Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-05-21
THE SAFE CRACKERS
continued from page ~

cry store of II. +. burgess was The
"pJectiVe point. The three men ONT
''o "au peeH posted to guard every
"pproach while the fourth did tho
work inside
from the appearances the doors of
.he store had been forced while the Of
Iiccr was down by the freight house
me combination knob of the safe had
pe"h broken off in the same Old wav
ana the came kind of an explosive that
WIS used in the two recent breaks in
Waterville introduced through the hole
thus opened.
ne safe is Il large one of the STYLE
commonly used by jewelers. and the
Dis outside door was blown from the
hinges and shattered. The door struck
Il snow case directly in front of the
safe. badly damaging il.
flcCeS of the concrete in the door
lieW in all directions over the store but
did remarkably small amount of
damage. Tho show case in front OF the
safe was the only one to suffer and
the sears on the floor and about the
store showed where the other pieces
had struck
TN i"nar door OF the safe resisted
the efforts of the burglars. so they did
not get inside the safe at all The
courageous work of Officer Perry took
AL their attention after the explosion.
so they had no time to get at any of
the stock about the store They man
aged to open tie money drawer. secur-
ing about 81 in small change, and this
WAS their only booty.
The safe was ruined ana some of the
stock inside damaged by the force of
the explosion. Mr.. Hurgt IS thought
yesterday. that about $500 would put
HIM back whore he was before the call.
He carries = large stock Of gold and
silver goods, and it IS remarkable that
the visitors did not secure any Of this.
oH!cer Perry WAS rather too much
engaged to notice how tho mon looked
while he was exchanging shots with
them. but they were AL about the same
size and roughly dressed. There is lit
Tie doubt hut that it is the same gang
thal has been operating all over the
state, as their method is the same
There have been numerous stories
aitoJt from different persons who think
they have seen the men. Thus il is re-
ported that large heavy man stopped
IN ShaWmut Saturday afternoon. ana
purchased about 81 worth Of provisions
He VAS 4 rough stranger with all the
slang Of a tough and aroused consider
able suspicion at the time
Teen Officer Perry ran across two
men. one morning, last week that
seemed very anxious to keep out of
his way. They We're hanging about the
burgess store when he first saw them
He followed them about some time and
! finally lost them somewhere over the
| bridges in the darkness.
Not long ago man was making
some suspicious inquiries about the
Maine Central station in Watcrvillc.
He seemed particularly anxious to
learn all hc could about the routine of
tho Wdtcrvillc Hccf CO.'S office. About
midnight the same night the men en-
| rloy,d in the freight house saw a sus-
picious charac ter hanging about and
gave chase. More n7cn were seen dodg-
ing ana then there was 4 short. sharp
| Wl:st!c and al disappeared.
| TWO tough mugs were in tho store
of w. w. Gerry. Saturday night. after
STATE and New York papers. They were
| c*i !"ntly trying IL play tn" role Of
sharp city chaps in The country and
succeeded in making themselves thor
oJ.gh,y obnoxious. From these reports
I K would ,cm that the gang has been
| hanging al ound in this vicinity for soy
/ cral days.
O3I@ the most favoranle comment
vas hcard today. in !GEard to the
work Of officer Perry. lie did his duty
cCu"aGcuusIy ana zsalously ana it was
undoubtedly throu~!, this that the men
iVCrc prevented from getting any booty.
! No one could expect him to arrest sin
r!e handed four armed ana desperate
mon and lis stubborn fight with them
IL "a'l right"
It.pltv Sheriff Charles Durcn was
notified Of the break about an hour II
ter il haprcncd ard ut once started on
! tie trail. He succeeded in tracking the
men rs far as the car barns. 1t seems
that they went up Bridge street to the
railroad track and followed this. after
getting together. down toward Water
lille. 1t was muddy and their tracks
could bc followed. Along by the car
barns. however. they apparently kept
more cle saly TO tie sleepcrs, 50 the trail
WAS lost 1t ia thought by many that
they crossed the railroad bridge and
took back into the country.
From these WHO caught glmpscs Of
the m after the break Il fair description
has been made W. The four arc all of
about the Same height. four feet. five
or six inches. They are young fellows
from % to -. Three are dressed in
dark suits with soft SLOUGH hats. and
ono in n light suit with a cap. The
alarm has been spread about the sur
rounding country pretty thoroughly
ard it is hoped that this job viii be
the last by this gang.