The sun., 1897-05-02
THIEVES IN EVENING DRESS
TWO OF THEM RAID MRS. PUTWAM's
FLAT and GET so.

Mrs. Putnam was at Church when Thoy
Came-They Frightened tho Coiored Maid
Helpless and Then Rnnsncked tho Apart
ment-Took Only Money, Lert tho Jewels.
Tho apartment OF Mrs. T. B. Putnam, ON tho
third floor Of 163 West Eighty ty-fourth street,
was entered by two mon about o o'clock on Fri
day night and robbed of 20 in cash. The cir
cumstances Of tho robbery wore 80 unusual and
the work Of the robbers SO bold that when tho
robbery was reported at tho West Sixty eighth
street station an hour and half after 1t oc-
CURED q general alarm, with description OF the
two men, was sent out.
Mrs. Putnam is widow with two children, n
boy of thirteen and a girl of eleven. Hers is a
cornor apartment overlooking Eighty.fourth
street and Amsterdam avenue. Besides Mrs.
Putnam and her children, tho only other occu-
pant OF tho apartment is a colored maid, who
has been In tho family for years. The house has
two apartments to floor.
At 1880 o'clock on Friday evening Mrs. Put
nam started for church, leaving her children
and the apartment In charge Of the maid. Tho
maid Is well along in years. About $3.50 o'clock
the children retired and the maid went TO bed
soon afterward. Just after q clock in tho house
had struck 0 tho doorbell rang. 1t was
not the bell downstairs in the main hall, but
the bell at Mrs. Putnam's door. The maid, re-
all the afternoon, concluded that 1t was some
one with parcel and slipping on q wrapper,
she went to the door. Instead of finding a boy
with parcel, she found two men, of what sho
thought distinguished appearance. both in even
ing dress and wearing silk hats. One Of
the men was tall and slim, with mixed
gray hair and mixed gray mustache. He was
about hfty years old. The other was short and
thick set. and had dark hair and eyes and
dark mustache. He was, perhaps fve years
younger than the tall man. When tho maid
opened the door the tall man said:
"ls Mrs. Putnam In T.
No.. replied tho maid, "shes gone to
That's strange" remarked the man, when
she expected us to call. When do you expect
RS 4epcd rnans 9Th sss 1fE
didn't say an! hing about anybody calling, and
lrsek9n , she won't be home before ore 10 oc9ck
done all the talking had removed his gloves. un-
hnttoned his top c9at, and stepped into the hall.
old. The maid had no sooner said that she didn't
expect her mistress in before 10 o'clock. than
this he said to the maid:
Is there any money in this flat T.
The woman was too frightened to speak for
moment When she could she answered: -.
mo. there amt no money here nowherei'
moments. Now then. II you utter a loud word
I'll see how quickly this will make 1t the last"
w lth thnt the man drew a revolver ana plaCeu
the desired effect upon the woman. Meantime
tho Older man was going through the apart
ment. He die his work quickly, but thoroughly.
He passed through the dining room. where there
was quantity OF silver on the able and on the
sideboard, and into the front parlor. There no
went through desk belonging to Mrs. Putnam's
son, through chest of drawers. and then into the
bedrooms. Tho drawers OF all the bureaus were
ransacked and the contents dumped on the floor.
In one of the drawers he found a childs savings
bank belonging to Mrs. Putnam's little daugh-
ter, and in another drawer he found purse be-
longing to Mrs. Putnam's son. In two Of the
rooms entered The children were sleeping. but 80
quietly did he work that they were not awak-
ened. When the man had finished his work he
rejoined his companion. who was guarding the
servant Turning to her the elder man said:
Now, my good woman we will leave you.
II you raise a cry until we reach the street
shall have to come back and blow your brains
out"
The two men hurried down stairs. leaving tho
colored woman all in a heap on the floor After a
time she crawled into the room Of Mrs. Putnam's
son. and there Mrs Putnam found her moan
ing and wailing when she returned from church
about 9:40 o'clock. As soon as Mrs. Putnam
heard her maids story she reported the robbery
about It.
Precinct Detectives Linn and Trainor were
put on the case. and four men were detailed
from the Central Office. Tho only clue obtained
to the robbers thus far Is that a tradesman In
Amsterdam avenue, near Eighty-fourth street.
says he has seen two men answering the descrip-
tion given by the maid In tho vicinity for tho
last two weeks.
Just how the men got into the house Is mys-
terry, because the street door. according to tho
janitor, was latched. and tho letter-box bell Of
Mrs. Putnam's apartment was rot rung. The
men evidently wanted nothing but money, since
they passed by Mrs. Putnam's jewel case. con-
tanning her diamonds, which was in one of tho
bureau drawers.