The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-09-26
HOMEMADE BURGLAR SCARES.

Some of Them Seem to Be Successful Devices and Some Do Not 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 tinid to frighten away the marauders. This is particularly true when applied to those citizens who make practice Of locking up their homes for month or so every summer and going to the lakes or to the watering places of the past.
 Probably the most unique burglar checker in the city is owned by phy- sician residing on the east side. He has fine home, we'll filled with costly bric- a-brac of all kinds and as he is away with his wife d large portion of the time every summer, leaving his home alone he has procured a nicely polished skeleton, which reclines in an easychair in the parlor. The bones tave been treated to a coat of phosphorescent paint and any burglar who has courage enough to approach the grinning skull on a dark night deserves N be well rewarded for his bravery.
 This doctor has a brother, who arriv- ed unexpectedly in the city few weeks ago, and, not knowing the doctor and his wife were away, went to the resi- dence and let himself in with a psss- key he carried. The house was not lighted no one being at home, and all most the first thing the brother ran b1 h1 jaws eoened in a sheer and the bony arms outstretched as if to clasp him. The young man was unaware. of the doctors burglar checker habit, and, bad ly frightened, drew revolver and began firing at the. skeleton.
 Another resident of the city pins his faith to his huge quantities of tinwara placed upon the window lodges and over the doors, from which places they will be thrown should any windows or doors be opened by any person not know ing the combination. On two occasions burglars have made a raid upon the house and carried away nearly every thing except the tinware, which was not disturbed in the least. It 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 a crash and a chatter that nearly scared him to death and brought all the enighbors within block to the scene on a run. A policemau, who happened to be new In that locality, also came, and the unfortunate householder had a most difficult 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 it contained.
 stories ever told was at the expense of a society woman whose name is often in connection with the doings in high life. Her plan for keeping bur- glars from the house worked in 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 hus- band to run the house alone, when you come home from the office do not open this door, as there is big fattlesnake loose in the house, and 1t 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 1t this reassuring little note: