The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-31
THIEF In JOHN SLOANE'S HOUSE
GETS IN A tor FLOOR WINDOW
IN BROAD DAYLIGHT.
Did 10 by Climbing Up the wOrkmen's
Ladders ON the Next Door House
Woman saw Him and Called Cop,
VINO Caught Him RansackIng Bureau


The house of John Sloane at ss3 Fifth
avenue was entered by burglar in broad
daylight yesterday afternoon. The burglar
gained easy access by climbing up a series
Of ladders and scaifolds that run UP the
side of George W. Collard's residence, next
door, on the corner of Seventeen street.
The burglar was seen by a woman from
the steps of the Lenox Library on the block
above, and was arrested before he got
further tn an the top floor.
The Sloane house, which is four stories
high and semi-detached, is occupied at night
this summer by William Sloane, a son, the
rest of the family and the servants being
at Lenox. The Collard house is deserted,
too, the family being in Newport. In their
absence the house Is being thoroughly
renovated, and for this purpose the scat
folding and ladders had been put up on the
Seventeen street side.
The thief was apparently unable to re-
sist the temptation Of these ladders, al
though ii was only o'clock in the after
noon. He couldn't see the woman on the
library steps nor was any one else in sight
so he started for the roof of the Colard house,
which liz only three stories high. Deciding
that house which had been left open for
workmen wouldn't be worth looking through,
he crossed to the roof of the sout beast
corner, where new ornamental chimney
is being added to the Collard house.
Jntting out from the chimney was an
other scaffold. and n foot away from the
edge was an open window in the front Of
the Sloane house which William Sloane had
neglected to close on Saturday night. The
burglar stepped in and started his search.
Meantime the woman on the library steps
was running excitedly down to Policeman
Devine at the Sixty-seventh street corner
Of Fifth avenue.
There's man climbing up the ladders
and, being Sunday, | didn't think it was
right" she painted
Devine stopped just long enough to find
what ladders she meant. and then started
for the Seventeen street corner. On the
way he ran across Detective Devlin, who
also halls from the East Sixty seventh
street station
The two climbed up the ladders to the
Collard roof, and crossed to the open win
dow. There Devine stood on guard out
Slue WnlR DtVlll, WIN MS pistol IN MS
hand, stepped in. He didn't find any one
in the first room he entered, but in the
second stood the burglar, his back turned,
searching a bureau drawer.
Devln tipoed up behind him and stuck
the muzzle of his gun behind the mans
ear. Then he marched him to the win
dow where Devine aided In hauling him
over to the Colard roof. Then detective,
prisoner and cop formed a slow procession
down the ladders TO the street.
At the East Sixty-seventh street station
the burglar said he was Gustave Alliker,
81 years old. and admitted that he had spent
a good part of his life in Western prisons.
He said that h" had ended five-year term
in The Ohio State Penitentiary for burglary
only a week ago.
Il thought thu East would be easy" he
explained when asked why he came here.
In his pockets were a jimmy and dozen
skeleton keys, also a silver sponge holder.
a silver stamp box ana two silver skirt
clasps. which were all he'd had time to
gather up i'll the Sloane house.