The San Francisco call., 1896-05-09

lock vet the door would not open. This
| unusual circumstance. together with the
fact that all the rooms in the house were
lighted up with a full head of gas, in
Guiding the dining-room, caused him to
wonder what was the matter.
After repeatedly trying his key and find
ing that he could not enter he kicked on
the door three or four times. This no
doubt surprised the thieves at their work,
as he heard from his position on the out
side what he considered the footsteps OF
two persons running down the carpeted
stairs. But as the door was not opened
by those on the inside he renewed the
noise and at the same time called loudly
for his father.
After a while response was heard on
the inside and Schmitt Sr. came down.
stairs and, by removing heavy parlor
chair which had been placed against the
doo- with the back securely placed under
the doorknob he let his son in. No sooner
had he gained an entrance than he be-
came convinced that something was
wrong. His father was in dazed condi-
tion and had found his way downstairs in
sort of a mechanical way without being
able to comprehend the situation.
An examination of the house by young
Schmitt soon convinced him that burglars
had been at work. Every room in the
building had been visited and bureau
drawers were emptied and the contents
strewn npon the carpets.
A satchel which was hanging in a closet
in his mothers bedroom was taken out
| and cut from side to side with knife. and
a purse containing quite sum of money
was taken and the satchel then thrown to
one side. The cutting of the leather was
necessary to get at the contents as it had
| been locked.
In Mr.. Schmitt's sisters room every
piece of jewelry that belonged to her. ex-
cept what she had on her person, was
missing. An examination of the dining
room showed the evil intentions of the in,
truders where they had removed the burn
ers of the gas Jets and permitted the
flames to reach the paper ceiling, which
would in short time prove disastrous.
After taking hasty survey of the depre
| dations committed Eugene tried to ge
some account of the whereabouts of hi:
mother and other members of his family
| but any attempt to gain this information
from his father was futile, as that individ
ual had no recollection of what occurred
and hardly knew where he was or with
whom he was conversing. 1t was quite
| evident that he had been chloroformed by
the burglars when they entered the room
where he was in bed.
The police were notified by telephon,
and Officer Clancy soon put in an appear
ance and took a survey of the premises
leaving the usual caution not to give any
information to the press. an injunction
which in part was tried to be observed by
Martin Schmitt, who when seen last nigh
by CALL representative said: cit wa
simply nothing"
When asked if he cons sidered burglary
an attempt to burn the house and the
chloroforming of his father as nothing, ht
shrugged his shoulders and only an
swered: "Well, we don't wish any no
| toriety.'
By an oversight the thieves failed tC
Schmitt, which she values very highly
She accidentally left it on the mantei
piece, under mat. concealed from view
1t is supposed that an exit was made in
the same manner as had been the entry
as no signs could be found of the thieve:
having got away over the back fences.
This is not the first crime that has beer
committed in this locality within shor
period. The house adjoining Mr.. SchmItt
| -1721-was entered about two months age
in similar manner as was its neighbor OF
Thursday night, and the premises ran
sacked from top to bottom.
| |