The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-10
THIEF RAIDS A CHURCH
PURSES AND RARE OLD JEwELRY
TAKEN AT THE FIRST BAPTIST.
Worked During an Entertainments
Watch Obtained by FOOtpads Re-
cOVered-Other RObberies.

A bold thief made raid Wednesday night
on the First Baptist Church. while an enter
tainment was in progress, and stole several
pocketbooks and large amount of jewelry.
A feature of the entertainment was called
t'Samantha Aliens Album" 1t consisted
OF living pictures, representing epochs of
history. Huge frames, like the leaves of a
picture album, were made and they revolved
in opening. The characters in the various
pictures were dressed in the clothing Of
the period represented. Mrs. f. f. Stone
brought to the church with her a box of
rare old-fashioned jewelry to be worn by
the characters. 1t was a collection which
she had borrowed for the occasion from a
number of her friends 1t consisted Of
brooches, chains, earrings and rings. The
intrinsic value of the whole collection was
not large, but thousands Of dollars probably
could not replace them. Some of the articles
are family heirlooms.
When it came time for the young men
and young women, who were to take the
characters in the picture to dress, 1t was
decided not to allow them to wear the
jewelry for fear some pieces might be lost
Mrs. Stone placed the box in the pocket
of her wrap and deposited it in the base
ment of the church in one of the rooms
occupied by the janitor's family. The Sun
day school room was crowded for the enter
tainment and the main auditorium was
utilized as a place to put wraps. A thief
entered the latter room while the pictures
were being shown and made search OF
the wraps When the entertainment was
over and the people sought their wraps they
found them scattered about the floor in
great disorder, but Sc. far as is known none
were taken The thief was after purses and
iewelry So far as has been reported only
two purses were taken. They were those
of Miss Hogan and another lady whose
name could not be ascertained Inc empty
purses were found in corner OF the ROOM
1t is somewhat of a mystery how the th1et
knew of the whereabouts OF the Dox OF
jewelry. Only few OF those VINO TOOK s p a. : :
in the entertainment put their wraps in the
basement. 1t is supposed the thie1 may
have been in the room above when the
discussion concerning the jewelry WAS on
and II was decided not to use it, Nothing
but the box of jewelry was taken from the
basement. 1,u,os
yesterday. At o'clock yesterday IN morning mn
Thomas Smith, saloon keeper at zo6 South
Illinois street, surprised three burglars IN
his place of business. AS he entered Dy the
front door they departed through rear
window. which they had broken. They TOOK
with them the cash register, but ne 1olloWeu
it and run The. register was uninjured and
had not been opened. - -, -,
The residence of Marion scott, OH MdPie
street. was entered by burglars during the
night and a revolver and "a We're taken.
Mrs. Kaisberg'S store. at High ana bl ck-
ing streets, was robbed during "Wednesday
night. Patrolmen Monninger and Schroedeer
passed there and discovered the door Stane 90
ing open. An investigation showed tnat %
in money and some cigars were missing.
The barkeeper at Charles Muellerschoen
saloon in Jackson place lost an oEerco oss
a - hook 100 while the bartender's back was
turned. a,~.or ,+ora Of
49, " Tonlrsop was robbed Wednesday
night, the thieves securing about "a worth
of goods. ,s 49,, about
twenty years old, slipped into ]. g. Gnfton
e. Son's tin shop. at No 72o Fort wayne
avenue. and tapped the till. Only small
amount of money was secured.