The Detroit times., 1911-09-02
.GRAPPLES Wit h
''PROWLER" BUT
CAN I HOLD HIM
Casper Smith Seizes Midnight Ma
rauder As He Climbs Through
Window Of Homo But Eel
low Tears Self Free.
Detected Prowling About Two Other
Houses Big Man With Dark
Suit and Straw Hat.

The "prowler," who has been fright
ening young women and girls by enter
ing their boudoirs through windows at
night. almost succeeded in getting
into one home. and was detected
prowling about two others, all within
two blocks. on Sheridan-ave. between
Champlain-st and Jefferson-ave., FRI
day night and early Saturday morn
ing. In each OF the three homes .
young woman occupied room on the
ground floor.
The man was discovered by Casper
Smith, No. 1877 Sheridan.ave., balanc-
ed on the window sill OF the room
which he and Mrs. Smith were occu-
pying, about o'clock Saturday morn.
Ing. He was just about to jump into
the room when Smith made q rush at
him. He grabbed the prowier, but
could not hang on, and the man got
away.
Mrs. Smith screamed when she
awoke and her cries awakened Ferdi-
nand Kaiser, a policeman living next
door to the Smiths. Kaiser grabbed
bis revolver and went out to see what
the trouble was. He saw. man run
ming away, but In the darkness could
not tell whether II was the ''prowler"
or Mr.. Smith, and he didn't dare fire.
The flying squadron and a motorcycle
policeman were called and responded
promptly, but could find no trace of
the man.
On account OF the darkness, no one
was able to get good view OF the
man, but 1t was seen that he was a
big. heavy fellow and wore a straw
hat. He had evidently been looking
for Miss Mildred Smith. whose room
ID near that Of her parents.
The man-had been seen wandering
about the neighborhood since IL
o'clock Friday night About midnight
he peeked into the bedroom OF Miss
Helen Mr burke, no. 174 Sheridan-avs.
The footprints Of a big man could be
seen In the soft sand between the
Burke home and that next door, sat
urday morning. The "prowler" was
frightened away by James Burke, Miss
Burkes father.
The man also prowled about the
home Of James w. Conner. No. 119
Sheridan-ave., II was reported, but
was frightened away from there. A
daughter, Miss Lila Conner, who Is
about 20 years old, had gone to
theater In the venfng and returned
late at night. The man was no doubt
attracted by the light In the room
but the windows Of the ground floor
OF the house are eight feet from the
ground and he had little chance Of en-
tening the place.
Mrs. Smith and her daughter, Mil
dred, when seen In their home by a
Times reporter, Saturday morning,
said they had nothing to say Of the
incident. They were laughing about
IL and did not seem to be as badly
frightened as other whose homes have
been entered.
Although both mother and daugh-
ter positively refused to tell the story
of the ''prowler," they let II be known
that this Ia their second experience.
About two weeks ago man was
caught peeking into Miss Mildred's
room. Since that time she has slept
with her window securely fastened
and the shades drawn. Besides Mr..
anu mTb. 0mltH anu Iue uhubuJeIp u
son, Donzel, sleeps In the house.
Mrs. Burke, from whose home the
'prowler" was first frightened away,
was the only one to obtain a good
view Of the man.
He was big fellow In q dark suit
and wore a straw hat said Mrs.
Burke. II noticed him go past the
house several times from IL o'clock
on, and every time he stopped In front
of our home for a minute. My hus-
band and I were watching him from
the front windows.
"Once when he went past Mr..
Burke drew him arm back quickly to
draw the curtain and vase that was
standing on a table fell to the floor
with a crash. The man heard IL and
ran 10 the other side OF the street.
"I refused to go to bed and sat In
our sitting room with the light on.
The light shone through my
daughters room and I suppose that it
was that that attracted him to the
room"