The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-05-07

the brick wall of the neighboring build
ing.
With the ladder in hand, it was
stood I'D on the rear porch against the
store at point on the corrugated iron
wall of the rear room, where Mr.
York had made a slight opening to
permit a circulation of air through the
interior. This opening not being wide
enough, the vigorous operator bent on
robbing, pulled down the edge of the
corrugated iron until the opening was
large enough to crowl through, though
not without considerable effort.
The opening led into the attic, and
with the iron bar in hand it was an
easy matter to prize up plank in the
attic floor and making a hole wide
enough for the small person, and he
went through it to the room below.
This done it was then an easy mat
ter to raise the wooden bar, open the
rear door and begin the work of
plunder, the thieves being cautious
enough to place a chair so it would
hold the rear door open and thus give
swift point of egress should an
alarm be made at the front door.
Thieves were after the small COM
forts and luxuries of life and of these
they helped themselves promiscuous-
ly and somewhat bountifully. These
articles consisted of cigars, chewing
and smoking tobacco, cigarettes, can
dies, chewing gum and cans of pre-.
served fruits.
The thieves apparently were citizens
of quality and taste They found
half dozen or more boxes of cigars tha
pleased them took these and left the
rest The candies were tasted and
where the flavors were right helpings
were made until they had quite an as
sortment. Some of the several brands
of chcmins gum were Hndisturbed
while liberal takings were made of
others. The thieves didn't forget the
snuff users and evidently were ac-
quainted with the favorite brands.
There is no telling how much of the
stock of goods would have been car
ried off if the enterprising thieves
had brought receptacles of some kind
with them. Evidently their pockets
were first well filled and after this
they began to look for something they
could fill and easily carry away what
they couldn't get into their pockets.
The cash drawer behind one of the
counters, which had been left open
purposely, was ransacked and from
this was taken a few pennies and a
counterfeit paper dollar. The thieves
then paid attention to the cash regis
register. The cash drawer of this
machine had been left open as was
the custom, so as not to tempt thieves
into breaking open the machine trying
to get inside of it. They found no
cash. but they did find a covering used
to cover the register to keep out the
dust. This being a light and easily
handled receptacle, the thieves filled
this and in it carted off the bulkier
articles of the stock they carried off.
Having laid in a supply of sweet and
juicy edibles and provided themselves
with the luxuries of the smoking room
the eyes of the musical loving mem
bers of the gang fell upon grapha'
phone which a customer had left in
the store to be called for. This temp
tation was too strong for the music
lover to leave behind, so he added
this musical instrument to the col
lection of booty.
Unfortunately for his acquired OIL
natural taste for martial operatic an6
ragtime music, the thief carted off &
dead instrument. 1t had been broker
in some way and could not turn ou
the strains with which he expected Il
delight his own ears and those of hi
male and feminine friends.
Anyhow, he carried it away, thu
musical instrument as an addition t.
the other loot. Whether this was di
vided among several or not, will no
be known until the looters are in tn
hands of the police and in the tolls o
the law.