Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1896-11-19
BURGLARS AT WORK.
Enter Wonnenberg e. Avis
Drug Store and Secure
Safes Contents.
Attack PostofflCe Safe and
Almost Make a Big
Haul.
After Suspects
United States Offers a
Reward.
From Wednesdays Daily.

From Wednesdays Daily.
After an absence OF some months the
crooks have returned TO Jsmsstown to
touch up fsv places OF business and let
The public and officers know there sre
yet suoh hilaRiously, burelarously in
olined men - those which went through
Wonnenberg & Avis drug store and the
postofios last night. The crime OCCUR
red after the production OF Uncle Toms
Cabin at the opera house and its desper.
ate character may be in part accounted
for thereby.
The burglary was discovered upon the
opening Of Wonnenberg & Avis drug
store this morning. The safe was found
wide open with it's contents scattered in
confusion on the floor. The safe was
not kept looked and the burglar or burg
lars helped themselves. About $50 in
change, q note and county order were
taken possession OF and the papers
pretty thoroughly paved over for further
evidences Of wealth.
Attention was next paid to the post
Office, which was entered from the drug
store. A hole large enough to admit
the hand was cut in panel Of one Of
the doors and the bolt showed back.
This gave entire possession Of Uncle
Sans domain and work was begun on
the safe. firing Of their job or becom-
ing scared they left after opening the
outer door and before the inner door Of
the safe was opened although they had
drilled through the door and needed but
. blow Of the sledge to demolish tue lock
and secure the contents-@6O IN money
anc 500 in stamps, etc. Nothing else in
the postoffioe was disturbed.
A heavy sledxe hammer with short
ened handle, brace and bit for boring
through wood. q broad chisel and a
baking powder can. evidently used to
hold . candle, we're left behind in the
postoface.
Entrance to tho drug store was effected
through the back shed door. The wooden
bar fastening was raised by inserting the
chisel in the crack of the door. The
key was left in the lock on the inside of
the inner door and this was turned by
cutting hole IN the panel through
which the hand was inserted. 1t is
judged the hand of the operator must
have been small or thin, If the holes in
the panels Of the doors are criterion.
Later it was discovered that the sledge
hammer, chlsel and bit stock were
stolen last night from the blacksmith
and carpenter shop occupied by Fred
Holt and D. E. Buzzell on Front street
east. The sledge is the property Of Mr..
Holt; the other tools belong to Mr.. Bus
zell. The early part of last week this
shop was entered at noon, it is believed,
and four bits for drilling in steel and a
couple of tsps-used in cutting threads
and enlarging holes in burrs stolen.
As the drill holes in the postoffice safe
show the use Of taps the two cases are
linked showing the burRlsries in each
instance are identical. This would jndi-
cate that the operators had been here
long enough to look over the ground
and examine the intended work and it's
surroundings. There are two safes in
the postofice, one filled with books and
documents Of no value except as records
and the other containing what valuables
the office possesses. The latter safe was
attacked while the former was un-
touched.
U. s. OFFERS REWARD
Postoffice Inspector Clement was noti-
fed Of the affair this morning and i'm
mediately wired offering reward Of 5000
each for the capture and conviction of
the burglars.
Chief of Police Mahoney and Sheriff
Eddy we're on the outlook and early
were making inquiries for a couple of
young men, apparently brothers, who
have been in the city for several days
and without any visible means of sup
port. They we're in the city yesterday
but could not be found today. 1t is un-
derstood the men purchased tickets for
the west at Windsor. Some strangers
have been sighted at Splritwood and
these, together with the two men west,
will probably be overhauled tonight.