The evening times., 1899-08-08
A NOCTURNAL BURGLAR HUNT
Exciting Chase After Trio of
Thieves In Harlem.

Exciting Chase After Trio OF
Thieves In Harlem.
New York. Aug S.-Burglar-ridden Har-
lem sprang out of bed yesterday morning.
and for nearly two hours tore through the
streets in search of three resourceful rob-
bers. Never had upper Seventh Avenue
Known such excitement. The burglars es>
capped.
Miss Rachel Johnston was awakened at
fifteen minutes after 3 o'clock to the con-
sciousress that somebody was in her ROOM
Miss Johnston is twenty-four years old. She
lives with her father, Henry Johnston, re-
tired insurance broker, On the fifth floor OF
the apartment house, No. 176 West 136th
Street.
Presently the portiere at her bedroom
door were cautiously drawn aside, disclos-
ing two robbers peering from behind it,
Miss Johnston Ieaped from her bed and ran
to her dressing table for her pistol Ill
that district OF the city women as well as
men have revolvers, so frequent taye been
the visits of robbers. The pistol, however.
was gone, and then, for the first time the
young woman screamed and darted into her
fathers room.
Mr.. Johnston ran into the hall in time to
see three men in headlong flight. One
| bounded TO the fire escape at the rear of the
building. climbed down to the second story.
then, in his haste, dropped the rest of the
distance TO the ground. The others leaped
down the halls. not keeping TO the staIr5,
but vaulting the banisters from floor To
floor. One gained the street, sped to a va
cant lot and disappeared.
Mrs. Garsan, who lives across the hal.
from the Johnstons, was awake with her
baby who was ILL., fastening 10 the front
window she leaned out, shouting -Police,'
Mrs. c. Schussler. or the second floor,
awakened by the noisy flight OF the burglars
down the stairs, flung open her window and
also gave the alarm. In a moment heads
appeared at every window on all sides, anu
voices took up the cry.
Firemen from Engine Company No. 80,
nearby, hastened into the street From the
house which was the centre of al the tur-
moil rushed a man. apparently in hot pur-
stopped TO put on his shoes, for his white
socks showed uncovered
Where did they go?" he demanded
breathlessly of the assembled firemen, and
then flung himself into the vacant lot.
He vas the second of the robbers who
had gone down the halls. When his ac-
| complice ran into the street he waited be-
hind, pulled from his pockets a pair of
white socks, drew them over his shoes.
and resorted to the artifce OF pretending
to be one of the tenants in chase OF the
robbers. His trick succeeded.
From every adjacent house poured arm
ed men, determined 10 run down the ma
rauders, while from overlooking easements
hung white Tobed women.
They hunted the streets, the back yards.
and the vacant lots. Two belated po ice
men came up and took part in the search.
| but not a trace OF rObber was fcGnd- The
| searchers began turning 10 their homes at
! 4 o'clock. OF these was Benjamin Silver
! berg. of 161 West 136th Street. Like the
| others. he was too excited TO go 10 tei
again.. so after entering his house he sat
/ at rear window
| He had been there half an hour. and VS.
! looking into the back yard of a house fac
! ing l3Ith Street. when he saw man ap-
pear as # from the ground and creep to-
ward the fence. Here was the burg ar who
| had made his way down the fire escape. He
! had leaped over the rear fence, broken q
basement window of the 18th Street
| house, and ali the time had been hiding
| in the cellar.
| Mr.. Silverberg uttered shout and ran
| into the street. His cry reassembied the
searchers. Many did not want to dress
this time, but ran from their doors il
scanty attire.
East in 18th Street sped the fugitive
Watchers from windows gave the direc
lion, and after him raced the puTsueTs
clad and unclad with hue and cry tina
lined the way with startled faces. Clear I;
the East River led the chase, but at tht
water front the quarry was lost
Returning home once more, the disgust
ed posse made rag man and propped tn
figure against back fence. There's
burglar they said tauntingly to the po
licemen. Can you catch him."
1 Mr.. Johnston had a good view OF one o
the fleeing burglars and from the descrip
ton tenants say he is one OF band Wit
broke into the house and robbed it.