Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-08-20
Owen Murphy and John Nc
Namara Homes, on South
Center Street, Entered
MuRPHys WERE cHLoFoRMEo
Small Sums Of Cash Taken From Each
Residences and Other valuabIes, Eas.
iIy Accessible, Unsouohed-cut Thru
Screen Door at murphy Home and
Turn Down Bright Light.

chloroformed is the record made by
burglar or burglars Friday night, some
time after IL O'clock. The houses en-
tered were those of Owen Murphy, an
Iowa Central engineer, 400 South Cen
ter street, and John Mcnamara, 3o5
South Center. 1t is probable that the
same person committed both burglar.
les, and il so, that only one was cons
oerned, as the footprints just outside
the window, by which the Mcnamara
home was entered, would indicate this
to be the case. Cash was the only
thing taken from either home, about
twenty dollars, including SIS and $40
bill and So in silver. from the Murphy
residence, and nearly $40, q hve DOL
lar bin and the same sum in small
silver. from mir. Mcnamara. In bolh
cases receipts and other papers In the
pocketbooks were left, altho those De-
longing to Mr.. Murphy had dirty mn
ger prints and a small blood stain Oh
them.
Entry at the Murphy home was MADE
by cutting & hole in the dining room
screen door, facing Center street, ana
unfastening the hook. This was the
only barrier to intruders as when MI.
Murphy is at home, as was the case
last night, the house door and severai
windows are left open to admit a DRAFT
Their bedroom IS on the west and "a
window was left open With the bilno
up. A lamp. burning quite high, was
in the room, being placed on the cons
mode behind an open door, and TINS the
thief turned down. upon enterlns.
Footprints were found beneath the
window this morning, and some SHRUBS
berry growing there was trampied down.
II is believed that the thief TOOK
an inventory Of the contents or the
room, then going around the house ana
entering. passed thru the dining room.
Altho neither felt any i'll effects. Mr..
Murphy is firmly convinced that ne
and his wife were administered snah
doses of chloroforn., as both are ligns
sleepers and the burglar must have
passed thru a narrow space between
the foot OF his cot, with the head by
the window, and the foot OF the bed
to reach the dresser from which his
trousers were taken. They were left
in front of the dining room door and
the pocketbook was found under the
porch railing this morning. The THIEF
probably jumped the fence, which sur
rounds the lot. instead of going thru
the gate when leaving. A coat and
vest containing gold watch, hanging
on the back of a chair by the window,
were undisturbed as was also Mrs
Murphy's purse containing eight dol
lars in the dresser drawer. The bur-
glary was discovered this morning
about 1 o'clock. Mrs. Murphy being
awakened by the crying OF her infant
son. She noticed that the light was
turned very ,oY .,nd in surprise ques-
toned MI. Murphy about 1t. thinking
he had turned it down. The window
screen was not cut. neither could il
have been raised.
Mr.. Murphy has regular passenger
runs and and ! and 2, but has been
count of rheumatism. Monday was pay
day and yesterday morning he paid
his Insurance money to Engineer Rob-
ert McMains, one OF the lodge officers,
the transaction taking place in front
OF the small barber shop just across
the street from his home. Four or five
pretty hard looking characters were
then standing around watching him,
and their evident interest in his busi-
ness made Mr.. Murphy rather suspic-
ious at the time. 1t may have been
one or more Of these characters who
committed the theft. but Identification
would be little difficult. as he did
not notice their features closely. When
he has a good deal OF money In the
house Mr.. Murphy usually places It
under his pillow, but failed to do this
last night.
The Murphys were robbed by hobo
while living in Monmouth about four
years ago, only cash, small sum, be-
Ing taken then. AT that time long
hook was made out of a wire clothes
line taken from neighboring yard
and Mr. Murphy's trousers fished out
thru the window. Neither he nor his
wife was awakened. Officers traced
and caught the fellow, who confessed
that he was forced to do the robbng
by several of his hobo companions.
with whom the plumber was shared
Nearly every house in the neighbour
hood was entered.
The McNamara Burglary.
Entry at the Mcnamara home must
have been made some time after II
o'clock, as Mrs. Catherine Mcknight
who, with her little son, Vennie, keeps
house for her father, did not retire
until shortly after that hour. Only q
door separates the two sleeping rooms
and neither Mrs. Mcknight nor Mr.
Mcnamara was awakened. When the
latter retired he left his trousers lying
on the floor near the commode and
the intruder entered by low window
left open, aud not more than three feet
from the ground. removing the screen
and closing the window q s he departed.
This was rendered necessary by the
fact that the lower sash was resting
on top of the screen. The trousers
were dragged over to the window and
the pocketbook replaced in the pocket
from which it was extracted. Some re-
ceipts and other papers were also re-
placed A double, open doorway is be-
tween the sitting room and bedroom.
and vest containing a gold watch.
hanging on a chair placed just inside
the sitting room, was undisturbe l.
Neither was attention paid to a quanti-
ty of silverware in the dining room.