The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-08-15
GOODS Stolen II
YEARS RECOVERED
ROBBERY OCCURRED ONE SUM-
DAY AFTERNOON IN AUGUST
IN THE YEAR 1898.

Grand Forks, N. D., Aug. 15.-An-
other very queer freak has been
brought to light by the Identification of
a part Of the valuable jewelry recently
unearthed by Ira Mason. an employee
of the Tri- State Telephone Co., while
digging an excavation IN the rear of
the Logan buffet in East Grand Forks.
The jewelry has been positively iden-
titled by Thomas Porte, the optician,
as some that was stolen from his
home seventeen years ago this sum-
mer.
Desiring to ascertain theI actual
value of his find, Mr.. Mason, who un-
earthed the robbers cache, asked Mr..
Porte for his opinion as to the worth
of one of the pins. Naturally the lat
ter was almost taken off his feet when
he Immediately recognized the pin
as one Of the articles of jewelry stol-
en- from his home many years ago.
Without asking to see the remainder
Of the find, Mr.. Porte accurately de-
sCribed the articles which were stol-
en- from his home, and the descrip-
ton tailed perfectly with a num-
Der of the pieces found by Mr.. Ma
son. The pin which is set with a
number Of pearls and diamonds, three
rings and a watch and chain are the
articles recognized as those which be-
longed to Mr.. and Mrs. Porte. Other
articles Of jewelry contained in the
lot were probably secured elsewhere
and three rings and some brooches
which were stolen from Mr.. and Mrs.
Porte at the time the other articles
were taken, are not included in the
lot that was found.
Buried Seventeen Years.
Mr. Porte stated this morning that
the jewelry was stolen from his home
one Sunday afternoon in August sew
enteen years ago and in all proba-
biltty the articles have been buried
ever since although they are still
just as bright as new.
On one Sunday in question Mr.. and
Mrs. Porte attended an Epworth
league meeting just after dusk and
upon returning home found that
thief had entered the house through
an upstairs window, had ransaeked
the dresser drawers and had secured
the jewelry, which was contained in
a jewel case. The police were at once
notified and informed Mr.. Porte that
three similar complaints had been reg
istered that same day, which indicated
that the robbers had been working the
town pretty generally.
The Porte home was at that time
located at the corner of Belmont and
Fourth avenues, where the Lutheran
Synod church now stands, and an Ed
wards boy, residing next door, told
how he had seen a man descend from
tie second floor to the ground by
means of, the front porch while Mr..
and Mrs. Porte were away. However,
thinking The man was merely looking
over the property and not suspect
ing robbery at that time of the day,
he paid no particular attention to the
incident. Later three men were round
ed up by the police, but the young
man was unable to identify any Of
them and they were released.
Find Was Accidental.
The nature of the discovery of what
appears to have been robbers cache
in East Grand Forks a few weeks ago
is still fresh in the minds of readers
Of The Times. Ira Mason was en-
ployed IN digging trench in con-
nection with the installation of the
Tri-State Telephone Co.'s system in
East Grand Forks. About o'clock
he turned over spade full of val
uables and further search revealed the
fact that more jewelry was buried
there. At the time there was great
deal of speculation as to who buried
the valuables and how long they had
been underground but nothing in the
way of Identification was brought
about until Mr.. Porte recognized his
diamond pin.
Fortunately the valuables fell into
honest hands and Mr. Porte is re5oic-
ing over the recovery Of his property,
which is naturally Invaluable now ow-
ing TO the associations connected with
1t.