Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-23
Bold Burglars Use Explosives Sue
cessfully in Georgetown.
Big FIRE NARROWLY AVERTED
Nitro-GIycerine the Key to Get at
Money and Papers.
ETECTIVES AT WORK

At A o'clock this morning an explosion
was heard in the neighborhood Of 34th and
NJ streets, Georgetown. Several residents
were awakened by 1t, and the horse OF
Tavenner, the milk man, standing in front
of 1896. was startled and attempted to run
away. officer Trussells attention was at
tracted. and on Investigation found that
the explosion had taken place in 1880, the
grocery store of J. E. Dyer. He summoned
Shipping Clerk Walter Mcintosh, and to-
gether they entered the store. single
look told the story. The safe of the grocer
had been torn off. A fire, evidently started
through the explosion, was slowly burning
near. A desk was on fire, an umbrella had
been completely stripped of it's cover and
the papers ard books Of the storekeeper
were being gradually eaten by the flames,
though as yet none had been destroyed
But the contents of the money drawer.
amounting to s474 In cash and checks, had
been taken away. The safe door had been
blown entirely off at its hinges. No drill
hole was visible, and all things point to
nitro-glycerine explosion. The explosion
lists were, without doubt, men of expert
ence, fer they did their work thoroughly
and we'll 1t is believed that more than one
was concerned in the burglary, from the
fact that the safe had been turned COM
pletely around. on account of Its weight
one man could not have done 1t. The safe
had been located for years close to the
front window of the store, its face visible
from without. The discoverers of the bur
glary found the back against the window
and the face turned completely around
This enabled the craclIsmen to work on the
doors, even with lantern, without fear OF
deteC ton.
The safe is one Of the Miller make, and
rather old. In appearance. Seven Thousand
dollars in small notes, the obligations of
rGf, a1 hA NJ hA
glars. They. with the books OF the grocer,
had just been reached by the flames when
the discovery was made. Only the edges
were singed. the signatures escaping injury.
An entrance into the store was effected
through the back door. A lower panel was
cut completely out. After accomplishing
their work the burglars passed out without
gCing through the hole, a skeleton key, no
used from without. The checks taken
amounted to about S2I4. The balance was
In cash. All the banks on which the checks
were drawn have been notified to be on the
lookout 1t is probable that the burglars
will not attempt to pass them, as but few
bore the Endorsement of Mr.. Dyer. The
largest checks missing were drawn by the
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Companys rep
resentatives in favor of A. V. Latchford.
and indorsed by him In favor of J. L. Dyer,
r. A. Phillips and A. z. Connolly. The
ckissls and a rasp. A fuse. that had not
been burned, was also found. 1t was prob
ably brought along to be used in the event
of the failure of the nitro-glycerine to work
successfully. No clue has been obtained that
will lead to the identity of the burglars. Mr..
Dyer suspects no one. The police do not be-
lievs that the guilty parties have any con-
Ecction with the Coxey crowd, who en-
cCmped but short distance from the store,
though outsiders do.
Mr. Dyer is a wholesale grocer and carries
a very large stock. Had the fire, originating
through the explosion, not been discovered
Immediately, the loss would have been way
up in the thousands.