Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-06-11
[From Fridays Daily.l

continuously, the vault and SAFE III ).
H. Merrill G Company's wholesale
.;.ocors nouse were cracked some time
during last night. The noise of the
explosion was so far as can be learned
not heard by anyone. Sergeant Jesse
Grammar, of the police force, was on
duty in, the hall continuously after
1890 o'clock this morning and he did
not hear any sound whatever. The
robbers secured 1924, in small change,
which had been left in the money draw
er in the etf1ce. Nothing was secured
from the safe. The combination on
both vault and safe are ruined, and one
side of the safe door is destroyed. Be
yond this, the damage is not large. The
work was evidently done with nitro
glycerine. The robbery was not dis
covered until about z o'clock this
norning when shipping clerk A. t.
Edmunds opened the store. He at
once gave the alarm at the police sta
ton and sharp lookout was at once
begun for suspicious characters,
but up to late hour this
afternoon, no clue had been discover
of the robbers. Chief Gray thinks it
is the work of professionals. The tools
with which the work of drilling into
both doors was done, were found on
the scene of the robbery, and it is the
general impression that the thieves
were frightened away before they fin
ished their job. The tolls evidently
had come from some blacksmith shop,
as they give appearance OF having be-
longed to such a kit The officers are
securing the city with a view OF
learning if possible if any blacksmith
shop was entered last night.
Robbery Discovered.
When Mr. Edmunds opened the
store this morning, nothing unusual
was observed and he began his morn
ing work with nc thoughts of the stir
ring events that had taken place dur
ing the night. Finally, he looked to-
ward the vault door and discovered the
hole which had been drilled through
AT this he made a closer examination,
and found the door was not locked.
but simply pushed shut. He took hold
of the handle and pulled it open, when
he saw the combination had been
blown out. CHANGING at the safe which
was sitting back inside the vault, Mr..
Edmunds saw this had also been blown
open. One side of the door was lying
on the floor, and the inner side OF the
vault was covered to depth of sever
al inches with plaster of paris, which
had come from the inside and outside
coverings of the door, Mr.. Edmunds
closed the vault door and stepped
across the street to the police station
where he gave the alarm. He then re-
turned to the store, where the proprle-
tors were called up, and aprised OF the
robbery. The Merrills and Major Ma
hon at once came down to the store
and an investigation was begun.
Money Drawer Opened.
The first thing that caught the eye,
was the money drawer, which is locat-
ed in a high table few feet in front
of the safe. This had been damned"
open with a chisel and the contents
taken. But $2.94 in small change was
left in the drawer last night, and a
dime OF this was later found, while
the DEBRIS was being cleared away.
THE vault door was first examined and
IL was found hole had been drilled,
Just behind the combination, where the
charge was inserted. Several other
places around the combination gave
the appearance of having been drilled,
but not entirely through. The charge
inserted in the vault did its work well,
and it is wonderful that no other dam
age was done to this door, The only
loss was to the combination, which
was blown completely out and
picked up several feet farther back in
the vault.
Safe Badly Damaged.
When the safe was reached the dam
age was more extensive. The charge
had been planted in this, in nearly
same manner as in the vault. 1T was
not nearly SO successful, however.
While all the outside part OF one door
was blown off the inner casting, which
protects the inside part of the door,
was not taken off. In this condition
the robbers were unable to get at the
contents of the safe. The remainder
Of the door looked as though they had
then tried to pry it off, but in this they
were again unsuccessful.
Were Frightened Away.
The place gave the appearance of
the robbers having been frightened
away about this time, and they left all
their tools on the floor. These consist.
ed of a brace and bit, monkey wrench,
two chisels, one drill, one saw and one
sledge hammer.
No marks could be discovered upon
any of the tools to tell from whence
they had come. 1t is believed, how
ever, that they were stolen from
nearby blacksmith shop.
Where They Entered.
After the vault had been cleaned up
and it was found that all the books
and papers belonging to the firm were
safe, search was made to discover
where the thieves entered the build
ing. Within few moments the
place was located. The door in
the rear of the store was
found open, ard one of the windows
was found to have been tempered
with. 1t is thought the thieves first
attempted to enter by way of the win
aoys ass sfssg LEY had 2sied it opaH