Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1902-10-09
BOLD BURGLARY
IN TAZEWELL
pOStOfhCe Broken Into and Safe Blown
Open.
CONSIDERABLE BOOTY SECURED.
Robbery was Well Planned and Success
fully Executed iu the Night Time
Thieves Make Their Escape

On last Sunday night at about O'Clock
a very bold and successful burglary was
executed in Tazewell. The postoffice was
the scene of the crime and the U. ). Gov
ernment is a sufferer to the extent of near
ly one thousand dollars. An entrance
was gained to the room by prizing open
the front door. The thieves first tried to
prize open the window at the rear of the
room, but charged their minds and went
to the front. They had secured steel and
iron instruments from a blacksmith shop
at North Tazewell, consisting of hammer,
wrench, steel punches and a bar of iron
that had formerally been used at the
brick yard at North Taze"ell as handle
or lever TO a brick press. These instru-
ments after being used effectively were left
in the postoffice and were identified on
Monday by the owners.
After the thieves got into the distribut-
ng room of the Office they proceeded TO
Knock Off the handle of the combina'
ton. They then tore out the combination
and packed the vacant places with dyna-
mite, using wax to keep 1t packed and in
position. The fuse was attached, the rear
window was raised, and the robbers evi.
dently jumped out on the back side of the
building to avoid any danger from the ex'
plosion and to remain concealed until they
were satisfied that no alarm had been
raised. The explosion tore the door OF
the safe off and threw 1t back several feet
against the distributing table, shivering
and breaking up one side Of the table.
Mr.. r. s. Gillespie, the county jailer,
was awakened by the explosion, but
thought it was occssioned by bumb, as
the thieves exploded bomb shortly after
the safe WAS blown open. For several
nights previous bombs had been exploded
In town at late hours of the night; and 1t
&s supposed that some, if not all, of those
enbs had been exploded on previous
: .hts by tt e thieves to mislead aud cover
up their work on Sunday night.
Mr.. ]. Powell Royal, mayor of the
town, who has a room at the Central Ho-
tel, heard the explosion and got out of
bed; looked at his watch and found that
it was 2 O'Clock. He was mlsled by the
bomb thrown shortly after the explosion.
But he heard peculiar whistling, which he
is now satisfied was signals given by the
robbers.
Mr.. Ii. S. Surface, deputy postmaster,
was the first to find out about the robbery
He went to the postoffice about $50
O'Clock Monday N orning, found the doors
standing open, the near window raised
and the distributing room in a perfect
state of confusion. Part of the glass IN
the front window and also in the near
window had been broken by the explosion
The amount stolen from the safe was
S926.17, distributed as follows: Stamps
S7O6. so, stamp money $26.S5, money or
der money Sl49 92, and $4,000 in cash,
private funds of Mr.. Young, the pOstmas-
ter.
Mr.. w. G. Young, postmaster, imme'
diately reported by telegraph to the postal
department and later made full written
report.
The tools used by the burglars were &C.
cured from the blacksmith shop of Joseph
Jones at North Tazewell, the lock to the
door being broken to secure an entrance.
The robbers broke into the store OF the
Supply Company, but did not
crack the safe of the company. 1t is sup
posed that they became frightened by Mr
Z. ]. Miles, passing in front of the store
They also entered the store OF Mr. NJ L.
Peery, half mile west of North Iaze~ell'
but committed no robbery there.
Mr.. ]. II. Irving, postoffice inspector
for this district, came to Tazewell yester-
day morning and inspected the otflce'
making the proper report to the post ONCE
DeparLme MT.