Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-10-24
SWIFT REIR|BUTON CANE.
A Burglar Killed by a Trap Gun
While Robbing a Store.
Confessed Before Dying Jacob
Blumling, Shoe Dealer. Grew
Tired of Being Robbed, and Set
a Shotgun Trap-Thomas Oswald
Attempted to Rob the Store and
Peceived a Heavy Charge Of
BucAshot in a Vital Spot.

Pittsburg, Pa, October 23.-In an
attempt TO rob the shoe store of Jacob
Blumling, OF Eta, enc OF the burglars
was shot by means OF a gun which had
been placed in the store as trap for
burglars. The man died shortly before
3 a. N.
Last night about Z o'clock four
strange men were seen near the store,
which is on Bridge street, but they dis
appeared. About IL p. m. boy came
up the street and told Policeman Jere
Fair that he heard a woman crying in
Blumling's store. Fair went to the
store, and, prying open the window,
went in. In one corner of the store he
found a man lying on the floor, moan
ing and surrounded by q pool OF blood.
An examination showed a load of shot
had penetrated the right leg just above
the knee. The man was very weak
from loss of blood and he was removed
to the borough lookup. Drs. Speer and
Johnson were summoned, but when
they arrived they found the man COM
pletely exhausted and beyond help. He
fingered until 2: 40 a. M, when he died.
On his person was letter addressed
to Harry Williams, general delivery,
llLoOAt I1C w do dDOuL 10 NSdIS Olu.
In his pockets were found a large
quantity Of jewelry, consisting of dia-
monds, rings, Pins and chains, valued
at $1,000. He also had an assortment
Of about fifty skeleton keys. In the
store were four sacks which would hold
about two bushels each, and near the
store were found wagon tracks. 1t was
evidently the intention to make a big
haul.
The store has been robbed three
times, the last time about a year ago.
Since the last robbery, August Blum
ling, son of the proprietor of the store,
got breech-loading shotgun, which
he loaded with buckshot and arranged
inside the store door, so that when the
door was opened the load would be dis
charged into the intruder. He mott
fed the policemen and watchmen and
officials of the town of what he had
done, and a string was passed through
hole by which anyone knowing of the
trap could pull the string and loosen
the trap. He firmly bolted and barred
the door, and the trap was complete.
The door was jimmied open last
night, and there must have been more
than one man in the job, as no jimmy
was found. Only one entered the door,
however, and he had barely entered
when the gun was discharged, when the
man was within four feet of it, the re-
suit being terrible wound.
About $50 o'clock last night shot
was heard, and it is supposed it was
then that the burglar was shot, and he
was bleeding from then until he was
found.
The body was brought to the morgue
at a. m. At the inquest before Cor
oner Mcdowell at 1890 p. m, Police
man Fair was the first witness called.
He said that last evening he saw the
man standing on the street near house
on Bridge street A few moments af-
ter passing the dead man a small boy
came running after him When Fair
returned with the boy he concluded tha.
the shot which had been heard came
from Blumling's shoe store. Breaking
open the door he found a man lying in
a pool Of blood.
The man gave his name as Thomas
Oswald and his home as Baltimore
He was removed to the police station
where he died. The gun was placed
in evidence. Oswald said he wanted
to get pair of shoes.
August Blumling, a son Of the pro-
prietor of the shoe store, said that there
had been so many previous robberies
that he and his father had decided to
protect the store by placing a trap gun
in the rear He saw the man after he
was shot. but did not know him. A
large bundle of jewelry was found by
the policemen.
The jury returned verdict that the
deceased came to his death through be-
ing shot by patent contrivanee in at
tempting to rob store. The coroner
will have the remains photographed
and inquiries will be made at Balti-
more.