The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-23
CHEASTY'S AGAIN.
Robbers and safe Crackers Seem to
Think He IL q Good
Thing.

II do not know" said r.. c. Cheasty yes
terday afternoon. whether they think
am a good thing. or am getting rich. Any
way. they are coming right along
Mr. Chsasty was talking about little
burglary that took place at his store. cor
nsr of James street and secand avenue.
early yesterday morninz-littie because
after erecting a clever entrance the men
went away with only sii in cash. 75 cents
worth OF postage stamps and little clock
I'm a morocco case. A few months ago two
men tried 10 rob the store of neckties and
an umbrella, but were defeated by the
prompt action Of a clerk.
What puzzles me- continued Mr..
Cheasty. is that they did not take any
ovsrcoats. ties or other things that they
could have easily secured. 1 have made a
search. but cannot discover anything
other than money. stamps and clock miss
ing. l am sorry about the clock. because
IL was a gift. Ii had an 1896 calendar on
IL. and IL the burglar viii send II back
Will give him one that Is up TO date
The burglars were evidently well ae-
quainted with the lay OF the ground. be-
cause they got into the store In a very
slick way. They went down a flight OF
steps at the north side OF the store on
James street. and attacked a door that
leads into the cellar under the store. by
means Of a chisei they removed the lower
left-hand panel. This made a hole large
enough for good-sfzed man 10 slip
through. After entering the cellar the
burglars unlocked the door and also re-
moved heavy wooden bar that rests in
sockets In order TO keep the door from
swinging open they utilized box.
The way was now clear 10 the store
above. At the back end Of the store the
burglars found the office. Directly In
front OF them stood a good-sized. but very
heavy and finely made safe. II has a time
faeE httr vfor fa,
mistake. but II was too late. How could
they figure out that Mr.. Cheasty had pur-
chased a safe that was originally made
for hank vauit7 Undoubtedly these
knights knew that round sum Of money
had been locked up in II the night before,
but they had not figured that IL would
take five or six hours 10 make the &C
quaintance OF the inner compartments.
From the appearance OF the door of the
safe Il is very doubtful IL any sttempt was
made 20 drilL There was mark near the
combination. but II disappeared when
rubbed hriskly. 1t would appear as II the
near approach OF morning and the for
mldanle appearance of the steel chest
made the burglars give up their plan.
BY means 81 a Jimmy IL was an easy
matter 20 open the drawers IN the desk
which stood next 20 t.se safe. Seventy
Eve cents worth OF stamps were taken,
The Jimmy then was applied 20 a roli-top
n
work properly Before leaving the Office
one Of tho burglars picked up a small clock
in a morocco ease. On the case is an iss
calendar and the words. ''E. c. Cheasty."
out in the store TO work was done other
than 20 rip open the money drawer. which
contained sii Before leaving the bur
glars threw the drawer on thu fioor near
the back % the store.
No one saw them enter or depart, and
the first in'imatton Of their visit was had
when the store was opened In the morning
and the money drawer was discovered on
the floor.
There - little doubt that the burglars
realty Intended 20 crack the safe The
manner In which they got IN and the
amount OF goods they took show that they
had that object in view. The store rs sd
uiirably nttad 20 AFFORD an opportunity for
A wholesale robbery. but there are diff
cultses n the way Of opening thu safe
ether than the lock Itself. People could
look down into the once from the Blitlsr
hotel and see what Vas gofng en Such
a thing might nor happen. hut agala Il
might fust when least expected II sa
alarm wss given Z, wosld he an easy mat
ter 10 trap the burglars. With poor safe
the SOB could h~ done quickly and before
IRE break % ssy. bat with the safe IN
Cheasty's II would be daylight before
everything was over.