The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1905-04-07
BOLD JEWELRY THEFT
SAMPLE TRUNK OF TRAVELLING
SALESMAN LOOTED HERE.
LOSS BETWEEN $4,000 AND $4,000
LOSS BETWEEN $4,000 AND $4,000
PROFESSIONALS THOUGHT TO
HAVE DONE WORK.
MIGHT HAVE GOT DIAMONDS


Two Trunks-Bloodhou Traced
Robbers to Outgoing Freight Train.
Detectives viii Come-Good Police
One of the boldest and most deeply
laid robheres ever committed in Nor.
! folk was executed last night at the
Creighton depot when n sample jew
elry trunk, containing thousands OF
dollars worth Of fine goods and be-
longing to o. l.. Ross, travelling sales
man for L. Bauman Jewelry Co., OF
St. Louis was stolen and looted
The loss is estimated by Mr.
Ross as between $1,000 and So
900, although he is as yet unable to
definitely place 1t until he receives in
voices from st. Louis.
The trunk contained gold chains and
many other bits Of jewelry. IL was
broken open by prying off two pad
locks; it was taken into a vacant lot
near the railroad depot, behind the
Twiss windmill and there left after
1t had been looted. One tray OF fine
Jewels was torn open but not taken
Another trunk, containing all OF Mr..
Rosss diamonds, watches and rings,
and standing beside the cheaper one,
was untouched.
Robbers Had Planned II.
The freight from Creighton, where
Mr.. Ross had been during the after
noon, arrived between and 8 o'clock
and it is evident that the robbers were
all ready to make the haul. A crow
bar wrapped in paper was found near
the trunk. No strangers had been In
the Norfolk jewelry store where the
trunks were opened yesterday morn
ing, and it is therefore evident that
they had been following Mr.. Ross for
some time. They could not have fol-
lowed him about the town at Creigh-
! ton as he arrived there on the after
noon train and returned last night
1t is to be seen, therefore, that they
were either waiting for his return or
had lurked about the depot at Creigh-
ton and jumped on the train that
| brought him back.
The robbery was discovered when
! Baggageman Weston was sent to the
station for the trunks, after the ar
! rival of the Bonesteel freight on
| which Mr.. Ross had come to Norfolk
| from Creighton Failing to find one
of the two trunks a search was made
| through the yards and later in the va
cant lot where the trunk, broken into,
was located. STEMS bloodhounds
were at once given the scent and
| traced the robbers down the Union
Pacific track TO the Northwestern
crossing, a mile and a half southwest
of the city, then east along the North
western track into the Junction
! freight yards to the point at which
! freight train No. 40, leaving for the
east at O'Clock, was made up.
May Have Robbers Located.
Immediate action was taken to head
off the robbers on the eastbound
freight train by wire and the train
was stopped between Pilger and Wis
ner and searched, but there were none
on the cars. Before arriving at Pilger
there had been three men on the train
two white men and negro-and it
is believed they may have been the
robbers. They had left the train be-
fore arriving at Pilger
Compliments Police Force.
Mr.. Ross was enthusiastic in his
complimentary remarks pertaining to
the Norfolk police department. He
said to The News this morning:
81 have never seen prompter act
ing police force. Chief Larkin and
Night Officer Pilger were on the
ground Immediately, having hurried
to the station in cab. They employed
every means in their power and with
in an hour had given me every reason
! TO believe that the robbers, who are
evidently professionals had gone out
on train No. 40.
/ l arrived from the north AT I2l p.
m. In a brief half hour my baggage
man had arrived and found the trunk
broken open. | want to say that the
police here are extraordinary men FOR
town of this size.
Detectives Will be Here.
within a very short time" contin-
ued the victim of the plundering,
there will be detectives galore in Nor
folk. We are protected in the Whole
sale jewelers. Protective association
and you may make up your mind that
when jewelers. trunk is tapped, the
robber will be caught II 1t takes a
million dollars 10 get him. The
shrewdest Pinkerton detectives in the
country work on these cases"