The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-03
Sawed the Bar From the Win
dow and Entered From
s the Rear.
PISTOLS TAKEN FROM
HARRIS, FLIPPEN & co.
Thieves Well Supplied With
Guns and Could Establish
*5 Small-Sizc Arsenal if Same
Parties Got All-Policc
Are Working on the
Case-No Clue.

One Of the boldcst robbserics committed
{ In Richmond in some time was that
which resulted In the loss to tho Wat
kins- Cottrell Company on, Tuesday night
x OF fourteen fine double -bnrrellcd breech.
loading Remington shotguns. valued ut
;c5 each, and though every effort is being
made by the police TO run down the
thieves GO far no clue to their iden-
tity or whereabouts has been secured,
Mr.. Watkins. OF the firm, estimates
his loss at something over $500. and Is
much worried lest another successful
raid shall be made on the store.
So far as he Is able to discover nothing
save the guns and sl.c5 from the pocket
Of a coat OF one OF the employees was
disturbed. and everything in the store
was left. In perfect t3order. ss s4f
Entered From Rear.
Tho thieves entered from the rear OF
tho store, approaching from the alley
+ between Thirteenth and Fourteenth and
Main and Cary Streets, by saving out q
bar In a window. Thorc& was but lttlo
cash In the drawer. and this ewas,,not I
disturbed. and nothing indica ted thatt
store was opened yesterday m orning save
the fourteen vacant spaces In the. gun
rack, where the evening before the par
trels OF as many costly Remington brcech-
leaders had gllstened. q
Tho front doors were undisturbed, ana
tn, stock was intact, except for the
missing guns, and It was some time he-
fore it. was discovered In what manner
the thieves had entered.
-. S..., %ho police
department, walked the beat during the
night, and the watchman (h1r. Ovcrby
was also on duty. though neither OF
them knew OF the robbery until. It was
reported to the First Station by Mr. Wat
kns yesterday morning.
Just what Induced the robbers TO con-
flne their depredatons to fire arms IL
not known, thought they must have had
some reason for 1t, as so far as IS known
they carried Oft nothing else from the
large stock OF valuable goods which sur
rounded them. Mr.. Watkins suggested
that, the ready sale for guns had some
thing to do with this and he also says
that they could also be carried with ease
by Shipping a number Of them in n bag.
Entered Another Store.
Not long ago thieves entered the store
OF Harris. Flippin & Co., and carried Of ofs
n large number OF flno pistols ana no"
thta SO many larger guns have been taken
from another store near BY. the sugses-
tion, IS made that the robbers have beef
operating here for somo time and are
acquainted with tho localities and con-
dtions OF Main Street stores.
II all tho guns and pistols were gotten
hy the same parties and they are now
all together, they are enough to consh-
tute a small sized arsenal with which the
robbers could put UP strong detenso u
attacked. Fl Z /.
Gang Of Outlaws.
Tho fact that robberes have been, re-
Gently committed In Fredericksburg;
Blackstone. Suffolk and other cities .and
towns and that the operations have been
confined almost exclusively 70 %haraWare
stores would seem to Indicate that an
organized gang Of outlaws are at work u
ina state and that they are proceeding