New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-01-10
BURGLAR SCARES BLOCK.
Wealthy Families Pimdered-Ien
Robbe,ies, No Cleo.

The block bounded by Fifty-sixth and Fifty
seventh SITS. and Fifth and Sixth aves. is ter
rorized by burglars In this block live Mr. and
Mrs Harry Payne Whitney. Mrs. Elizabeth
Roosevelt Mr.. and Mrs. Oliver Hartman, Pro-
fessor c. T. Matthews, Mr.. and Mrs c. w
Chaplin, Mr.. and Mrs. w. p Douglas, Mr.. and
Mrs. Augustus D. ,uilIiard, Mr. and Mrs. Ed
ward c. Parish, Mrs. Robert B. Maclay Mrs
William Feilowes. Mr.. and Mrs j. r. WILSON,
Mr.. and Mrs. L. F Within. Mr.. and Mrs NJ C.
d. Borden, Mr.. and Mrs S. Reckendorfer, ana
other wealthy families many of whom have
been pundered within the last two months IN
such mysterious manner that the police have
been unable to discover the robbers. Ten rob-
berries at least. in which property worth from
$1,000 to $1,000 has been taken. have occurred
since the latter part of November
The vigilance of the Holmes watchnen
patrolling the district has been taxed 10 the
utmost. but so heavy have the losses been that
the burglar insurance companies that carry pol
icies movable property have obtained the
services of Pinkerton detectives, and for the last
month the block has been under the closest
guard.
Yet at frequent intervals the residents on the
south side of Fifty-seventh- st. and n,the north
side of Fifty-sixth-st and on the west side OF
Fifth-ave between Fifty-sixth and FIFTY
seventh SITS, have been plundered and vaiuaoies
removed without a clew left to show now tie
burglaries were accomplished. The ponce re-
fuse to give the addresses OF the piuhueieu
houses but it was admitted at the East Fifty
first-st station last night that ten roboerles
had been committed
The first robbery of which the ponce were
willing to give any information last night was
at the home CT Mr.. Mathews. who is a professor
of architecture at Harvard and designer OF 'he
Eugene Kelly Chapel, which is to be built along
side the rear of the cathedral, at Madlson-aVe.
and Fifteth-st This burglary occurred accoiu-
ing to the police like all of the rest, Wnlie the
occupants of the houses were at dinner
The burglar took jewelry and trinkets worth
about $500 from the room or froleseoi
Mathews which is the second noor OIL Ihe
house. He was scared away. and by the merest
chance missed 50, 600 in money and negotiaole
paper worth $4,000 which was in box with
q cushion ton From this cushion the burglar
took a score of stickpins worth a few hundred
dollars.
The intruder according to the police. entered
the premises by way of the roof. But no" ne
reached the roof is as much of q mystery aS
how he entered the other houses
The Mathews home is in the middle OF a TO"
of five story houses. On the S1xth-aVe. emu u
the row the nearest building is Acker' Merran
e. Condit's grocery store. a building at least
of the row However the burglar had got on
the roof he had made an effort to enter the
house by the scuttle. the marks of jimmy
being found on the edge Of the scuttle whlch
was locked and. finding it impossible, attacneo
a rope to the chimney and swung ,hlmsel1 oo"h
to the level of the window of a room occupied
by a servant on the top floor. which was I'M
locked.
After plundering the servants room of jew
Of -crnf int o.
fessor Mathews's room.
He Is supposed to have made his retreat by
the scuttIe which was found unlocked. He LETT
a rope hanging over the rear of the building
The next burglary occurred att o'clock in the
morning, when the. mysterious inolVlduai
entered the home of Samuel Reckendorfer.
There without leaving clew and without de-
lection he took siverware to the value, on
rough estimate, Of $4,000 from the buffers
pantry in the rear Of the basement WINE up
stairs the family at dinner
Many pieces were antique silver that were
practically priceless Most OF the ware was
marked with the initials IF. L. R., and con-
sisted of wedding gifts to Mrs. Reckendorfer'
The police think that servant must nave le1t
the house. and left the basement door open TOT
his or her return. In the servants absence, lle
police believe, the burglar entered ana tlrneo HIS
departure so that he escaped before the servant
returned.
A singular coincidence in both robberies is
that Mr.. Reckendorfer lives at No. 40 West
Fffty-sixth-st while Professor Mathews hVes
at No. 80 West Fifty-seventh-st.. and the PACK
yards of the plundered houses are almost al
Joining The Reckendorfer robbery occurred VI
last Sunday evening, five DAYS aIter t1e
Mathews burglary. and In the mean Tune a.
though the police are extremely reticent. the
home of c. F. Schmitt, who lives at NO AZ
West Fifty-seventh- St. is said to nave oeeh
entered. 80
Previous to the plundertng Of the home OF
Professor Mathews, thief it Is alleged ca!ea
at the home of DR.. S., Newton Leo. at No. lu5
West Fffty-seventh-st. After being informed
he would wait maid ushered him into the
reception room, and left him alone When the
physician returned he found that his gold
mounted thermometer aud $500 clock that
had stood on the mantel Of the reception room
were missing. The doctor reported the case to
the West Forty seventh-st. station. but is much
disguised with the work of the police.
WILL OF TRAINS VICTIM.