The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-04-16

weeks ago will be readily recalled by cfti-
zens of st. Paul, and during the investi-
cations of former Chief of Detectives
OConnor it was learned that the House
of the Good Shepherd of Minneapolis, had
been burglarized about the same time and
in a like manner. The most notorious
robbery in this city was that of the Con-
vent of the Visitation, Robert street and
East University avenue, which was broken
into on three occasions, and the third
time, early in the morning Of Wednesday,
March Il, the burglars carried off seventy
five pieces of silverware, valued at $500,
beside despoiling the convent chapel. The
booty was carried away in a valuable
satchel belonging to one of the pupils Of
the convent.
THE first attempt to rob the convent
was made Tuesday night, March 13, when
a quantity Of canned goods was stolen
from the pantry, and Thursday night,
March Is, the burglar stole a purse
containing SIS, match safe and several
books. Each of these robberies was re-
ported to the police, yet the burglar Wis
tied the institution a third time, when he
made his richest haul. In each instance
the burglars methods were similar An
entrance was secured by boring augur
holes about the locks and saving the pro-
lection away. In each case the burglar
committed obnoxious depredations and
the last time invaded the convent chapel
where he purloined the chapel silver serv-
ice and was guilty Of fiendish malice
By reason Of the frequency of the bur-
glars visits and the destructive methods
employed, both those in charge of the
Convent Of the Visitation and the pups
living there were thrown into a state of
terror, and finally, after the police had
failed to give any assurance of future
safety, former Chief of Detectives John
OConnor was called into the case After
examining the chapel and other parts of
the convent visited by the burglar. Mr..
OConnor came to the conclusion that the
robber was professional thief, but I'M
questionably had some additional motive,
perhaps revenge, or insane malice, In
robbing and desecrating Catholic insti-
tutions. This was Thursday, March %,
and Mr.. O'Connor began his investiga ton
by ascertaining If any other Catholic in
stitutions had been robbed. He learned
that two attempts had been made to bur-
glarize the apartments of the teacher
of st. Agnes school, Thomas and Kent
streets. Here, too, the burglar had bored
the familiar augur holes about the door
locks. The night of March II, the bur-
glar got into the room of one of the
sisters, and. taking the sisters wearing
apparel, including the long black robe
worn by the order, cut it into shreds and
left it on the floor. Then it was learned
that an attempt had been made to bur-
glarize the home of the Little Sisters Of
the Poor large institution on Wilkin
street, the night of March 49, Here were
also found the tell-taIe augur holes In the
door.
ON THE TRAIL.
More convinced than ever that the bur-
glar was some one with personal malice
to work out against Catholic institutions.
former Chief of Detectives O'Connor
struck clue that promised results. He
learned that a man closely answering
Meyers description and carrying a satcheI
corresponding to the one stolen from the
Convent of the Visitation had taken the
hrst street car to Fort Smelling Tues
day morning. 1t was figured that this was
the robber, and that he carried his booty
IN the satchel, and subsequent develop
ments proved this theory correct. The
suspect was trafled to Minnehaha Falls.
where he applied for breakfast at the home
of farmer named John Houseman. He
was provided with food and in return
gave two silver spoons to Mr.. Houseman's
daughter. These spoons former Chief of
Detectives O'Connor secured, and they
We're identified as part Of the silverware
stolen from the convent From this point
the investigation proceeded in Minneapolis
for time, as it was clear that the robber
had taken refuge in the Mill City. While
continuing the investigation in Mime