The Washington times., 1911-11-22
LEFT TIED TO CHAIR |
BY BURGLAR, WOMAN .
SAVES $3.50 IN BILLS
Had Premonition of Thief,
Mrs. Lacy Says, and Hid
Money in Oven.

Bound to a chair by masked
burglar, Mrs. Alice Lacy was found
early this morning by her husband,
William H. Lacy, in the kitchen of
their home, lila Bladensburg road
northeast. A premonition that a thief
would get into the house prevented the
burglar from obtaining $3.50 In bills
which 1t is belieyed he knew Mr.. Lacy
had left at home.
On November b the Lacy home, a
big frame structure, was entered and
revolver stolen.
A revolver believed to be the one
stolen from Mr.. Lacy was recovered
from pawnshop where 1t had been
pawned by James Smith. the suspect
held In the Mickle murder case.
Mrs. Lacy was alone in the home last
evening, when she had premonition,
she said, tnat burglars were going to
get Into the house. Before going out,
her husband, master bricklayer, had
given her $3.50 in bills to take charge
Of during his absence. Shortly after
Lacy had neglected to lock, was opened
and a masked burglar stepped into the
hallway.
Thought It Was Husband. D.
Mrs. Lacy was sitting in the front
room on the first floor, and Thought
when the door opened that 1t was her
husband. When he did not speak. she
looked up and saw the masked man.
Becoming hysterical, she was about to
scream for help, when the man grabbed
her by the arms and told her he would
kill her IL she made an outcry.
He then dragged her back into the
kitchen, where he placed her in a chair
and bound her hand and foot with a
ball of heavy wrapping twine. He also
put a gag in her mouth. The man ran
sacked every room on the first floor and
also went through some Of the rooms on
the upper floors. remaining in the house
about an hour.
The money, however, he did not find.
as Mrs. Lacey had hidden 1t In the oven
in the kitchen half an hour before
The burglar had only been gone very
few minutes when Mr.. Lacey returned
homo and found his wife bound to the
chair. He cut the strings that held
her arms and legs and took the gag
from her mouth. AS soon as he heard
her story he notified police Of the Ninth
precinct. and by midnight q general
alarm had been sent out for the man.
Several suspects were rounded UP, but
as Mrs. Lacey could not identify any
OF them they were all released.
Lacy's Theory.
Mr.. Lacy told the police that he be-
lieved the burglar was one Of crowd Of
men who were In saloon in H street
northeast, about o'clock last night.
He stopped in the bar a few minutes
and met an acquaintance. to whom he
explained that he had some business to
attend to downtown, but he wanted to
get back early as he had left his wife
. home alone. He also mentioned the
fact. he says, that there was $3.50 In
the house, and he believes the remark
Mrs. Lacy says that she can identity
her assailant. She says he is the same
man who made an unsuccessful attempt
to get In the house about four weeks
ago. when she was alone. Hearing All
on the first floor, Mrs. Lacy discovered
. young white man in the act of fore
ing his way into the house. When he
saw her he jumped down from the win
dow and ran out Of the yard. 3.
Colored Men Suspected.
Two cclored men who were seen
lettering around the house were sus-
pected Of stealing the revolver, which
n believed to be the same one pawned
by Smith. although the Identification
has not been made complete because of
q blur On the number OF the w.aron.
Smith asserts that he bought the re-
vol> er in a secondhand shop and two
days later pawned it. The police are in
vestigating his story today.
Although the mar who go. in the
Lacy home last night had a mask over
his face, Mrs. Lacy says she saw
enough Of his face to know he was n
white man. He was about five feet
eight inches tall, and weighed about
17C pounds. He were a suit OF dark
clothes and had on u gray cap.