The daily sentinel., 1906-12-17


1t seems that on Saturday night
Ike Laub was the engineer on duty in
charge of the gas plant. During the
hours of the early evening he was in
the engine room alone. Shortly after
eleven two hoboes entered the engine
room and asked to be allowed toI
warm themselves. As there is moth
ing unusual in the appearance of
tramps in an engine room for this
purpose, on cool night. Mr.. Laub
readily granted them the request and
they proceeded to make themselves
comfortable. 1t being a cold and
quiet night Mr.. Laub was not adverse
to having company of most any kind
during the hours of his long vigil.
Shortly after these hoboes made
their appearance two nicely dressed
men entered the engine room. AT
first their actions were not in the
least suspicious. After chatting a
few moments with the engineer, il
is reported that they asked him If
they might burn box they had
with them in the boiler firebox. See
ing no reason for objecting Mr.. Laub
told them they could do so. Straight
way the two men departed and in a
few minutes returned, it is reported,
carrying between them wooden
box, partially wrapped in paper and
evidently tightly sealed according |
to Mr.. Laub's statement The box
was about three feet long and itsl
character and dimensions at once
aroused the suspicious Of the engi-
neer.
Say. what have got in there?' isl
reported to be the question the engi- |
neer asked the two strangers. "Oh We
have a doll baby in it" was the reply
of one of the men, it is said, who by
his manner evidently did not relish |
the question. The engineer was
aroused at once and he declared that
he could not allow the men to burn
the box until he was shown its con-
tents. They attempted it seems. to
treat his request lightly. They told
him. It is reported. that it was all Sc
curely packed and wrapped up an 1t
would be too much trouble for them
10 show him the contents. Laub fui-
ther insisted and then one of the mei
declared that we will burn it any |
how" and straightway pulled a re
volver and made Laub and the hoboes
get in Que corner of the room and
be still. The other man then opened
the door to the fire box and put the
box into the roaring fire and closed
the doors again.
II is stated that for nearly half an
hour these two strange men, whose /
actions and whose queer burden that
they were so anxious to dispose OF.
would lead to the belief that they
we're the principals in some tragedy
remained in that boiler room. one
with the engineer and two hoooes
under the cover of revolver Inc
other standing near the fire box lit
tie was said It seems, during this
half hour while the contents OF that
mysterious wooden box were being
forever and completely destroyed by
the consuming flames.
Were those flames hiding forever
the evidence of some dark crImeE
Laub and the hoboes state that af-
fer the men had satisfied them selves
that the box and its supposed grue-
some contents had been destroyed,
thew quickly left the engine room ana
, we're seen no more
The engineer at once openea the
. door NJ the frebox but only flames.
, and burning embers were to be seen,
; the ashes of the box had been mihE'eu
with the ashes of the fuel.
! Iaub kept on duty the remainder
) Of the night Next morning he told
! Of the strange scene to Mr.. Coil l me
dav engineer and several others Ine
- Soboes o # seems also remained all
: nigb, and they too told several peo-
: ME Of the mysterious AFFAIR. LauD
: stotes that he never saw the men ne
: @ fore that they were nicely dressed
: nS Of the most respectable appear
: ance They seemed to have plenty oi
: nonev nor and in fact from Laub's state
. nlo,,t lio,-t T. would seem that the midnight