Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-07-21
HAUL AT cooPERsTowN, N. Y.
GREATER THAN REPORTED.
MANY WEDDING GIFTS
Heaviest Robbery in Many Years
in Central New York-OnIy
$1,000 in Cash but Rich
Plumber Of Various Othe,
Kinds.

Cooperstown, July 15.-It transpires
that the value of the jewels, bond
coupons, stock and cash stolen from
the safe of the Alfred Corning Clarh
estate here will approximate $1O0, 900
according to a statement made by 8
member of the family. 1t is the
heaviest robbery in many years In
central New York.
The family has given out list OF
some of the jewels, but has not made
public the amount of stock, bonds and
cash taken. The jewels belonged 70
Mr.. and Mrs. f. Ambrose Clark, and
comprised her entire outfit of wedding
gifts.
A clue has been found to the thief.
Blacksmith Fish says that shortly be.
fore noon, the time when the robbery
is said to have occurred, he was lead
ing one of the Clark horses past the
Office of the estate, when he noticed a
stranger sitting on the front step of
an old stone house two doors from
the Clark Office. This stranger had
red hair, was stout and wore a straw
hat. He was dressed in black.
He was looking furtively around,
and his actions struck Fish at the time
as curious. This description TALES in
part with that by Mrs. Floyd Shum-
way, a stenographer in the Clark
Office, who says she saw a man with
ced hair and dressed in black stand
ing on the office steps about noon,
The principal gems stolen were as
follows:
One pearl collar, with pearl pendant
and a diamond bowknot.
One ring set with two diamonds and
a ruby.
One small diamond ring.
One diamond solitaire ring.
Two rings with the diamonds set
crosswise.
One diamond bracelet.
One diamond and pearl bracelet.
-Four iron boxes and one jewel case
were rifled by the thief. In his haste
he evidently cut his hand, for many
deep blood-stains covered the casket
the floor of the basement and the
table on which he must have prlet
open the chests.
| Pinkerton Detective Davis says that
he was satisfied the job was the work
of a professional who probably
! secreted himself in the basemenc oil
the Office. This was easy, he said be
cause one of the doors leading from
the park into the basement was left
open to accommodate two grass
cutters, who kept their tools there.
Bishop Potter and his wife, the
widow of Alfred Corning Clark, who
are summering at Fernleigh, their
home on the Susquehanna, are being
congratulated that the priceless gems
of the Bishops wife were not in the
office safe.
At least $4,000 in cash is said tc
have been in the iron boxes that were
broken open. In addition there were
stocks belonging to Robert Davidson.
he red-headed stranger seen by
| Fish and Mrs. Shumway answers the
description of a well-known New York
crook, and Inspector McClusky has
| been asked to look him up.
In 1859 the same building, then oc
cupied by the Otsego County bank
was robbed of $4,000.
! It is believed the jewel thief es.
capped by way of Richfield Springs
Although there were blood marks on
the table, there were no finger prints
J. A. NJ. Johnston, the agent here OF
| the Clark estate, said that absolutely
no suspicion attached to any one
connected with the Office. The Clark
funds are always kept In the First
National bank Of Cooperstown, but
large amounts of securities are often
held in the safe in the Office of the
estate.
The Ambrose Clark Jewels were
placed in the safe two weeks ago in
anticipation of departure for the sum.
mer. A close search has failed to re.
veal any clue to tn robber.
The thief evid,r got in and out
by means of the cured door lead
ing into the baseme Mt from the park
and then forced a door leading to the
office above.