Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-08-18
ATTEMPTED BURGLARY.
Roanoke Evening Eews.l

L~~-@~-~
A bold attempt Was made Friday night
to burglsrizs the Roanoke branch OF the
Portoer Brewing Company. which Is
located at the northern end OF the Hsnty
street bridge, not fer from the Norfolk
and Western general Office building.
The Pcr!ner Companv's plant occu-
pies large brick structure. On its
western side there IL the bridge, and on
ils eastern side there Is big vacant lot.
which Is enclosed along the street front
BY q high fence.
The thieves catered this grass lot and,
concealed behind the fence, they
vent to work, and judging By what they
accomplished they nust be old hands
at the business.
1t Is evident that they famillsrlzed
themselves With the surroundings. They
selected the most sequestered spot and
chose window Leading directly into the
establishment.
Az to what the thieves were after 10 O
question that has not been determined.
The police are unable to say, and Mr.. O.
8. johnson, manager Of the Portaer
branch, Is G little puzzled himself, al
though be Is inclined to believe that the
splendid quality Of bis Hofbrau aud its
great reputation had made the despera-
does desperate 10 their determination to
secure q good supply OF 1t.
There vas very little money 10 The
building. In the safe there was about
City -foor dollars, and In the cash drawer
there was about ffty-four cents. The
safe contained number Of checks, bat
these would have been Of scant value to
the would-be robbers.
Therefore, 1t might seem % II beer
Was one OF the objects of the raid.
While they worked and penplred over
the thick wall. and grew more and more
thirsty, the burglars dreamed perhaps OF
delicious liquid flowing down their
psrched tbrosts. Aud the sllght aroma
that trlckled through the iuterstices OF
the wall gave to their hallucination
wondrous sense Of reality. 1t drove them
to renewed efforts.
Ia the prosecution OF their task, they
displayed great ingenuity. They re-
moved the out " layers Of brick, directly
against the window and covering . space
Of about two feet square. This enabled
them to shove back two Of the heavy
iron bars. Then by bending dow another
bar, they had an opening In the window
large enough to admit mans body.
II was then that the good old Hofbrsu
doomed up 10 magnificent deliciousns as.
They saw the bottles, piled up In emit
less rows. They saw the Ice ches $,
where an exquisite frostiness enlaced
4 the clear and sparkling liquid.
Their goal Was In sight, and they wero
resdy to grab everything In sight, when,
unfortunately for their undertaking, Mr..
Ramsey, a driver fox the company, who
sleeps at the place, was awakened BY the
barking of bis dog. he arose, and think
/ ing one of the horses was 10 trouble,
turaed on light and went down to the
stable. Out of the Windows, In radiant
refulgeuce, shone that electric light, and
Its presence shattered the hopes and
dreams Of the thieves. Loving darkness
even beitsr than HofHrau, they didn't
dare 10 face the situation. They speedily
decamped, and took away with them
only the sweat Of their brows and the
parchedness of their threats.
Officer johnson, of the police fCr;r,
car efully investigated the maltr tina
morning. The presence OF some peu
points on top Of the desk indicated that
the cash drawer had been opened, for
the pens we're inside the drawer Friday
evening. Bot the fifsy.tour cents in the
drawer remained untouched. So far %
could be ssceftslned, the burglars gol
nothing, and even the Hofbrsu remained
undisturbed.