surprise and disappointment
10y opening the spigots Of the barrels OF
iquor ana In the morning Mr. Carley had
10 wade through the flooded saloon In order
70 70 get to his bar. 1t was not until last
riiuay night that a similar act was COM
mitted. Then the burglars went To the
grocery and provision store of Smith e.
lenen, zlzo 18th street. There they took
Mnat money was found in the cash drawer,
,lot more than ", and they also took a
large ham. Not content with meat enough
10 last them week and money enough IN
ouy their bread and coffee the intriders
opened the spigots Of the yinarar ana ~
lasses barrels and the condition of The stn.o
me next morning can be better lima gined
than described.
Came to the City.
Inc invaders of homes. having visited tbe
houses Of Judge Miller and Mrs. Dov,a n,
Takoma, and that of Nick Young and an
other citizen at Mount Pleasant. made their
way to the city and visited the houses Of
Mr. Floyd Frost and Mr.. Brown in the
northwest section. At the house OF the
former they used what butter and lard they
could ma to ruin the piano. walls and fur
niture as well as going through the process
or using a sharp weapon and cutting the
carpets and furniture At the house of
ME- Brown they were frightened off before
tney were able to do their yillainous work
The Police Next.
Nothing more was heard of the criminals
until yesterday morning when two citizens
OF the southeastern section Of the city
awoke and found that they had been visited
during the night. Having attacked the
judiciary the burglars thought they would
tackle the police. and they selected Police
man John Loane as their mark He lives I
22l Sth street southeast, and while in tina
vicinity the early morning visitors did not
slight Mr. George F. Hardin, the dry goods
merchant. who lives in the house adjoining.
The burglars gave an exhibition of their
fearlessness by visiting the house while the
officer was at home. but the sleeping guard
ian Of life and property was dead to the
world about that time and knew nothing
OF what transpired until he got up yester-
day and went down stairs to breakfast
The visitors had not gone to the upper por-
ton of the house, but had satisfied them
selves with doing their mean work in the
hallway, where two overcoats, several hats
and other articles of wearing apparel fell
to the floor in shreds. under the sharp in
strument used All the articles were mutt
lated beyond recognition and will have to be
replaced with new ones, as repairs to them
are out Of the question. In M-.Harbin's house
they made more thorough search, and
from clothing hanging in the wardrobe they
took a gold watch and s. in cash. These
articles were taken from the room of Mr.
Adam Weschler, a relative. who is stopping
with Mr.. Hardin.
But this was not the extent of their visit,
for In the handsomely furnished parlor the
furniture was found piled in a heap. and
the sharp knife of the burglars had been
handled in a manner which rendered the
furniture almost useless. The cushions were
cut from the furniture and the woodwork
so badly cut and scratched that some of 1t
cannot be repaired.
Course Of Operations.
These burglars in operating about differ
ent places have usually effected an en-
trance by boring a hole through the door
and releasing the lock or cutting the Stats
from windows or panels from doors. AT
the house of the officer they cut through
the panel of the door. while at the house
Of Mr.. Hardin an entrance was effected by
cutting stats from the rear window
The police have received complaints from
all the victims thus far and the cases have
the detective corps. who are at work en-
deavoring to locate the criminals.
Convict's Work.
The police have made a study Of the oper-
atoms of the burglars and have come to
the conclusion that the work is the result
of training received in a penitentiary.
lone of them is certainly a convict" said
an officer to a Star reporter this morning
land he has evidently not been out very
long"
The officer thinks that ii is the work OF