The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-10

and Chris Grundel, dealer in pipes, in
the same store. Hirsch & Kahn were the
heaviest losers, the thieves taking away
about $1,000 worth of gold-rimmed spec
tacles and eyeglasses and gold chains.
They were careful not to take any but gold
articles, for they cast the plated goods and
goods bearing the firms name upon the
floor. From Lippman they took several
small but valuable clocks and from
Grundel meerschaum pipe or two and a
few packs of cigarettes.
Among the first to discover the burglary
was Charles Hayden, clerk in A. c. Rob-
insons birdstore, at 337 Kearny street.
He found the front door fastened upon the
inside when he attempted to enter the
premises, and while he was struggling with
the lock Grundel and a clerk in Hirsch 81
Kahn's made their appearance and found
the doors to their stores in a similar fix
The three men decided that there was
something wrong and they burst open the
doors. The nature of the trouble was
readily seen, and an examination of the
three stores showed that the burglary was
committed by thieves who understood
their business.
More than that, the fellows were evil
IDENTIFY familiar with the premises and
knew Just how to accomplish their ends
without making any serious mistakes.
They evidently intended to operate prin-
cipally in Hirscn IL Kahn's place. All
three stores extend from Kearny street to
ST. Georges lane, which extends between
Bush and Pine streets The marks of a
chisel or jimmy upon the iron shutters on
the Hirsch and Lippman store windows
facing on this thoroughfare showed that
the attempt to effect an entrance had been
made there, but to no purpose. Over Rob-
inson's back windows are heavy wire
screens fastened to the masonry with
heavy staples. The fastenings had been
pried out on one side of a screen and the
thieves had entered the birdstore. In
reaching the floor they knocked down a
parrot cage and cage containing several
dozen small birds, which were found flying
about the store in the morning.
A heavy screw was fastened into the
front door to prevent an entrance from the
street by intruding police or watchmen.
cash register in Robinson's store which
contained nearly $40 and was not fastened.
The next move was to open the trapdoor
in the rear of the birdstore and enter the
basement. There they found Young
hound pup which was evidently bent upon
being friendly, for they tied the little
beast to one piece of the studdng. Be-
and the lock was broken, letting the burg
lars into Lippman's premises. Another
door was treated in similar manner and
the fellows entered Hirsch and Kahn S
basement.
An attempt was made to enter this store
by forcing up the trapdoor, but it was too
securely fastened, and they retraced their
steps into Lippman's basement and there
they forced up the trapdoor. In the cor
ner of Lippman's store is small office
with glass walls, and the thieves entered
this by bursting pane of glass. With
tools that showed evidence of being of the
best they set to work to cut through the
brick and lath and plaster wall after first
fastening the front door with screw.
A hole about AXIS was cut out of the
wall about eight inches above the floor.
Through this one of them it is believed
forced his way. Before beginning opera
tons he fastened this front door like the
others. Tray after tray was taken from
the showcase and emp:ied evidently into q
bag, as shown by subsequent develop
ments AS stated, only the gold was
taken, the plated and the bulky goods be-
ing cast aside. While one man was in the
opticians store the other was probably
ransacking Lippman's and Grundel's