Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-31
HEAVY LOSS OF JEW ELS
MRS. BONNER LooSES $4,000
WORTH.
Burglars Enter House and Get Away
With Booty-Moved Big
Safe.

dispatch from Stamford Conn. last
night says: burglary notable for the
daring and success with which II was car
ried through took place some time last
night at Nirvana, the summer home OF Mr.
and Mrs. Paul Bonner of New York and
Stamford The burglars carried away an
SOO-pound safe, which held about all OF
Mrs Bonner's diamonds, other gems and
rare old jewelry. as well as $50 In cash
Mrs. Bonner figures the intrinsic value or
the stolen jewels at $4,000.
The family believe that burglars entered
the house through window on the lower
floor. and that four of them carried the
safe down a flight OF stairs and then out
upon the lawn, where a vehicle of some
sort was brought into use, and the safe
carried to the shore and placed aboard a
vessel. They say that 1t would have taken
at least four men to move the safe. NO one
in the household was awakened. MIS-. BON
ner declares that much of the stun has
sentimental value that cannot be set down
In figures. 1t includes gifts from her iate
husband. James Joseph Alexandra, who was
interested in a steamboat line between New
York and Cuba. and from his father, VINO
practically owned the Pacific Mail Steam
ship Company and was It's head for years
Many family Jewels and heirlooms of the
Alexandra family were stolen. Much of
this was for Jerome Alexandra. Mrs Bon
ner's son. who will soon attain his majority.
and her daughter. Miss Alexandra.
The following note was found lying on the
floor where the safe was:
Dear Madam: You will be surprised to
find your valuables taken. but on finding
this note keep II In secrecy, as we are not
to be trified with. If our freedom is taken
your place will be in ruins soon after
Note in Scrawling Hand.
The note was written in a scrawling hand
fine V pf
pcrfumed. There was a cross below the last
sentence. Then the same hand had written
"A warning" Below this another
cross. The letter was turned over to Assis-
tant Superintendent Fields OF the New
York branch OF the Pinkerton agency. and
is now in possession of Detective Wilcox,
who is working up the case, with the assist
ans of Chief Brennan and Sergt. NevinS OF
Stamford.
Nirvana. the home which the burglars
threaten TO lay in ruins, Is situated on the
edge of Long Island sound at Cummings
Point. 1t is a mansion of many wings and
complicated architecture. 1t contains for
tune in silverware, paintings and bric-a-
brac, and much of the SilVerware lay where
the burglars could see II. In a safe in the
billiard room was solid silverware of great
value. All this leads Mrs. Bonner and
and members OF her household to believe
that the burglars entered the house with
the sole purpose of getting her jewels, and
them.
Paul Bonner is Mrs. Alexandre's second
husband. NJ. Bonner is engaged in the
leather business in New York He did not
come home last night. In the house at the
time of the burglary were Mrs. Bonner. her
son and daughter, Miss Duane of New
York and Mrs. Bonners brother-in-law, c.
a. Willis of Staten Island. There were
eight domesticS asleep in distant wing of
the house and number of men in the out
buildings.
The safe was kept in closet on the sec
ond floor. The closet opens on a broad hall.
Once up the main staircase. the burglars
had to walk about fifty feet TO the closet
Evidently they knew just where to go.
A week ago James Hazen, Hyde enter
tanned Mrs. Bonner and party at Coney
Island. About that time a stranger made
inquiries here about the Bonners His Gu
riosity excited suspicion and he disap-
peared. The Pinkerton men are trying to
trace him. They believe the burglary was
the work of gang of clever crooks who
had everything mapped out on inside nfor-
nation.