The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-10-08
Mrs. PennO the Victim
of Unknown Thieves.
HER HOUSE BROKEN INTO.
The $400 She Received as a Pen
sion Carried Away.
POLICE AT WORK ON THE CASE.

Robbers were busy again in the Paw
tuxet Valley yesterday afternoon and
this time they were better paid for their
trouble than in some of the previous
raids. The thieves this time changed
their usual mode of operation and instead
of village store or dwelling, where the
chances OF being discovered while at work
were great, they chose an isolated farm
house on the road from Lippitt to Provi-
dence and about mile and a half from
the village. Contrary to tho usual custom.
the robbery was not committed at night
but during the afternoon and from all
appearances the thieves had arranged
the break beforehand and were well
acquainted with the movements OF sheir
intended victims and the interior
arrangements OF the house.
The house, which Is an old fashioned
farm structure dating back to nearly the
beginning Of the century, is located on
the old Providence Pike about half mile
from Bennotts Corners just at the west
of the hill where the road dips down into
the alley at the "Old Furnace" at Oak
lawn, and from the door yard AN elegant
view can be obtained of the city Of Provi-
denoe and the country 20 the south, where
the blue waters OF the bay glisten in the
sunshine.
The house Is a one-story structure with
an ell OH one end standing about fifty
feet back from the road and Is surrounded
By tall pine and fruit trees. At the back
is tho barn and number OF outbuild-
ings such as are usually found oD New
England farm. For number of years
the place has been occupied by Mr.. ana
Mrs. William PepDo Mr. Penno being
a veteran of the late war,
On Mr.. Penno's death, about year
ago. his widow continued 60 occupy the
farm. and sometime ago applied for u
pension which was granted last month,
and last week she received her first pay
ment including tack pension which
amounted in all to over S400.
Since the failure of the Phenix Bank, in
" hich Mrs Penno had considerable
money, she has lost faith in banking In
stitutions. and when she received her
money from the government she placed
it under lock and key in wnat she con-
sidered safe place.
Yesterday afternoon sno had occasion
to Drive to Phenix. and as the men were
at work on the farm she locked the house
and drove to the village where she trans
acted her business and returned homo
late In the afternoon, entirely unsuspicious
Of the loss which she had suffered during
her short absence.
On arriving Mt her home sho discovered
that 10 had been entered and short
search revealed the fact that her money
had disappeared. while nothing else ap-
peared to have been disturbed.
An investigation was begun and one
Of the neighbors on tho road said that
during her absence only three men bad
passed over the road, two OF whom were
unknown and appeared TO he tramps,
while the third was n well known char
acter in the valley ana in fact oil over
the state 8s he Is on exsoldier who rs
far as known has never done any work
since the war but tramped from place to
place living on the bounty of his old com
rades and small pension which fe re-
ceives quarterly from the government. =
The police were notified and this inorn-
ing are endeavoring TO locate the men,
who were seen in the vicinity during
Mrs. Penno's absence.