Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-01-19
A VERY HEAVY IND
VERY SLICK ROBBERY
Perpetrated in This City, Early Last
Evening.
The Dillon, Wheat & Haneher Company
tie Victims.

something Like Nv 9nby AEGiCl5S VI
Diamond Jewelry Taken from the
South Show Window Few Min
utas After Six OClock-Four
Men, All Evidently Strangers,
Were in the Plot-The Real Thief,
However. Was Not Even Seen by
Any One, So Far as Was Known
Last Night-The Gang Got About
an Hours Start Of the Police.
Energetic Measures Being Taken
by the Authorizes The Monetary
Loss Unknown, But Large.
About the smoothest as we'll as the
heaviest robbery known in this city
for several years past, occurred last
evening about ten or fifteen minutes
after six o'clock, at the jewelry store
Of the Dillon, Wheat & Hancher Com
pany. No. 1928 Market street.
The money loss to the company could
not be definitely told last night, but
it will run well into four figures.
AL GlSNSu u CIOCh ldOt AlS,l4I SilS ASSNN
ing representatives of the Company
confessed that they could not, at that
time, tell just what was missing, let
alone fix the cost of the articles, but
two thousand dollars is moderate
estimate.
A complete list of the stolen goods
was not available, either, but it is
definitely and positively known that
the booty secured by the thieves in
cludes two pairs of diamond earrings
of considerable value, two diamond
pendants, from thirteen to sixteen dia-
mond rings, number Of them clus-
tiers. and some articles of lesser value.
The robbery was evidently carefully
"set up" and was perpetrated by at
least four men. Three of them We're
seen, and a fairly accurate description
of them is now in the hands of the au-
thorities. The fourth mantle actual
thief-was not seen by any one, SO far
as could be ascertained at midnight
last night.
The worst feature of the affair, Sc
far as the action of the authorities is
concerned, is the fact that the thieves
had full hours start of the officers,
with every opportunity to either SCI
out of town, or to seek and find a Sc
cure hiding place within the city. I'm
der the circumstances this was una
voidable. and aids the escape Of the
thieves to that extent. The authorities.
however, have taken the most ener-
getic steps to cause the arresr of The
thieves. and by the time this reaches
the eyes of the readers of the Register
the police of all the principa! cities viii
have been posted as to the facts, SO
far as they are known.
Several circumstances combined t.
make the work of the thieves conpar-
atively easy. In the first place, the
private electric light pl7ct Of the Com
pany was not in condition TO work at
dusk last evening, and as there is nc
gas fixtures in the show windows, they
were left in comparative darkness as
night fell. In the second place, Mr..
l. G. Dillon, the head of the Company,
was absent in Pittsburg, and did not
reach the city until about nine O'clock
last night, three hours after the ROB
berry In the third place. the success
full attempt of the thieves was timed
at about six o'clock, when Il portion of
the clerical force was absent at the
evening meal. The whole affair shows
signs of careful preparation and study
Of the premises and conditions. and it
may have been in contemplation for a
considerable time past, the principals
merely awaiting favorable conditions,
which, unfortunately, presented them
selves last evening
The stolen property was in the south
show window of the Company's store,
next to the Register office. Ordinarily,
at that time in the evening, many thou
sand dollars worth of the finest jewel
~ is contained IN that window, the
display being the constant admiration
of both citizens and strangers. Last
evening, however, the windows were
comparatively dark, owing to the cleo
trio light plant not working, and little
was to be seen OF the ordinarily brill
liant display by the passers-by. At
about six o'clock but two employees
were in the store, Messrs J. NJ. Weist-
ling, VINO is a member of the firm, and
Mr.. Guy Wrestling, a clerk. About ten
or fifteen minutes after six three men
entered the store, and accosting Mr..
]. M. Wrestling, said they had been
talking, some time ago, TO Mr.. Dillon,
about a music box. which had been Of
fered to them at forty-two dollars. and
asked to see it and others, Mr.. Weist-
ling took them TO near the rear Of the
store. where such articles are kept, and
a conversation and examination of the
instruments followed. While this was
in progress, Mr.. Guy Weistling remain
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