The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-06
ROBBED A MINISTER
REV. J. c. PETERs's HOUSE Pill
LACED WHILE HE WAS At CHURCH.
His Daughter Saw One of the Men and
Afterwards Identified n. n. sny-
der, of MnssiIlon.

While Rev. ]. c. Peters, pastor OF the
Evangelical Zion Church, corner OF Ohio
and Bird streets. holding services last
night gang OF burglars broke into his resi-
dence in the rear OF the church and went
all over the house. searching for money. The
house-breakers entered through a side win
dow opening into the dining room. A Stat
in one OF the shutters was cut, and then It
was an easy matter to unlatch the shutter.
Finding the window fastened on the inside,
the thieves broke the glass and turned the
latch. First unlocking side door. 10 insure
an avenue OF escape, two OF the men went
through the house. while a third remained
on the lookout. The pastors desk was
broken open and rified OF about SIS. In two
sleeping apartments on the second floor s20.75
In money was secured. Watches and jewelry
lying on the dressers offered no temptation
and were left undisturbed.
About o'clock Mr.. Peters's daughter re-
turned to the house to get some papers
which had been forgotten. She noticed a
man standing In the alley, but thought
nothing OF 1t at the time. Just as she in
serted the key in the lock Of the front door
she observed a slight Pickering light as If
some one had struck a match. 1t was out
in an instant, and before she could get the
door open she heard some one walking
through the house rapidly. and distinguished
the form OF man. Before she could make
an cutlery the side door was slammed. Going
10 the side gate hurriedly. intending to Sc
cure help at the church. she saw two men
running north. They disappeared down the
cross alley.
BY the time help was summoned the men
had entirely. disappeared. The police station
was notified just after patrolmen Weibel
and Recer had reported, and II was an hour
later before they knew OF the robbery.
At 3 O'Clock a young man. fairly well
n
tosh, suddenly appeared on the second floor
of Scudder's livery stable-just west of the
church-and asked the colored night watch
man. John Lewis. for permission to sleep
in the stable ali night. He said that he
was In hard luck and had no money to pay
the robbery and was a little suspicious of
the man and determined TO keep him there
until the patrolmen should come into the
The fellow hung his macintosh over rail
to dry and told stories while he was waiting
for Mr.. Schudder to appear and give him
permission TO stay there all night, as Lewis
tod him he would have TO receive permis-
sion from the owner. After a time Lewis
went down to the office and was followed
shortly afterwards by the stranger.
About 10 O'Clock patromen Weibel and Re-
Ger came to the stable to make their calls.
When ne saw them coming. the man went
they were at the telephone talking, Lewis
heard the robbery mentioned. and said to
them that ne believed one OF the men was
upstairs. The policemen saw the fellow
coming down the horse chute" drawing on
his macintosh hastily. They halted him.
He was highly excited and told several inn
probable stories. He said that he had been
at Marion. Ind, where he was about 20
purchase a site TO erect a factory. IL was
hard for him to explain how he was going 10
build a factory. when. ne had not enough
money to pay for nfsht's lodging. The pa
trolmen took him 10 sthe pastors residence.
where he was at once identified by Mr.. Pc
ters's daughter as The man she saw going
up the alley after the door was slammed.
The prisoner was sent to the station
Eouse and locked up on the charge OF bur-
glary. He said his name was Ralph r.
Snyder that he was nineteen years old, and
1iyen at Masslllon. ..