The evening times., 1896-08-15
THIEVES At Headquarters
Effort to Steal the Excise
Boards Sample Liquors.
BOLD BUT VAIN ATTEMPT
II Happened In Close Proximity to the
Police Rooms In the District Build
tng-TIe Bottles Had Been Re moved
From the Sixth to the Third Floor.
VIII Put In Burglar Alarms.

The .'fire water which the excise board
caused to be accumulated under SO much
difficulty, and which has already COM
nanded the official attention Of tie health
office, the District chemist, Of Congress,
the Commissioners and the District audit or,
is likely yet to be tine instrument whereby
the police Court will have a brand new
case to docket, for Some one attempted
last night TO break into the room where
the fiasks were deposited under lock and
>ey yesterday afternoon.
The bottles containing the goods were
transferred ut O'Clock yesterday from
the chemists rooms on the sixth floor to
the second floor, and placed in charge of
Secretary Williams OF the excise board.
He had them placed in a small room, to
which there is but one entrance, through a
door at one corner OF the board room.
There are two windows in this rUom,
which open on the passage leading from the
man corridor to q door In the rear OF the
board room. These windows are provided
with swinging sasiies, which in turn are pro,
vided with patent fastennss of the variety
that enable the sasaes to br opened and the
aperture adjusted to any given width.
MAN COULD CRAWL THROUGH.
When closed the sashes are locked by
springs, which, while not affordiDg much
security, will prevent the windows from be-
ing opened without breaking the springs,
but when open W widethere isa space through
which an ordinary-sized man may crawl
with ease.
TIE windows were closed and fastened
al, I,s - 10 t.a-
fore the secretary left the building, but
when the rooms were opened this morn
ing one of tie sashes was partly open, one
side having dropped from the center pin,
and the spring gave evidence of the wrench
winch had been given 1T in the effort to
force open the window.
There must have been loud noise
thus occasioned, which was sufficient to
frighten Off the would.be intruder, rs
there was no sign OF q further attempt te
effect an entrance
Nobody knows at what hour In the eveI,-
ing or night the attempt was made The
wonder is. however. that it should have
been made at all, Within such close prox-
unity to the police headquarters and within
earshot of the slcuths of the detective
force
The s,orage-room IL on the first floor
above where Majo Moore medtates from
day to day over the evils OF tsis great
bali wick. and Is but two floors above In
spector Honinberger's famous hack office
The noise made by the depredator must
have gone Numbering down and up the eie
vator shaft to give warning If the at
tempt was made in tie night such crash
must have even a awakened the echoes in the
back alley
WHAT THE wAGS SAY
There is no one under suspicion 50 far as
is known. The wags about the building
Explain the occurrence in theiy way, how
ever. They say the burglar must have
been some one who failed yesterday even
ing to give the proper signal. and was there.
fore refused nip wien the excise boards
secretary was appealed 10.
They further 81 u Ia tt he initiatedhave but
TO give three raps and snceZe TO pro
cure the drinks three times day. that be-
ing the limit, and that ii is only the sec
retary's intimate friends who can te ac-
commodated. Ergo, it was an enemy
of the secretary. whose anger. upon being
refused, got the better Of his discretion.
Is was stated III addition 30 the extra
locks that viii be put on toda the osfic ers in
the buiiding win be ensoincd to keep strict
watch upon the corridors of that flnor here
after. and that burglar alarms are 10 be
placed upon all OF the windo ws opening On
the outside.