The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-01
SIedge Was Stolen From
Blacksmith Shop.
Then Used to Smash in Door
of Habib & ROukuS' Store.
In Latter Place the Robbers Made
Haul Of Over $500 in Cash.

The variety store Of Habib & Roukus,
Syrians, at the corner of West Exchange
and Dean streets was broken into last
night and 1902 "a lot of notes and other
papers were taken. This store Is filed
with such articles as are sold 10y Arme-
mans, Syrian Greeks, and other foreign
peddlers, this firm being the headquarters
for New England. Today the proprietors
informed The News representative that
their trade was about $500 a week, and
that IL was the custom of the concern To
have settlement with local peddlers
every Tuesday and Thursday. On these
days the receipts are anywhere from 5000
To $500. On these days they usually
make q deposit mt the bank but not on
the other days of the week, the cash Is
left in the store, unless the amount exceeds
$500 There was in the money drawer
Tuesday night more than $500, the larger
portion of which was paid in after bank
ing hours, but was deposited early Wednes-
day morning Yesterday was an unusually
busy day and this fact was probably well
known to the robbers
The front door of the store, which is
numbered 266 West Exchange street. Is
made fast at night with "a strong paddock
and an extra laSge Yale lock. Both locks
were demolished by "A s)edgc hammer ms
the dents on the door indicate, and when
the robbers got into the store they did
not spend much time for they just
ripped out the money drawer ana with
its contents departed. Up 20 noon today
the trio OF detectives at work on the case
had no trace of the property.
The notes taken are OF no use I'd Ut
robbers as they are from customers OF
| the firm, VINO are scattered about New
| England, but they represent number
| O. thousands of dollars.
1t is believed that the work was
done by two young men who MAKE
their headquarters at the blacksmith shop
| of Michael Garter, 242 Lockwood. On
| Tuesday morning Mr.. Carter when he
went TO his shop found that the ordinary
staple in his door had been pulled out.
| but nothing had been taken, so he sup
! posed that it was the work OF boys
Mr. Carter at once made new staple
| and one much stronger than the old one,
| which he placed on his door. when nc
went 10 the shop yesterday morning lac
| found tho new staple had been drawn, but
| on Monday morning nothing was missing
| so he made no complaint to the police.
| While at work shoeing horse this morn
| ing Mr.. Carter found that he needed new
| file He went to little desk where he
| keeps supply of such articles, when he
| discovered that five new files had been
taken. Then he reported the case TO the
police A representative of The News
| called on Mr.. Carter today in quest of the
particulars of the case. When asked what
mad been taken Mr., Carter SAID there was
nothing missing, but the files. He was
asked IL a sledge had been taken and re-
piled in the negative. On searching the
| shop, however, he discovered that his
sletige had been taken, as we'll as mum
| Der Of small pieces Of steel. The dents on the
door OF Habib Roukus' store are such
as might have been made by Mr.. Car
ter's sledgc, and as the two young men
who are suspected by Mr.. Carter live not
great distance from Habib " Roukus
store and have not been seen since Tues
day morning, it is supposed they. know
something about the matter. If they are
the guilty ones there is but little chance
of their getting "a great WAYS, for the de
tectives have full description of them
and the same has been sent to all of th,
nearby cities by telegraph and telephone
This evenings mail will also take posta
cards to New York and Philadelphia Civ
ing description of the suspects. Neithe
one of tho men Is over 20 years old ant
both are well known on Atwell's avenue
and vicinity.
The money drawer and some OF th'
papers were found in a lot near tho rail
road track not far from the store.