Delaware gazette and state journal., 1902-11-13
NERyY BURGLARS.
They Walked Boldly in the Front Door In
Daylight and Ransacked Every Room i'm
the House.

l
They walked Boldly in the Front Door in
Daylight and Ransacked Every Room i'm
the House.
One of the boldest OF the many
burglaries that have been perpetrated
in this city recently occurred Fri
day afternoon at No. 1900 Van Buren,
street, between and 5 o'clock. The |
thief or thieves walked in the front door |
and coolly went to work, ransacking
every room in the house. They were
we'll raid for their trouble, securing
roll Of notes amounting to $40 or
more.
The house is occupied by George Y.
Forman, his wife and three children,
who recently moved here from Ohio.
Mr.. Fornan is employed by the du
Points. Friday afternoon about 4
O'Clock, Mrs. Formau went out for a
drive, and the children went out with
the nurse about the same time. An
hour later when they returned, the
house presented scene of the greatest
| disorder Every place where there was
! any likelihood of money being CON
| cealed had been searched, the mat
tresses and bedding had been thrown
to one side and bureau drawers and
| desks showed plainly that the burglars
had not neglected single place in
their hunt for money. The pockets of
/ Mr.. Eorman's clothes were pulled in
side out and everything about the
house was in the utmost confusion.
i -doney was evidently all they were
after, for nothing else about the house
has been missed.
Very fortunately for Mrs. Forman,
after she had started to leave the house
she returned and took about $50 with
her. Ii she had left it at home she
would undoubtedly he s35 worse off to-
day. The police we're notified of the
robbery at once, but there was no
clue to the burglars. Whoever it was
they evidently had been watching the
house and knew the movement of the
family. The police state that it may
have been the work of professional
woman thief, and there Is rumor that
a strange woman was seen in the neigh
borhood during the, afternoon.
An unsuccessful attempt was made
to roh the residence of Deputy Sheriff
Theodore f. Mcdaniel, 1920 Van Buren
street, Saturday morning. At about
O'Clock Mrs. Mcdaniel was awakened
by noise at the front of the house,
and, looking out, she saw two men on
the roof of the front porch, and al
about the same time the men saw hel
and jumped off the roof and fed. Mr..
McDaniel's house is in the same square
as that occupied by Mr.. FoEman, ano
it is supposed that the same gang o.
.. . robbers was implicated in both jobs.
burglars attempted to enter the bouss
|, No. 995 West Eighth street. occupied
by Mrs. Kathryne Denio, Friday nigh
tnk, Dfa l-,,N
full. young man who boards at thl
house, who had retired, heard then
trying to get in, and he arose and wen
to the window and fired two shots from
pistol. There were two men,. wht
were trying to force open a shutter
: The two mon lost no time in gettin,
. away from the house. So far as i
= known, neither was shot.
!, That an organized band Of pro
| fessional thieves is operating ant
I making its headquarters in Whining
ton there is ample proof. In addition
. to the numerous robberies there hay
z been various other suspicious circum
stances. During the past two week
] strangers have been going about tn
city in daytime and in the evening
calling people to the doors of house
? and asking foolish questions The,
: usually 60 to house, ring the bell AM
ask the person who answers the sum
: mons what the number of the house is
u or whore certain number on tina
= street is or wheher family living a
a house which is found to be closed, j
!, at home. Occasionally they go deepe
. into the subject and ask how man,
people live in certain house, wha
7 the business Of the head Of the house
y hold is and similar questions. A fey
; nights ago a stranger wens TO a hous,
: north of Washington bridge and asket
s for the wife of the occupant A do
mcstic who answered the ring of tn
Y bell inquired the strangers name
J which he refused to tell. She thel
y asked the object of his visit. The mai
: then became insolent anf the girl toll
. him he could not see her mistres
: unless he told her his name. Still b
! ! refused and she closed the door and b.
walked off the porch. The girl watched
him and as soon as he got safe dis
tance she started out to look for
, policeman and found two men whom
! she knew in the neighborhood. Sh
was still Watching the stranger, VIII,
1 appeared to be lingering in the neigh
borhood, and pointed him out to tn
men,. The latter approached him ant
asked him his business. He said h
had gone to the house to inquire TO
work. They told him ne had bette
/ leave the neighborhood, which he did
n for the time at least.
Strangers who ask foolish and i'm
y pertinent questions will bear watching
t Unsuccessful attempts we're made t
t rob two houses in Thirteenth stree
. between Market and King last Wednes
> day morning.