Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-01-18
A DARING ROBBERY
Thief Breaks a Window
and SnatCheS Diamonds.
AND HE QUICKLY ESCAPED.
The Weapon Was Brick Wrapped in
aPiece Of Newspaper.

BOSTON, Jan. ls-One Of the most dar
ing robberies known in this city for years
was committed last night on one Of the
principal thoroughfares when hundreds
of pedestrians were passing the store. At
$50 the clerks in the jewelry store Of Har
riLgton & Freeman, SO Court street, were
startled by hearing crash of glass and
seeing a mans hand clutching q case OF
diamond solitaires and clusters, the cost
price of which is estimated at 5000.
Two Of the clerks made break for the
door, and on reaching the sidewalk the
thief was jostling the crowd, and In order
to clear the way drew revolver and fred
on the ground. This created diversion,
and In the turmoil the thief, chased by
the clerks for some distance, made his
escape, and all trace Of him has been lost.
The missile used to break the window
was a brick wrapped up in paper. 1t IL
not known whether the thief had any
confederate or not, but it Is certain that
the robber had made careful examina.
tion of the stock on exhibition, and made
the break and secured the most valuable
case of rings In the window. The police
have only slight description Of the thief.
Escape Was Easy.
The robber WAS tall and wore black
mustache and had on light pants, a dark
overcoat and black derby hat. This is
about all that Is known of the man, as
the celerity with which he acted gave no
chance for closer observance. Not q per
son on the sidewalk made any attempt to
catch the thief, though many of them saw
him.
Mr.. Harrington, who was I'm the rear of
the store writing, Is of the opinion that
the robbery was the result of q well-laid
plan. Had the thief been two minutes
later the tray would have been taken
from the window.
Police Pushed.
The police are puzzled by the case, and
a. yet have no clue When the news Of
the robbery was revealed at headquarters
sM the stations were notified and within
Is minutes there were officers at all Of the
stations leading out Of Boston. Early In
the evening all the inspectors available
were put on the case.
Three years ago the same window Of
Harrington's store as that broken last
night was broken in the same way by Q
stone, but no jewelry was stolen. and the
culprit was Immediately arrested. He
committed the daring robbery of last
night. The window was q large plate
glass, and the brick made . whole large
enough for man to pass through.
A Professional.
The thief was evidently a professional
old-timer. He chose his time, method
and locality with astute cleverness- The
locality Of the plundered store is excellent
for robbers purpose, it being near Corn
hill, which is dark, narrow thorough
fare, giving the perpetrator an opportun-
ity to make his escape. Court street Is q
lively place about o'clock, and a thief
could easily lose himself in the throng.
Up to midnight no trace of the diamond
robber had been found, although all of
the haunts Of crooks in the city had been
visited, and all of the inspectors had
Joined in the search. Outgoing trains
were looked over, but to no avail, and the
thief is probably still in the city.