The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-01-29
OUTRAGE IN ROME.
The American Legation
Burglarized and Then
Set Afire.
ARCHIVES IN ASHES.
Minister Potter Says No Valuable
Documents Were Destroyed
The Perpetrators
Escape.
By Cable to the United Press.

By Cable to the United Press.
ROME, Jan. 90, 1894 94.-Burglars last night
forced an entrance into the American Lega-
ton, No. 1S Via Nazionale, by breaking the
locks. The thieves broke open the safe and
the desks of the Minister and Consul Cen
eral, and then set fire to all the papers in
the offices. A number of archives were COM
pletely destroyed and others partially
burned.
The outrage is supposed to have been per-
petrated at about midnight The representa-
tive in this city of the United Press visited
the Legation early this morning and found
the offices a scene of ruin. In the first large
room, where visitors usually wait, only the
charred remains of table and set of
drawers were left In the smaller room ad-
joining used by Vice Consul Wood, there
were traces of fire, but all the papers of the
Vice Consul were strewn in disorder about
the floor.
ARCHIVES IN ASHES.
In the room occupied by the Consul Cen
eral the woodwork and the desks had been
set on fire, and most of the archives were in
ashes. Some partially burned documents
were found scattered about The offices OF
Minister Fotter were in similar condition,
- - 900 o,,;da,,+ +bo+ 6ro bod haan apn1ied
everywhere, with the exception of the Vice
Consurs room.
several hours undisturbed in their work of
destruction.
Minister Potter stated that no valuable
documents were destroyed. The Minister
informed Baron Blac, Minister of foreign
affairs, of the outrage as soon as he himself
learned of it, and the police were imme-
diately put to work on the case, but as yet
they have found nothing that would lead to
the Identification of the robbers. The
motives of the thieves, and there is con-
siderable doubt of their being ordinary
burglars, in so thoroughly wrecking the
offices and destroying papers, especially the
archives, is inexplicable.
MOTIVES FOR THE OUTRAGE.
The belief is gaining ground that the out
rage at the Legation was not perpetrated by
professional thieves, but by some person in
terested in destroying the records of the
office. Nothing SO far as at present known,
was stolen
The fire in the building was discovered
Just about midnight by some persons
who were leaving a theatre in which
masked ball was being held. This theatre
was close to the Legation. As the people
were coming out they saw fire through the
windows of the Legation, and Immediately
gave the alarm Firemen and policemen
were soon on the spot, and the flames were
quickly extinguished.
A BOX BROKEN OPEN.
It was learned that the strong box In
Minister Potter's room had been broken
open but less property was destroyed in
the two chambers occupied by the Legation
than in the rooms of the Consulate, where it
was evident special attempts had been made
to destroy the papers. The archives of
the offices have been accumulating for ten
years.
Nobody slept in the offices. Neither Min
ister Potter nor the Consul General left their
most valuable papers in their offices. The
= only articles in the Consulate that was left
intact was a small box containing numis-
matte collection of some value, belonging to
the Vice Consul.
A magistrate has taken the deposition OF
the Vice Consul, and has examined the door
keeper and others.
OBJECT ROBBERY.
Both Mr.. Potter and the Consul General
say they do not think the object of the men
was anything but robbery. They think
they were nothing but common thieves
s who, after breaking into the Legation
and finding nothing Of value to reward
them for their trouble, became chagrined
and set fire to the place out of spite. The
police, however, are doubtful of this explain
alton of the matter. They say they regret
that nothing was stolen, for if the men had
taken anything they would most likely have
tried to dispose of their plumber and this
would have given the police assistance in
tracing them.
The money damage to the Legation viii
probably amount to $3.50.
Y.MO.A. SERVICES.