Albuquerque evening citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1905-1907, 1907-06-10

store Open Late.


The E. l.. Washburn store was open
until late Saturday night owing TO
heavy patronage, 1t was almost mid
night when the doors were finally
locked.
II was therefore probably early
Sunday morning when the robbery
took place.
The night patrolman on that beat
tried the doors of the store at fifteen
minutes past twelve o'clock and If the
robbers were within, they kept well
hidden until he had gone.
Entrance was made through the
main door on Second street, A skele-
ton key was used to open the door.
Probably Three Men.
The robbers then screwed the two
swinging doors together by means of
heavy thumb screws such as are used
in hanging pictures.
1t would appear that there We're
three men, or at least two in the af-
fair one man worked on the safe.
The other remained at the rear end
of the store secreted behind a cloth
ing table with the necessary tools. "A
drawer was left open so that the rob
Der could hide the tools quickly in
case of sudden alarm.
If there was third man he prob
ably remained outside on the walk as
"a Pigeon
Used Jack Screw.
The robher working on the safe,
placed a jack screw over the COM
bination lock and by screwing slowly
and pryng with a jimmy succeeded
in wrenChing the lock from the safe.
According to the usual make of safes.
this should have caused the comblna-
ton inside to fall, thus opening the
heavy outer doors.
When the lock was pried off, how
ever, the combination did not give. 1t
would have been but a few minutes
work, however, with a small drill to
have completed the wrecking of the
lock, but at this point the task was
abandoned.
This is the only amateurish part of
the robbery. 1t may be explained by
the fact that the robbers were alarm
ed and fled hastily after robbing the
cash register.
They left the store by the door
opening upon Gold avenue and have
not been apprehended,
Ten Pound Hammer.
While at work on the safe the rob-
bers used a 10-pound sledge, such as
is commonly found In blacksmith
shop. This sledge with the handle
broken off was found in the store,
wrapped i'm a Denver Post of May 80.
The other tools were wrapped in
ordinary wrapping paper, which was
left in the rear Of the store near
where the drawer was pulled out
To deaden the sound or the Dig
hammer on cold steel, the robbers
muftied the Jimmy" in a pair of fine
outing trousers taken from the stock.
The trousers now need patching.
Apparently the robbers were not in
need of clothing for they did not
otherwise molest the stock of goods,
Discovered sunday Noon.
The robbery was not discovered un-
I'll sunday about ~ o'clock. Nye Mar
tin, Il clerk, came to the store about
10 O'Clock sunday morning as is his
custom.
He tried to open the door but could
not do so. He thought his key was
not i'm proper shape and telephoned
10 &. .. Cushman, who said that he
would come to the store en- route
home from church
Before he reached the store Mr
Washburn arrived but could not un-
lock the front door. The door was
then broken i'm. the heavy screws fall
ing TO the floor.
An investigation then disclosed the
robbery and the police were notified.
No Other RObberies.
chief McMillin at once feared that
other rObberies had been committed
and began telephOning TO the busi-
ness men requesting them to visit
rheir places of business and examine
their safes
They did so bnt no other robbery
was detected. a close watch was kept
upon the business houses of the city
sunday night, policemen patrollng