The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1898-01-07
Burglars Use Dynamite.

The postofiicc at iIyattsvillc, was robbed
during Friday night of stamps anC
currency, roughly estimated at 800 il
value. The door of the safe was blown
Off vita dynamite. The poStotfice is III
the grocery store of George Use, located
in the thickly settled portion of the town
but the burglary was not discovered I'M
til Saturday morning. Mr.. TiSc, who is
the postmaster, had in the safe, it is stat
about $500, the proceeds of merchandise
sales, besides other money hclon @ing to
the postotficc. Mr.. Tisc refused to give
an estimate Of his loss in currency until
the postal authorities at Washington
make an investigation. The postotficc is
situated directly opposite to the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad Station. The
store was closed at about ten o'clock
Friday night and it being New Years
Eve, there were groups of men at the
railroad station and other places in the
vicinity Mr. Louis Wissman, who lives
$50 yards from the Tostotfice, states that
he heard an explosion at about 12:45 \.
NJ, Mr.. Freshman, who had charge of
the gate at the railroad crossing about
fifty yards from Mr.. Tise's place, upon
going on duty at about $50 o clock Satur
day morning found the door of his watch
box open. Upon lighting his lantern he
found numerous papers strewn upon the
floor, which he recognized as belonging
to the postotfice.
An investigation later by Moses Smith,
Il clerk for Mr.. Tise, and by the post
master, showed the postotfice i'll great
disorder, with papers and books scattered
upon the floor, and the door of the safe
partially imbedded in the wall, four feet
away from the remnants of the safe. A
small hole had been drilled tn rough the
door about two inches above the handle
and the door had been blown from the
hinges Dynamite was the explosive
used, and its work was complete.
Outside the back door was found 4
brace and two bits, two large carpenters
chisels and monkey wrench, with the
initial ''F" III" picked on the handle.
The postcffice was entered in May,
when s. A. H. Wells was postmaster, but
the only loss was $3.50 in stamps. Mr..
Tise took possession Of the postoffice in
May, 1897, after spirited contest among
several local aspirants.
1t is supposed that the burglars forced
an entrance through the rear by breaking
four pancs of glass, but made their exit
through rear door
No important developments have occurr-
ed in the Hyattsville postotfice robbery,
but enough has been CLEANED to make 1t
certain that the perpetrators of the job
were professionals, and that they went in
the direction of Baltimore after the rob-
berry.
Tom Sharp, employed by Mr.. F. II.
Miller, of Hyattsville, says he noticed
lights and heard voices in the Matchbox
opposite the postofficc as he came from
his home, in Bladensburg. This was
about five O'Clock.
Postoffice Inspector F. E. Little came
out from Washingt on, having just return
ed from this town, where he had been
the robbery of the postotfice
here. He held a lengthy conference with
Postmaster Use 1t is now stated that
800 of the postoffice money and 5000
two cent stamps were taken, besides $500
of Mr.. Tise's private money, making the
total loss about $3.50. The inspector is
certain that the same gang robbed the
local postoffice as the one here. All the
tools were left at both places, with the
exception of the diamond drill with which
the hole was bored through the safe door.
The size of both these holes-at Hyatts-
vile and here-were precisely the same.
The burglars had just about ample time
to get from this town across the country
to Hyattsville.