The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-02
QUEER FLAT FULL OF LOOT.
POIICE CAN'T FIGURE NOW OR
why "GRANDMA" TOOK 1T.
She Insists That She Didn't. and Her 80
Years Beam Innoeence-Junk That
Could BE OF Little Use Pied Up
Shoulder High-BOth Held la bail.

10 strange in appearance that even the in
curious fiat dwelers of West Fifteenth
street stared and talked went TO 2l5 and
rented four room fiat from Mrs McVicker,
wife of the owner Of the building
The old woman was only an inch over four
feet, ard very fat Her hair was silvery
white and her round face was 80 good
humored and motherly that 1t wasn't long
before the children in the neighbour
hood got to calling her Grandma The
old man was about eighty and he looked
as good and kind as his short little wife
His face was smooth shaven. save for a
fringe Of white beard that waggled under
his lower jaw.
II the street hadn't wondered then who
they were IL certainly would the next day
when they came back with three trucks
full of all sorts of things, most Of them
nicely done up in white paper packages
neatly tied with colored strings. An old
bed a Scared kitchen table aud a few pots
and pans were about all the household
goods Of the couple. The belongings Of
the odd old pair seemed to consist almost
altogether Of packages and bundles OF
assortedsizes..
They were. they told their neighors. Mr..
and Mrs Thomas Robinson. He had job
az ianitor Of the Masonic Temple at Sixth
avenue and Twenty-third street Anna, tho
old wife was nurse, she told the women
around the house
The fat folk watched them every day
and noticed that whenever the woman
came home in the evening she brought
with her neatly done up parcels OF the kind
that filed the three trucks. Often when
she went out she carried packages away
with her.
Some OF the neighbors had an overpower-
ing curiosity 20 SEQ the inside of the fiat,
but while the old man and the old woman
were friendly and always willing to sit up
with a sick person or attend a child with
the Group they never encouraged visitors.
Once one of the neighbors did get in
but she could make nothing Of what she
say. Three of the four rooms we're clut-
tered up with all manner of things. the
intruder noticed, and the floors we're piled
with parcels groceries and goods of various
kinds But the caller was OF an unimag-
NATIVE turn Of mind and she thought no
owl She told the neighbors about it,
though and they asked Grandma.
Oh said Grandma, with an innocent
smile on her face. several years ago an
old aunt Of mine died and left me a houseful
Of curiosities and things she had picked up
during ner lifetime. prize them so highly
that won't sell any of them. and | don't
Ike folks to muss around with them
The neighhors would have forgotten all
about it as the months went by if people
in the house hadn't missed things. Some
lost groceries or knickknacks and they
couldn't understand il. Nobody wanted
to go to the police but there was such
rumpus raised in the house that nothing
was lost for a long time. All the while
Grandma kept coming in and going out
with armloads of parcels, and very fire.
quently delivery wagons drove up and
lett things.
Two weeks ago Mrs. Coyle. who lives just
under the Robinsons lost some things
ana went 10 the West Twentieth street
roice station She told Capt DAILY that
something would have TO he done.
Detective Adams was sent around to
Investigate. He said then that somebody
in the house was doing the stealing, and
Re gllmmerngs of an idea. But that
f'ns as far as he got then. Grandma
wouldn't let him in and neither would
Old Thomas. He had no evidence and 50
he waited
Saturday, Mrs. Coyle, coming home un-
expectedly, saw the old woman in her fat.
Then Adams got busy. He went to the
Robinson fat Saturday night and de-
handed entrance. Old Thomas and Anna
whispered and then they let him in.
he stood in the door and opened his
mouth in establishment. Along the walls
Of the front room, piled high as a tall mans
shoulder, we're boxes bundles small par !
GELS and parcels two feet long, rolls of dry /
goods, rolls of ribbon, shoes loose and in |
boxes, bird cages tabernacle skirts, fresh I
butter IN shallow wooden dishes, soap. /
sealing wax, al least one ham, butterscotch. |
silver dishes, fur trimmed coats, mems !
derby hats. women's hats underwear, long |
gartCrs, corsets. bits Of lace boxes Of /
candy, ostrich feathers artificial flowers. |
remnants Of dress goods, silks babies shoes. |
rubber boots and hundred and one odds |
end ends
Adams went through the rooms carefully. |
In all save a cubbyhole of an alcove loot |
OF an infinite variety was packed and piled I
and strewn over the floors. There was just |
room for bed. table. few wooden chairs |
and a stove in the whole fiat. Passage
ways ran through Grandma's collection |
like aisles in a department store Lying |
Idu4 sed and dirty on the floors were fine !
shirts that had fallen from boxes and that |
GTndma and Old Thomas had trodden on
carele,sly
Adams saw the names of several big de-
par,ment stores on scores of parcels and |
u gave him some idea Of what capable
woman Grandma must be The aged Robin
sons stood patiently by while the detective
rimmaged among the stuff. Old Thomas
stolid and smoking ripe, Grandma troubled
md nervous
The detective took her TO the West TWEEN
tieth street station. whore Capt DAILY sharply
examined her. She shut her pleasant mouth
firmly and looked az severe and stubborn
a, she could. All they could get out OF her
was that she liked to 20 to bargain sales
and auctions and buy things cheaply She
had fad for that. she said She also re-
rosied the tale Of the deceased aunts
JeOuP-t
Old Thomas said that he was the janitor
in the Masonic Temple and that he made
$40 a month He shut up when he was
a ked how Grandma could afford 10 buy
50 many things He was 81 said he. and
Anna was Is. They had been married
fifty years. forty Of them having been
spent in this city Both came from Della
ware county, New York. the old man said
anna had always love for bargain hunt
iug and frequently. said Old Thomas pa
he had felt il necessary to reprove
he- gently. They we're innocent Of wrong
doing, oh. so innocent, said the old man.
he looked very liLe a rugged weather
teaien New England farmer as he sat in
The police station
They were locked up for the night and
Yesterday were arraigned in the Second
district court before Magistrate Moss.
Anna charged with burglary Old Thomas
With being a suspicious person. They
we're each held in 5000 bail for e1amina-
TON Tupzdnv afternoon ar pfOlock