Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-04
RUN OF BURCLARIES
Professional House Breakers and Other
Thieves show Unusual Activity.
NEW POLICE BOARD MAY Be RESPONSIBLE
Report mat Omaha Police Department
IL Undergoing General Change In
duces Professional Crooks
to Come This Way.

A greater amount Of house breaking has
been done during the last week, evidently
by professional burglars, than has been done
In the same length Of time during the last
four years, and the police have been unable
to secure the slightest clue as to the iden-
tity OF the criminals. Chief of Police Dom
hue believes the work Is being done by
professionals and Is the result Of the change
Of the police board.
The impression is out over the country"
said the chief, that when the Board Of Fire
and Police Commissioner changed 1t meant
that the entire police department would be
changed. 1 am OF the opinion that profess
sional thieves and house breakers. believ-
ing that they would have to deal with new
~ofieers. have foeked to Omaha. thinking
their work would be easy. For some
months there has been a great amount Of
burglaries pulled OF in nearly every city In
the country and / am not much surprised
that the work has begun here"
The burglar reports have been constantly
on the increase since the new board entered
upon its duties and Tuesday night was the
most prolific Of all.
Find Jewelry I'm Plenty
At the residence Of Mrs. Anna J. Hustis,
1921 Binney street, the burglars secured the
most booty. Here entrance was gained by
raising a window to the parlor. II house
was ~ransacked and $40 in cash and $500
worth Of jewelry stolen. 1t included a gold
watch, three diamond rings, a pair of dia-
mond earrings, a pearl sunburst and a silver
knife.
Joseph Adams, 1903 Locust street. heard
a noise in his bedroom and saw q man
searching his clothing. He jumped from his
- .,a kha hfaruIaN ran AhQma than
secured a revolver and took two shots at the
man as he disappeared through a window in
the rear OF the house.
At the residence of w. H. Gould, two
doors west Of Adams house, entrance was
gained through a rear window and $3.50 and
a pair Of gold baby pins taken. Nothing
else was disturbed.
Evidently members Of the gang operating
in this neighborhood went to the residences
OF ]. b. Wilkinson, 1880 locust street. en-
tered, but secured no booty. An attempt
was made to enter the home Of Mrs. A. G
Powell, a block west OF the residence Of MT
wilkinson, but here the robbers were IN
successful. Yesterday Mrs. Powell dis
covered that the screen over a rear window
had been torn almost on. Several Other
residences In this vicinity were visited. bu
entrance was not gained to any Of them.
Held Up ON Street.
Harry Stsarn. a conductor In the employ
Of the street railway company, was the only
man reported 10 have been held np4 Mr.,
stearn was going to his home. sS5 South
Seventeenth street, at a late hour, and
when within a short distance Of his resi-
dence was met by q tall man who wore q
mask over his face The man commanded
stoarn to hold up his hands. at the same
time displaying q revolver. Instead Of
complying with the demand Stearn boltec
and ran for his door. The burglar did no
follow aim. stearn did not get q descrip'
ton OF the man. aerll
Several minor thefts were also reported
yesterday. Mrs. Oldham. 2O17 Leaven
worth street, left a feather mattress and
couple OF pillows on a line In her yard. an
in the morning they were gone. and Mr.
Oldham does not believe they few away
J. p. Rutherford. while at work at s2l
LeAVenworth street. left his vest. IN q