Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1898-03-25
Bold and Successful Burglary
The Woodstock Post Office broken
into by gang of experts and
robbed of a considerable amount.

| When the good people Of Woodstock
aroused themselves on Tuesday morning
to commence their usual daily duties,
they were more than surprised to learn
that the post office here had been broken
into by a gang and robbed Of considera-
bic amount in stamps and money, some
time between midnight and morning.
The scoundrels, who as far as can be
Judged, numbered four or five, went
about their work with all the system and
careful delberation Of experts. They
had probably made themselves thorough
ly acquainted with the location Of things
through the day, as a number Of suspic-
ious looking men, entire strangers in
this place, had been seen around the
streets. One of these men visited the
large wood working factory Of Mr.. Jos.
travels on east Court street. Here he
begged for money, and at the same time
made himself acquainted with the location
Of the many tools lying around. This
place they broke into first and secured
all the tools they needed for their work
at the post Office.
Before breaking into the office, which
is located in one end Of the Shockey
House, they securely fastened the front
door Of the hotel to guard against in
terruptions from the inmates. This they
did by screwing firmly into the door
facing a large screw eyelet to which they
wired the door knob making it imPossi-
BILE to open the door from within.
They then bored a hole in the door of
the office through which the lock was
forced off and badly broken.
Once inside they broke off the knob of
combination lock on the safe and
through the opening thus made
they introduced powder or some
other explosive, which blew the lock to !
pieces and tore the heavy door entirely |
off its hinges Here they secured the
office money and stamps amounting tol
S3l6,s7, and four registered letters con- |
tanning about $4,000 in money, also
taking some checks, blanks and other
papers.
The plumber was probably all put in a
small box found in the office and taken
10 point within the corporation limits, |
on the road leading from the pike 70 the
Fair Grounds, and near the residence of
Capt Geo. W. KOOntZ. Here a division
Of the money probably took place, as the
box and some ofthe papers were found
at this place.
Although the explosion was heard byl
several persons living in the neighbor-
hood no attention was paid tOit, especial
w as il is not an unusual thing to hear
pistol shots and other noises on curl
streets at all hours Of the night. One
person who was sleeping across the
street just opposite the Office, saw lisht
in the room and several persons stand
ing on the street in front of the Office but
| il did not occur TO him that anything
wrong was going on.
4 strange hobo, who had been lOating
around town for several days, was az
rested on Tuesday and committed TO
jail. He gave his name as ". E. Sommers
and coniessedto having served a number
ofterms in Jail.
/ Mr.. Dan b. Logan, first assistant to
post master Davis, was the first 70 dis
cover the robbery and Immediately re-
ported it to Mr.. Davis.
Mr.. Davis at once put the telegraph
and telephone wires at work, notifying
all sections of the robbery. lie also
notified the post office department at
Washington. and Tuesday evening
special officer arrived here and has since
been at work upon the case.
Three suspicious looking characters
We're arrested on Wednesday, aud Mayor
Rodeifer, Frank Fravel and the post
Office inspector went up 10 examine
them. Nothing could be found % connect
them with the crime and they were dis
charged.
They gave their names as, John Rowe.
Geo. Rowe and Frank Hart
We earnestly hope the guilty scoun-
drels may be caught and punished to
the utmost limit OF the law.