The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-11-26
Daring Porch Climber Works at
the Home of c. H. Curtis on
Thursday Night
POINTS REVOLVER WHEN SEEN
Believed to be Locked in a Room the
Man Escaped over Porch and
officers Get no Trace Of
Him-Most Daring Crime

A lone porch climber worked at the
residence of G. H. Curtis, general man,
ager of the Chicago Hosiery
Works on Prairie avenue just after six
o clock Thursday evening and as a re.
suit of his daring he managed to get
away with jewelry and other valuables
owned by Mr.. and Mrs. Curtis and
Hugh Gibson to the amount of about
$500. The case was reported to the
police in record breaking time and not,
withstanding the fact that five officers
under the command of Assistant Chief
NeWhouse had the house surrounded
within ten minutes after the man had
been discovered he managed to make
his escape with his booty.
At the time of the daring burglary
of the house Mr.. and Mrs. Curtis and
the members of the household were
eating supper in the dining room of the
house and the front portion of the
house was deserted No sound was
heard as the man entered the house,
but the father Of Mr.. Curtis finished
his supper in advance Of the other
members of the household and started
! to go to his room on the second floor
! of the residence. Just as he reached
the top of the stairway he saw man
crouching on the landing. The fellow
had a revolver in his hand and as he
saw Curtis he extended the revolver
and at the same time began to retreat
into the room at the front of the
house. Mr. Curtis was thoroughly
frightened, but hurried down stairs and
summoned his son and other members
Of the family declaring that there was
burglar in the house. The son at
once went to the upper part Of the
house only to find the door of the
room into which the burglar had re-
treated, locked He hurried to the
telephone and called the police be.
Heving that the man was securely
caught in the front room Of the house.
! Assistant Chief Newhouse was in
charge of the office at the time and
with Officers Nelson, Leik, Mayer and
LeGleise he hurried to the place and
at once threw the men about the house
to prevent the escape of the man,
Finding that the door was securely
locked the officers broke into the room
only to find it empty. One of the win,
doWs was unfastened, but closed and it
is thought that the man finding that
he had been caught like rat in a trap
pulled open the window and crawled
out to the porch and dropped to the
ground below a distance of more than
ten feet. There was nothing about the
house to show how the man had entered
or left the building and it is thought
certain that he was an expert porch
climber who had scaled the porch and
completed the robbery and then plan,
ned to leave the house by the front
door while the members Of the family
were engaged in the dining room rather
than to take the chance of making
the long leap to the ground.
The police have only a meagre de-
scription Of the fellow He is known
to have worn an overcOat of some dark
color and SLOUGH hat When he was
met by Mr.. Curtis the man had his
coat pulled up over his face in such
way that the face was completely hid
den. The work of the man was so
clean cut that the police insist that
the man must have been an expert in
the business. Many of the acticles
stolen were greatly valued by Mr.. and
Mrs. Curtis on account Of their as
sociations and every possible effort will
be made to recover them. Cards were
sent to the police officers in all sur
rounding cities this morning and the
police are still at work on the case.
The list Of articles stolen from the
house was as follows:
Solitaire diamond ring, p carat
glove setting; diamond ring, stones
set around the ring; ring, 3 opals and
chip diamonds; ladies pearl and gold
bar pin, about inches long; ladies
gold watch, hunting case, elgin move
ment, engraved in back case Minnie
Curtis; fine gold chain, with slide set
with pearls; pearl and gold brooch,
round; string of gold beads; string of
imitation pearl and coral beads; stick
pin, diamond setting small diamond,
love knot design; diamond stick pin,
about q carat in larger knot design;
enamel stick pin, set with pearls and
diamond, Tyre shape; Brazilian beetle
stick pin; gold stick pin, lily design,
with single pearl; gents ring, double
headed gents cameo, one side of ring
broken from setting; gold Masonic but
J ton.