The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-18
ADLER'S ROBBED BY A CLERK.
WAS LOCKED IN At NIGHT AND
WENT THROUGH THE STORE.


to Sleep Behind Counter and
Didn't wake Up Until the store
Was Closed Saturday NiEht-Then
the Temptation to Steal Came on
Him and He Filled Four VaIises
with stun and Walked Out the
Back Door.
Adler's store was burglarized at an early
hour yesterday morning and before Il
o'clock last night the burglar had been
landed in the barracks.
When Mr.. Adler went to the store about
1920 o'clock he noticed a number of empty
boxes on the floor. A closer search re-
vealed the fact that the back door was
open, or that 1t was not fastened. With
the aid of some Of the employees he made
a closer examination, which revealed the
fact that several show cases, containing
valuable jewelry had been broken open
and the greater part of their contents
taken. Empty boxes were lying around
and the stock was torn up. Superintend-
ent of Police Screven was Immediately no.
titled and detectives were put to work on
the case; but before they had secured a
NAut "a AhNhy tldiitC put MI. AQteT III
possession of the name and whereabouts
of the man wanted, and he went to the
barracks, secured the services of three
policemen, and had the arrest made. 1t
was an old case of murder will out"
that proved fortunate for Mr. Adler and
unfortunate for the thief
Early in the forenoon a young man call
ed at No. 515 Liberty street, east, and ar
ranged for room and board As baggage
he had with him four valises, two of which
he brought himself the others being
brought by a negro who accompanied him
He arranged for the best room in the
house and later in the day appeared in
brand new suit of clothes, with the
very latest thing in ties, a silk umbrella
and the rest of his attire to match, though
the whole accorded little with his country
fed air, which but accentuated his seem
ing unfamiliarity with such apparel. His
general appearance and the fact that his
trousers were entirely too long, and the
rest of his clothes did not fit, aroused the
curiosity of a fellow boarder Mr.. G. T.
Puff, who began questioning him about
himself He said he came here from At
lanta, where the clothes had been bought
and that he was a photographer Later in
the day he told different story and va
ried the details so much that Mr.. Puff was
convinced that he was lying and induced
the young man to take him to his room
He was attracted at once by a number of
handsome ties lying upon the bureau, all
of which were marked with the name
Leopold Adler
Without exciting the suspicious of the
young man Mr. Puff went to Mr.. Adler
and asked if anything had been recently
missed from his store. Mr.. Adler told him
the story of the robbery and was told in
p ~ Fha
that had led Mr.. Puff TO suspect him.
There was no doubt in Mr.. Adler's mind
that he was on the track of The right man
and with Mr.. Pun and some friends he
went to the barracks and asked that an
officer be sent with them to make the
arrest. officers ]. Behrman, Barney I'm
gar and J. Crimmius were detailed. When
The house was reached 1t was thought that
so many appearing at once might brighten
the man and enable him to give the Of
1icers the slip. officer Behrman who was
in citizens clothes, went in alone, explain
ed the purpose of his visit 10 Mr.. More,
proprietor of The house, and was taken into
the room of the young man. who was un-
dressed and in bed. After his arrest, The
remainder of the party went into the room
and search was made fer the s oil artl-
Giles; no attempt had been made to con-
ceal the valiseS ard these were the first
thirg that caught Mr.. Adlers eye. He
identified them at once. "Where are the
other things" he asked I'm the bureau
there" the young man replied.
An examination of the bureau brought
to light shirts, suits of clothes, collars,
cuffs silk handkerchiefs of the most ex-
pensive kind, ties Of every description: in
fact a sample of almost everything that
would be found in a first-class furnishing
store. Remembering that the jewelry
cases had been robbed Mr.. Adler asked
where the contents were and was told that
they were in valise, which when opened
brought them to light.
While the search was being made the
young man had been putting on his
clothes and when dressed the party start
ed for the barracks, each enc carrying n
part of the stolen goods. The wonder is
how the thief could have gotten away with
such a large amount. He was asked II
he had an accomplice. mo, l did 1t ALL -
he said.
From the moment of his arrest he show
ed no hesitancy in talking, and II re
quired little questioning to elicit his story
His name is w. A. BeXley, a native OF
High Springs, Fla. He came to Savan-
| nah, he said. about week ago finding
| work dun at home, and secured a place
in the china department at Adler's. Upon
| returning to work after supper Saturday
night, he found that he was very tired
and sleepy. and when business grew slack
| he sat down behind a counter and went
to sleep. When he awoke he found that
| the store had been closed, and that he
had been locked in 1t was then, he said
! that the temptation came to him to take
the goods. Il am poor boy" he said
land felt that had to do something for
| myself"
| When Mr.. Adler asked him If he had
not thought of the risk of detection that
| he ran in passing back and forth before
| the door as he must have done to get
| at the different things, he replied that he
didn't care much, he was desperate He
said that after he had made up his mind
to the robbery he got two valises, and
went about the store selecting the goods
he wanted. When he had secured all that
| he thought nc could carry he packed the
valises, but finding that they would not
| hold oil OF the stun, he got two more,
| which he also filled. He then went to
the rear door. opened il and taking two
Of the valises went up Bull street as far
as the theater, in the front opening Of
which ne secreted them, and went back
to the store for the others, which he also
| fN hn VA1e T.