The Saint Paul globe., 1899-04-28

A thief broke into the military store
room in the capitol Wednesday night and
carried OFF a quantity of national guard
property, including caps, bIouses and leg
gfngs, which had been stored In the room
subject to requisition of the national
guard authorities. The robbery was dis
covered yesterday morning when Capt.
Bobleter, military storekeeper, sent Ed
ward Mulaney. the engineer. down to the
Storeroom to have number of guns
counted out for shipment
The door to the room was found stand
ing wide open and an examination of the
lock disclosed that tho staple had been
pulled out of the pine partition and the
contents of the room mixed up general
ly. The part Of the capitol basement used
for store room by the adjutant gen
erafs department is located directly
under the hall in front Of the dairy COM
missioner's office.
One of the windows of the machine
work room was found open yesterday
morning, but Engineer Mulaney attached
no particular significance to the fact at
the time as the windows are frequently
left open during the warm weather. The
robbery was unquestionably committed
by some one thoroughly acquainted with
the capitol building, as the lock to the
door leading to the main hall Of the base
ment from the machine workshop can
only be manipulated without a key from
the inside Of the machine shop The win
dows of the machine shop, as are all the
other basement windows to the state
house, are on level with the yard, and
II Is comparatively easy matter for any
one to elect an entrance In this way.
The staple was drawn by the use of a
chisel which was inserted in the crack
between the door and the partition sew,
eral times, leaving marks. Evidently the
thieves tried to pry the door open with
the ehisel as the edge Of the pine door
was splintered and twisted out Of shape.
An ordinary paddock held the door fast
and the staple being once drawn the
| miscreants had no further difficulty
The utmost secrecy was maintained at
the state house yesterday about the rob.
berry and Capt. Bobleter refused to make
any statement as to the amount of ma
tional guard equipment stolen.
Capt. Eobleter had had a crew of men
at work sorting UP the national guard
property which was found in disorder
WiieA iic lOOh oltCo. Ino WORK was COM
pleted but a short time ago and an in
ventory taken of the national guard
equipment on hand. He spent. part Of the
afternoon checking up tho contents of
the room with his inventory statement
and will not be able to determine definite
ly the amount of loss until this inyestiga-
tlon Is completed.
There Is seldom any one about the state
mousse in the evening except the night
n =
casien to visit the basement The easy
I access afforded by the basement vim
dows and the meager protection of a
paddock on the pine door made the opera
tions of the burglars comparatively easy.
1t Is believed at the state house that
the thieves took their time to the lob:
and could have carried off a wagon load
OF stuff without being disturbed. The
engine work room is located lust to the
| right of the Cedar street steps, on per-
haps the most unfrequented side of the
capitol. Shortly after Z o'clock evory
night the doors to the state house, with
the exception of the Wabasha street door,
are closed for the night Any one enter
Ing the building after. that hour must do
SO through that entrance. No official re-
port has been made to the adjutant gen
eral yet and Will not be made until after
the inventory Is completed
Capt. Chase, the custodian of tie state
mousse, said he knew nothing Of the rob-
berry until after itqhad been reported by
the military storekeeper It occurred
during the night and as he left the buIld-
Ing every night at 8, he was entirely In
the dark, as it had been committed with
out the Knowledge of the nfghtwatchman.
The night engineer stated that he had
heard no noises during the night. but had
found the engine worl1reom window open
yesterday morning at daylight