Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-05-09
NlTRo-GLYCERINE AND FUSE
WERE USED - SECURE $3.50
FROM STRONG BOX AND MAKE
GOOD THEIR ESCAPE
ANONYMOUS LETTER
THREATENS FAMILY
MR.. AND MRS. NEELEY RESIDING
JUST NORTH OF LAUNDRY NO.
Titled THEIR HOUSE WOULD
BE DYNAMITED.

From Thursdays Daily.
Yeggmen last night entered the OF
tumwa Steam Laundry on Church
street, blew open the safe securing
$3.50 and made their escape. AL
though the door of the steel safe was
shattered the robbery was not de-
tected until this morning when the
laundry was opened. Upon investiga-
ton is was found that the robbers had
entered the building by crawling in the
coal window at the rear of the base
ment. The safe had combination
lock, but as they evidently were un-
able to unlock the safe by working the
combination they broke off the knob
Of the lock, thus making hole
through to the interior of the safe. 1t
Is thought that the robbers then pour
ed charge of nitroglycerine and pow
der into the safe, which was set off
with a fuse.
Blacksmith Tools. o
As is the custom of yeggmen a near
by blacksmith shop furnished the tools
for the breaking off of the combination
of the safe door. In this instance the
shop of John REM, sos West Myrtle
street was entered and sledge ham,
mer, crow bar, three drills, and two
chisels, the tools needed in breaking
the knob Of the safe door, were taken.
Saw Light.
It is not known just what time the
robbery occurred but Mr.. and Mrs.
Medley, who reside the first door north
af 10, a Ecyh oh or
the street, but thinking that it was
lightning thought nothing more about
It at the time. Mr.. and Mrs. Neeley
bad also received a letter warning
them that their house would soon be
blown up by dynamite and advised
them to move. The letter was ignored
however, but it was turned over to the
police this morning
The Letter.
Following is the letter received by
MI. and Mrs. Neeley on April %.
"Your house will be blown up
by dynamite inside of ten days.
The dynamite is now placed at diff
II ferent places under the walls. l
was told this in confidence and il
1t was known that l warned you
should be treated roughly so
keep this to yourself. l will leave
the city tonight.
"a Friend
The letter was printed with a lead
pencil and was horribly scrubbed and
badly misspelled. The general opinion
is that the yeggmen took this way to
brighten Mr. and Mrs. Neeley into NOV
ing so as not to interfere with their
safe breaking.
Police Notified.
The police were notified this morn
ing just as soon as the robbery was
noticed and upon investigation found
where the robbers had entered. Tracks
could plainly be seen near the rear
basement window where an enterance
was gained and the measurements
small and it is thought that it was
either the work of boys or small man
but who the police believe to be
experienced. This is the second time
within the past three months that the
laundry has been entered, but the
other time the robbers only secured
"a little oyer two dollars, which was
in the cash register.
No Damage by Explosion.
The explosion did no damage to the
building or the safe further than to
blow off the hinges of the door. In
most instances the use of nitroglycer-
Inc windows are shattered an furniture
smashed and displaced This was not
the result in last nights work and it
is therefore believed that the work
was that Of highly experienced men.
There were possibly three men in
the deal but not less than two as one
man cannot successfully do the job.
Yeggmen usually work three together.
One man cares for the soup as the
nitro" is called, another handles the
fuse and third stands guard to in
form the men on the inside of any
possible danger by passers-by or a
policeman.
Police Have CIew.
The police today are working on
several clews. Two suspicious char
acters were seen in the city during the
past several days and are now known
to have been on the South Side in the
daytime on several occasions. 1t is
thought that it was these men that
pulled off the job and made their visits
to the South Side to get their bearings.
These suspects are not in the city to-
day.