Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-02
UNIQUE BURGLAR ALARMS.
Some Homemade SHARES and Scare~
for Thieves.
L., Trih

for Thieves.
From the Minneapolis Tribune.
While Minneapolis is remarkably free
from burglars, there are thousands of
householderS in the city who live in NOR
tai terror of those seldom seen but often
heard of persons and many are the de-
vices resorted to by the timid to frighten
away the marauders This is particularly
true when applied to those citizens who
make d practice of locking up their homes
for month every summer and going
to the lakes to the watering places of
the east
Probably the most unique burglar check
er in the city is owned by physician
siding on the East Side. He has fine
home, well filled with costly bric-a-brac OF
all kinds, and as he is away with his wife
a large portion of the time every sum
mer leaving his home alone, he has pro-
cured nicely polished skeleton, which re-
clineS in an easy chair in the paror. The
bones have been treated to a coat of phos-
phorescent paint, and any burglar VINO has
courage enough to approach the grinning
skull dark night deserves to be well
rewarded for his bravery.
This doctor has Il brother who arrived
Unexpectedly in the city few weeks ago,
and not knowing the doctor and his wife
were away. went to the residence and let
himself in with the pass key he carried.
The house was not lighted. no one being
brother ran across was the skeleton. the
f1eshless jaws opened in a sheer and the
bony arms Outstretched If to clasp him.
The young man was unaware Of the doc
tors burglar checker habit. and. being
badly frightened drew revolver and be-
gan 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 a person not knowing
the combination On two occasions bur
glars have made raid upon the house
and carried away nearly everything except
the tinware, which not disturbed in
the least. 1t proved effective in but one
case, and this was when the owner of the
house returned from the lake one evening
and failed to remember the trap he had
set
As he pushed open the door of his home
there was crash and clatter that nearly
scared him to death, and brought all the
neighbors within block to the scene on a
run. policeman. who happened to be
new in that locality, also came, and tue
unfortunate householder had most diff
cult task convincing him that he had a
perfect right to throw tinware and kettles
around the house if he wanted to. as he
had paid for it, and likewise owned the
house and all 1t contained.
one OF the most amusing burglar stories
ever told was at the expense of a society
woman whose name is often mentioned In
connection with the doinss in high life
Her plan for keeping burglars away from
the house worked in way she did not ex-
pect 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 a big rattleSnake loose in the
house, and it will be to bite you"
The woman reasoned that her husband
would be sure to turn the card over so she
transcribed on the back of il this reass,r-
ing little note:
There Is no snake. Frank; it Is simply
a burglar scare. You see. Pin the card UP
again. so the house will be safe when you
leave 1t. The silver Is hidden In the little
china closet in the buffers pantry"
If Frank had turned the card over all
would have been well. but this he did not
do. but the burglar who visited the house
before him did. and the result was that
the house was robbed of several hundred
dollars worth of goods Of all kinds.
A little woman. who lives near a lake
has novel protector in the shape Of a
hedgehog. While in Europe year ago
she stepped upon one of the little animals,
which was kept as a mouse destroyer in
bered her experience. and when she re-
turned to Minneapolis brought with her a
hedgehog.
You see," said she. when asked about
the matter the little animal always
makes for outdoors. seeking fresh air and
freedom. Now. burglars. l am told wear
soft slippers while at work. When a bur
glar tries to get into my house he will
naturally step upon the hedgehog. which
will be croudhing near the front door
| a. possible and If l remember correctly. a
hedgehog Is not pleasant thing to step
ucon."
There are hundreds of women whose hus
bands not at home in the evenings
who hebitually keep a revolver within
easy reach, in case a burglar should at
| tempt to break in. Many of these women
| are expert markswomen and a real bur-
glar would receive from them a very warm
welcome.
Residing in this city is a man who was
| at one time fairly well known to the police
| of an eastern city as a burglar of some
note. He was not a Cheap worker to
] use slang expression. He was at the