The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-08-01
$4,000 in JeWelry
and SilVerWare
Taken,
Mansion Of Wealthy Woman
in San MateO Is Ran
sacked by Thieves.
San Francisco Police Are Notified
and Suspicion Is Cast on
Former Employees

The residence of Mrs. Abbie NJ. Par
rott at San Mateo was robbed on Sat-
urday night of jewels and silverware
valued at $4,000. The matter was kept
a strict secret and only leaked out late
last night.
Captain Martin of the city detective
force was notified and detectives have
been detailed on the case. The bur
glary was a daring one and the perpe-
traitors have so far successfully COW
cred their tracks. The police here are
confident that the job was done by
some one who was thoroughly familiar
with the PARROT residence.
The theft Of the valuables was first
discovered by Mrs. PARROTS butler.
who went to the safe yesterday morn
ing to get out silverware for the Sun
day dinner The safe, which is kept
in the pantry, was empty although the
door at the time the butler went to it
was locked.
Mrs. PARROT was Immediately in
formed of the theft and a hurried ex-
animation showed that the house had
been ransacked from top to bottom,
everything of value being taken. Sew
eral large and expensive silver sets, all
Of that ware owned by Mrs. PARROT.
were gone. The loss of one of the sets
known as the reserve set, valued at
$500, and used only on state occasions,
is keenly felt by Mrs. Parrot. This set
was a present from her husband be-
fore his death and was highly treas
ured.
Mrs. PARROT. who is. now over 80
years old, is nearly Frustrated from the
shock She has been suffering of late
from nervous prostration and the rob-
berry has totally unnerved her. Last
night a guard was. placed around her
house and no one allowed to enter.
The members of the PARROT femiIy
are very reticent regarding the rob-
berry, and do not wish the facts made
public.
Mrs. A. H. Payson, Mrs. Parrott's
daughter, who occupies a home ad-
joining her mother'si says that the ell
der lady is in a serious condition
through nervousness over the theft.
The police will investigate the pos
sibility that the robbery may have
been committed by former employees,
who were discharged some time ago.
The combination of the pantry safe
is said to be known only by the fam
lily and the buffers. The safe robbed
Saturday night was opened by some
one who knew tire combination. The
thief, after 'robbiIlg the silverware
safe, made his way to an iron case
opened by a key, which was kept in
place also known only TO the mem
bers of the family and the butler
From this box was taken the remain
ing silverware.
The bedrooms on the second floor
were next ransacked and several valu-
able articles of jewelry taken When
the thieves had finished their exit was
made through the front door, by which
they entered, using key.
At the time Of the robbery Mrs. Par
rott was alone in the house save for
the presence of her maid and the but
Ter. The butler sleeps in the room next
to the pantry, where the safe is kept.
and the police wonder that he did not
hear the burglars at work. He says he
heard nothing, though his statement is
questioned by other employees about the
place.
A close watch will be kept by the po-
lice on the pawnshops of the city with
a hope of recovering some of the stolen
jewelry. They do not expect to recover
the silverware, as they believe that it
will be melted by the burglars before
ii is disposed Of.
Mrs. PARROT, If she is able, intends
to come to the city to-day to confer
with Captain Martin and give him what
clews she may have.