The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-09-11
UNIQUE BURGLAR ALARM.
Some Home Made Shares and Scares
for Thieves

Some Home-M Made Shares and Scaree
for Thieves
While Minneapolis is remarkably free
from burglars, there are thousands OF
householders in the city who live in
mortal terror of those seldom seen but
often heard of persons, and many are
the devices resorted to by the timid to
brighten away the marauders. This is
particularly true when applied to those
citizens who make a practice of locking
up their homes for month or so every
summer and going to the lakes or to the
watering places of the east.
Probably the most unique burglar
checker in the city is owned by physi-
clan residing on the east Side, He has
a fine home well filled with costly brio
a-brac of all kinds and as he is away
with his wife large portion of the
time every summer leaving his home
alone, he has procured a nicely polished
skeleton, which reclines in an easy
t chair in the parlor. The bones have
been treated to coat of phosphorescent
paint, and any burglar who has cour-
age enough to approach the grinning
skull on a dark night deserves to be
well rewarded for his bravery.
This docto rhae brother, who ar
rived Unexpectedly in the city few
weeks ago, and, not knowing the doc
tor and his wife were away went to the
residence and LEI himself in with the
pass key he carried. The house was
nor lipbtp6 M hai1n a bOn1n and
almost the first thing the brother ran
across was the skeleton, the feshless
paws opened in q sneer and the bony
arms outstretched as If to clasp him.
The young man was unaware of the
doctors burglar checker habit, and,
being badly frightened, drew revolver
and began firing at the skeleton,
Another resident of the city pins his
faith to huge quantities of tinware
placed upon the window lodges and over
the doors, from which places they will
be thrown should any Of the windows or
doors be opened by person not know
ing the combination. On two occasions
burglars have made raid upon the
house and carried away nearly every
thing except the tinware, which was not
tive in but one CAGE, and this was when
the owner of the house returned from
the lake one evening and failed to re-
member the trap he had set.
AS he pushed open the door Of the
home there was a crash and clatter
that nearly scared him to DEATH and
brought all the neighbors within a
block to the scene on a run. A police
man, who happened to be new in that
locality also came, and the unfortunate
householder had a most difficult task
convincing him that he had perfect
right to throw tnware and kettles
around the house If he wanted to, as he
had paid for it, and likewise owned the
house and all it contained.
One of the most amusing burglar
stories ever told was at the expense of
society woman whose name is often
mentioned in connection with the do
ings Of high life. Her plan for keeping
burglars from the house worked in a
way she did not expect and caused all
kinds of trouble.
Dear John" read the note which she
left attached to the front door when
she departed for the lake, leaving the
husband to run the house alone, when
you come home from the Office do not
open this door, as there is big rattle
snake loose in the house, and it will be
sure to bite you"
The woman reasoned that her hus-
band would be sure to turn the card
over, so she transcribed on the back of
it this reassuring little note:
There is no snake, Frank; it is SIM
ply burglar scare, you see, Pin the |
card up again, so the house will be safe
when you leave 1t. The silver is hid
den in the little china closet in the |
buffers pantry"
If Frank had turned the card over all |
would have been we'll, but this he did |
not do, but the burglar who visiated |
the house before him did, and the result |
was that the house was robbed of>sev-
eral hundred dollers' worth of goods of |
all kinds Minneapolis Tribune