Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-16
BOLD BURGLARS DEED
R0bS House and Starts Fire
in Third Story.
THEFT OF VALUABLE JEWEL
Police Searching for Man Response
BILE for the Crime.
LOSS BY FIRE SAID TO BE SMALL
Alarm Calls Out No. 8 Engine Com
pany and the Police
RI serves.

Ransacking the bedrooms of the second
and third floors while the family were In
the dining room at their evening meal,
burglar invaded the house Of Norman
T. Engle. merchant, of 31O I'd street
northeast last night. and after stealing
a ring set with diamonds and emerald,
said to be valued at $500. set fire to the
contents Of a closet. whether by accident
or design is not determined. and in the
confusion which followed succeeded in
making his escape. The robbery was a
daring one, and for a while intense eX-
citement prevailed in the neighborhood.
Engine company No. responded to q
local alarm. and succeeded in extinguish-
ing the fire The loss entailed by the
blaze was between $50 and $50.
Members of the reserve police force
Of the ninth precinct secured the neigh
borhood for fully an hour in an enort 10
locate the rObber.
Shortly after o'clock last night Mrs.
Engle, her child and Miss Mary c. Com
went to dinner The husband was away
from the house on business at the time,
and the only other persons about the
nremises were a colored maid and a col
ored man The latter happened to be in
the basement.
Detects Odor of Smoke.
from the table Mrs. Engle noticed a
strong odor of smoke in the halls. and
running into the forward part of the
house observed that the front door,
which had previously been left unlocked,
was slightly ajar. She was by this time
thoroughly frightened. and, running up
stairs whence the smoke came, sne ois-
covered the three bedrooms in the mouse
in a state Of confusion. The contents or
bureau drawers were strewn on the noor
wardrobes and closets had been thor-
oughIy ransacked and clothes. hats. DOCKS
and pieces of jeweiry of small Value were
scattered about the place
Mrs Engle continued to the thlrd noor;
where she discovered that closet niieo
with her own and her husoandS ciotllils
was in flames. She called TO the otners
in the house for help. During the con-
fusion which followed. 1t is stated, ths
front door was heard to bang shut.
Fire Company Summoned.
Mrs. Engle, the maid and others at
tempted to extinguish the fire. and nnoine
that it was gaining headway, message
was sent to No. 3 engine company In
the meantime Mrs Engle ran out OF the
house to summon help. and Walter DAD
new. colored. a porter employed at the
Trion station. who was passing at the
time. was requested to notify the police.
The reserves of the police station Serg,.
Walsh and Precinct Detectives Dawson
and Gee responded.
When the fire was extinguished an IN
vertory of jewelry, money ana clotning
was taken by Mrs. Engle and the police
men, and it was thought that nothine
was missing except the ring belonging
to Mrs. Engle.
An investigation of the premises
showed that an entrance could only have
been gained through the front door.
which, it was stated, was accidentally left
urIocked last night The exit was made
in the same way, as it would have been
a physical impossbility for man to
have Jumped from the rear porches with
out seriously injuring himself.
A police investigation Is in progress