Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-09-20
BURGLAR AROUSED NEIGHBoRHoOD.

Entered the Residence of DIR. Theodore
Becker and Escaped by Running Across
the Roofs of Other Houses.
People living at Fifth and Poplar
streets were aroused early Thursday
morning by burglar who made an
unsuccessful effort to rob the residence
OF DR.. Theodore Becker, which is on
the northwest corner. Some OF the
neighbors we're awakened by the thief
running across the roofs Of their dwell
ings in making his escape.
About IL O'Clock Wednesday night
DIR. Becker, who keeps drug store on
the corner, went ouS to visit patient
aud requested Mrs. Becker and her
mother to close the store for the night.
| The Doctors request was complied
with. Before leaving the store Mrs.
| Becker took the money from the cash
register and carried it to the dwelling
| portion of the house, and before retir-
ing abe left the side door unfastened,
as the doctor had not taken a key when
he went cut.
4 Some time before IL o'clock DIR.
Booker returned and was surprised to
find the door standing open wide
enough to admit of the entrance OF
person. He inquired Of Mrs. Booker
about the door and came to the con-
olusion that it had been blown open by
the wind.
He vent 10 his room, which is at the
front OF the third story and about ~
minutes after retiring heard the floor
in the next room creak. Listening
closely he thought be heard some one
quietly walking about. Thinking 1t
might be Mrs. Becker's mother he did
, not give the matter serious thought at
, first, but on belng convinced that he
was mistaken began an,investigation.
, He would have entered the room i'm
inediately, prepared to shoot any in,
t truder he might find, but was prevented
, from doing so by Mrs. Becker. Finally,
/, he called to Robert b. Clark, who lives
across the street, and throwing thu
{ keys of the store to him asked him t.
telephone for the police. Mr.. Clark
complied, but the burglar evidently
heard the noise and leaped out the real
: window to the roof of the two-storl
( back building Instead OF continuing
s on down to the yard, however, h'
. climbed to the roof of the nigh portion
8 of the house and ran up toward Lort
d street, and from the roof Of a hous
near that thornughfare made his wa.
t to the rear yard and escaped.
i. The unusual noise on the roof
b startled some OF the people in tn
" houses over which the burglar ran an,
}. several began an investigation on thei
" own account. Harry HENDERSON, VIII
D. lives at No. SIT Poplar street, one c
those who was aroused. ran to the frou
4 window and asked, In a loud voice
.. what was going on. The fleeing ma
70 replied in language more expressly
g than elegant, telling HENDERSON thu
j. it was none Of his business
or The police were soon on the seer
Or and they also ran over the roofs, bi
le the thief had start on them and e
ct away. They arrested negro in Lor
street, but he had no trouble in pro-
" ing his innocence aud was released.
Of 1t is believed that the burglar was
of professional. He evidently saw ID
IN Becker leave and also saw Mrs. Beck
III take the money from the cash regist
ly to the rear OF the building, and, fin,
be- ing the side door unlocked entered
e. going to the room in which be wi
be- heard moving about. He had evident
a prepared himself for hasty exit,
en- he had pulled the strips from the re-
window sash, SO as to free the windo,
which was securely fastened down. l
did not secure anything for his troubl
Several suspicious characters ma
nd been seen in the neighborhood recent
and there have been several attemI
,i- at robbery. Three weeks ago last Su
ist day, early in the morning. Samuel
ge Reeves of No. All East Fifth sire,
at saw stranger attempting to,enter t
asst gate of his front yard and brighten
HI him off. A few nights ago man Il
he ing on Lombard street near Fifth 81
a man with Key in his door atteml
Ic- ing to unlock 1t and asked him WI
at he was doing. The stranger feign
Ne, drunkenness and replied: . am tryi
ey. to unlock the door; isn't this
Re- house?" Upon being informed that
use was not he left without much cereme
,ers and disappeared around the corner.
Nc attempt was made to rob a house
, at Sixth street near Lombard few mig
me ago.