Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-01-23
CATCHING A BURGLAR
NEW YORK MAN HAS FIXED UP
ELABORATE SCHEME.
He Rightly Thinks Midnight Prowl.
er Would Have Little Chance to
Escape the Traps So cIeverIy Set
A Most Ingenious Scheme.

In Westchester county, where many
burglaries have been committed re-
Gently, people are asking one another
what they would do If they should
awaken suddenly some night and find
burglar in the room. The answers
do not vary much. One man, how
ever, has, or thinks he has, solved the
problem.
What a burglar fears" he said,
"is a noise, so have arranged q
scheme that think will work.
Right in my bedroom is big,
healthy, Pinch gong. 1t is worked
by electricity and the switch is fas-
tened on the inside of the sideboard
of my bedstead out of sight, but very
convenient to my hand as lie in the
bed.
when I turn that switch there is a
racket right there in the room that
Is enough to set man crazy, es-
pecially in the night time. Just mag
inc that big gong starting it's racket
while a poor burglar Is gathering up
a few trinkets to take away with him
as souvenirs. I'll bet it would scare
him so that he'd drop his booty, and
his intentions with it, and just light
out.
Calculating on this effect I have
arranged little surprise for bur-
glarious visitors. Fastened by its
lower end to one of the banisters at
the head of the stairs leading to the
parlor floor is stick of oak an inch
and half square. At the top Il is
held in place by a catch such as holds
the front door in fiat house.
when l turn on the switch this
catch is released and the stick drops
straight across the stairway about six
inches from the floor. l know bur-
giar will run if he hears that bell in
my room, and l want to do something
for him after he leaves. He will,
naturally, rush for the stairs-and he
won't be particular to examine the
way to find out If it is just as he left
it when he came up.
Imagine him, then, rushing in ter
ror from my room and meaning to es.
cape by way of the stairs. He's sure
to bring up with his shins against that
stick. When he does I'll bet he won't
go down the stairs on his feet. VI
but if he will place himself in a bad
position, must do the best l can for
the community, of which he is Ger.
tainly not a useful member.
''If the burglar lands on his feet,
which is not likely, or is spry and
well enough after he strikes the par.
lor floor to jump up and run before
can get to the top of the stairs, he
is all right and safe enough for all
of me- If, however, can get him at
a disadvantage l will try to have him
put where he will not commit another
burglary for some time, and this is
how l propose to accomplish that
trick.
"In one corner of my bedroom
keep a double-barreled shotgun. 1t
Is always loaded and ready for use.
my intention is when have scared
any burglar with the sound of the big
bell, to jump from my bed, grab the
shotgun and reach the head of the
stairs as soon as he reaches the bot
tom. At my door is another switch
which will turn on the electric light
in the hall at the foot Of the stairs.
| intend to turn this and let the poor
fellow see where he lands, if he cares
to look.
but the light will show me also
where he lands, while | myself will be
in semi-darkness. If l am at the top
of the stairs, where it is not SO dark
that he cannot see my gun, and he is
ir bright light, l think the odds
will be heavily on my side, especially
since he is certain to feel little dis
commoded because of his undignified
descent. The probability is that he
will be kind enough to heed me if
tell him to stay just where he is while
my wife calls the police on the tele-
phone"