Evening star., 1897-05-08
HE COMMITTED BURGLARY
Charles Bodemer Arrested Today on seri-
ous Charge.
The Son of q Prominent Druggist Con.
fesses to Having Stolen Cigars
From q Wholesale Store.

Charlie Bodeme-, son of the 1th street
druggist, was arrested about noon today by
Detectives Boyd and Helan. and now is be-
hind the bars, a confessed burglar. Bode-
| mer is only twenty-six years Of age. and
his arrest was as complete surprise to
the officers as it was shock to his parents
and friends.
For a number Of years the young man
has been a clerk in his fathers drug store.
which Is located at No. S05 Tth street
northwest. Adjoining the drug store is the
wholesale cigar and tobacco store Of Wright
& Lynch. and it was for the theft of cigars
from this store that young Bodemer was
arrested and locked up. For two or three
months the cigar dealer has been robbed in
a systematic manner. as many as eight or
ten boxes of cigars and many packages of
cigarettes being taken at each visit.
The police were called in and an investi-
cation was made. How the burglar man
aged to get into the store proved to be a
puzzle.
Before the proprietors discovered that
their place had been robbed they learned
that cigar drummer had been disposing
OF cigars of their brands at extremely low
prices, and they naturally supposed that
some other manufacturer was selling an
inferior quality and had stolen their trade
mark. When shown some of the boxes.
however, and after becoming aware that
their private mark was on them, they be-
came convinced that their goods were being
stolen. few days later their stock
showed evidences of another robbery hav-
ing been committed. Then the detectives
wanted to find the young man who had
been selling the stolen goods.
He appeared to be ordinary drum
mer. 1t is said. and carried his stock in
his hands. When visiting a store he dis
played his goods on the show cases with
out any effort at concealment and there
was nothing about his conduct to indicate
that he was not doing legitimate hus-
mess He sold his stock so cheap that
other dealers could not compete with him,
but this did not arouse suspicion.
Another haul was made from the cigar
store last night, and when out on his
rounds today one of Bodemer's customers
called uD the detective Office on the tele-
phone. and few minutes later the sup
posed cigar drummer was found at the
corner of Pennsylvania avenue and 18th
street and placed under arrest. He had
several boxes of the stolen cigars on him
at the time.
When taken to police headquarters he ad-
mitted his guilt, and told the story of his
wrong doing. According to his account he
had a duplicate key to the back door of the
tobacco store, and he made his trips at
night after the place had been closed.
Last night, he said he felt that if he went
in there again and committed robbery he
would be caught, but he could not resist
the temptation. and so he went n and pro-
cured the cigars. When he came out he re-
solved that he would never go there again,
and without giving himself I chance to
change his mind he threw the key in the
sewer.
Bodemer has told the names of persons
to whom he made sales aad this after
noCa he is visiting their places of business
with the officers, who hope 20 recover much
OF the plunder. 1t is thought that about
$500 worth of cigarettes ard cigars have
been taken since the dcpredalions began.
The young man may be taken to court
Monday.