The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-06
SET A TRAP FOR THE THIEF.
But THE RASCAL WAS TOO
sHREwD TO BE CAUGHT.

Mrs Ives Strange and Costly Experi-
ence With a Thief Who Conducts
His Work Boldly, But silently, and
Avoids All Traps Set for Him-The
Fellow Is Evidently Familiar With
the Premises and Does Not Fear
Detection.
No further arrests have been made in
the Ives robbery case, and both Marion
Green and his wife, who were arrested the
night before, have been DISCHARGED.
From the story told by Mrs. Ives, the
case is likely to prove battling, as the
thief seems to he'no ordinary, but a very
clever one, and one who is probably well
able to cover his tracks. Mrs. Ives said
yesterday that she didn't know how long
the thief had been stealing from her as
from time to time she had missed money
that she thought had been placed in her
bureau. The amounts were not large. and
she concluded in each case that she had
spent the money, and hence did not make
any further search for it, particularly as
the lock on the drawer in which she kept
the money was always intact, and showed
no signs of having been tempered with.
About the first week in December.
though, she missed So that she was sure
she had put in the drawer, and the size
of the amount made her mention the mat
ter to friend, who suggested that posi-
bly, an examination of the bureau might
lead TO a chew showing how the money had
been taken. The suggestion was followed
and during the examination the marble
top of the bureau was taken off. Beneath
it was a wooden top, and then the mys-
terry was made plain. The thief had been
in the habit of removing the marble top.
and had cut through the wooden one
hole large enough TO admit his hand. Thus
he was able to get money whenever he
wished to, and Mrs Ives found out what
had become of the other and smaller
amounts that she supposed she had spent
Before replacing the marble top Mrs
Ives got a piece of heavy tin from a
plumber and covered not only the hole,
but the entire top of the bureau securely,
mailing down the tin so that 1t could not
be rer-oved without the use of tools. and
then only with considerable trouble The
marble top was replaced and feeling her
self thus secure from further depredations,
Mrs. ives continued to keep money in the
during this week when having again miss
ed some money she made an examination
or the bureau top, only 10 find that the
entire tin top had been taken off. and was
hidden under the bureau. She told one of
the young men in the house of the discov-
cry and at his suggestion decided to set a
trap fer the thief, so replacing the marble
top they placed in the drawer directly be
meath the opening through which the thief
would have 90 thrust his hand a strong
steel trap. So confident was Mrs. Ives that
the thief would follow his usual habit and
look for money in this, the top drawer
that she neglected to take from a lower
one a small Tin box containing between
$3.50 and $500 in cash. and a check for $780,
besides number of valuable papers.
The trap was set about $50 O'Clock
Thursday afternoon and Mrs. Ives went
about her household duties secure, as she
thought from any further danger to her
money, and confidently expecting that any
further attempt was made 20 get il would
lead to the capture of the thief. In about
two hours she returned to the room and
found that not only had the bureau beer
removed to the center of the room, but
that its back had been taken off the
drawer taken out and the tin box with all
that 1t contained was gone, The thief
had done his work quickly and silently
for though Mrs. Ives had been out of the
room but a comparatively short time and
there We're persons within hearing, had
anything out of the ordinary happened
the thief had ripped the entire back from
the bureau, using hammer in the work,
and had made his escape.
There is no question that the thief was
thoroughly familiar not only with the
house, but with Mrs Ives habit, and it
is thought that he may have been in
hiding and seen when the trap was set
and entered the room Immediately after
1t was left by Mrs. Ives.