The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-06-20
BURNED The RECORDS
MYSTERIOUS ROBBERY OF CITY
WATER OFFICE.
DUPLICATE KEYS USED.
hooks OF WATER INSPECTORS
WE'RE DESTROYED.

Police Say They Suspect the Guilty
Person, but That Unless More Ev-
idence is Obtained No Arrest VIII
BE Made-Upon the Surface No Mo-
tive Appears and the Robbery Is
PuzzIing-The Police Theory Is En-
tertained by Many, but No Charges
Have Been Made-Detective stark
Thinks CircumstantiaI Evidence,
He Sees Ii, Is Strong Enough to
warrant Conviction-He May
Make an Arrest This Morning.
inspectors Starr, Mcbride and Men
del VIII Go Before the Acting
Mayor Today.
Some time Tuesday night or early yes
terday morning some one entered the City
Exchange with a key, climbed up to the
Office of Superintendent Kinsey of the
Water Works Department, on the top
floor, secured the books used by the spe-
cial inspectors, and reduced them to
ashes in the stove. Some one with key
to the building, and the office upstairs
and, too, some one who new where the
books were kept, committed the robbery.
Superintendent Reilly says that the detec-
tives have a suspect under their eye, but
that the evidence against him is purely
circumstantial, although very strong. No
arrest will be made, said the suDerin-
tendent, unless positive evidence is OBJ
tanned.
James Mcbride, Jr., Felix Mendel and
Arthur Starr are employees as special water
inspectors and have been engaged in
house canvass for several months. The
books destroyed are supposed to have
contained records of an inspection of
every house in the city, with a memoran-
dunn of the plumbing fixtures in each
place. When the work was completed
Capt. Pritchard, in the treasurers office,
was to have gone over the lists and
checked them off. The census was to have
been completed about Saturday, and the
last districts were being worked. 1t was
these books, that contained work done
since March l, that went up in smoke dur
ing the silent hours.
The Stubs of an order book from last
November were also burned, but the in
formation that they contained is to be
found in another book in the office. The
real loss is that of the books in which
the inspectors kept a memorandum of
their daily work The loss of the figures
means that the work will have to be all
done over again. While many have
theory, along with the police, there is
no physical proof against any person, and
on the surface the affair is deep mys-
terry
The book used by Inspector Mcbride
was in Superintendent Kinsey's private
office and the robber had to climb over
a very high transom to get 1t. The pres
cree of the book was undoubtedly known
to the plunderer. The book used by Mr.
Mendel was in drawer in the big Of
fee and was quite handy. Mr.. Starr says
that his book was in a pigeon-hole in
the main office.
The discovery was made when the Of
flee was opened yesterday morning and
the city detectives were sent for at once
The matter was also reported 10 Acting
Mayor Dixon. After an investigation the
detectives went before the acting mayor
and there was some talk of the guilty
man having a crooked" finger, but later
in the day nothing was heard of this
theory. At that time the officers stated
that they had no evidence that would
warrant them in making an arrest.
Later in the day statements were made
that caused the officers to suspect, but
it was decided not to make an arrest un-
less stronger proof than circumstances
developed. There is very little chance of
this being the case, and Supt. Reilly said
last night that unless some, positive evil
dence can be obtained nothing can be
done. AS far the officers have been
able to learn, one was seen to enter
the exchange during the night.
Harbor Master James Mcbride stated
| last night that his son and Inspector
Mendel will go before the acting mayor
to-day, and ask for an investigation
| They feel. he says. that until all the
| circumstances surrounding the case are
| clearly brought out suspicion might
rest on them. The police have
stated positively that some one
| with a key entered the place
and Messrs. Mcbride and Mendel desire
| to show that they could not under any
circumstances, have gone into the place,
| and, too. that they could not have had
a motive in destroying the books. even
| had they so desired. Inspector Starr
could not be seen last night but it is
| probable that all three Of the young men
will go before the acting mayor to-day.
TO-MOrrOw Night.