The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-06-10
Officer Hebble Surprises
Three Burglars Working
on Interurban Station Safe
Early Today.
OFFICERS BULLETS
DIDN'T HALT THEM
Patrolmen in an Auto Nearly
Run Over Suitcase Con-
tanning Nitro that the Rob-
bers Dropped.

The opportune arrival of Patrolman
Harry Hebble late last night at the In
terurban station, where he was 10 re-
port at 1:30, frustrated what would
have been one of the boldest robberies
in this section of the country IN years.
Three burglars, equipped TO the minut-
est degree with tools OF their calling,
had been at work On the safe at the
interurban station for some time, and
in ten more minutes would have forced
off the lock on the outside door and
been ready TO force the inside door and
secure about $500 in cash. The men
hearing the officer enter the building,
escaped down an alley in the rear of
the station. Hebble pursued them,
shooting three times at the three flee
ing forms. At the third shot one of
the men called out as If in pain and
shortly afterward momentarily stopped
and set down suit case he was carry
ing. The suit case contained the most
perfect set of burglar tools ever seen
here. All the men escaped and have
not been found. The police have no
clue as to their identity.
Aroused His Suspicion.
Hebble walking south on South
Eighth street to the interurban station
early this morning about 1870 heard a
slight noise apparently coming from
either the interurban station or the
laundry to the north. A narrow pas
sageway runs between the two build
ings. He stepped into this and could
hear men walking about inside the
rear room of the interurban station. He
softly opened the front door. Hurried
footsteps greeted his ears. He ran out
to the front of the building then and
peered down the passageway. He
heard the men running south in the al
ley in the rear of the station. Then ran
back to the alley in time to see three
men going at top speed south toward
A street. He drew his revolver and
fired twice, which only served TO ac-
celerate the speed of the fugitives
The third time he shot one of the men
called out in pain. Then the man stop
ped for second. between A and B
streets in the alley, and set down a
big black suitcase. after which he
started out again on dead run. Heb
BILE being unable to catch up with the
fleeing men, who turned west at South
B streets and scattered, sent in a hur-
ry call for help.
Officers Wenger and Hirschfeld res
ponded in an automobile. They picked
up Hebble. Running through the alley
they nearly passed over the suitcase,
which. investigation disclosed. contain
ed a pint of nitroglycerine. enough to
have blown the entife party to infini-
tesimal pieces.
Little Heard Shots.
Officer Little, near South Fourth
and B streets heard the shots He call
ed up headquarters and was informed
of the trouble. Shortly afterwards he
yard at South Fourth and B streets,
rapidly making their way west He
followed the men but could not find
any trace of them except that they
went west through several yards, the
gates of which We're standing open
This was the last seen of the thieves.
The burglars. investigation by Police
Chief Gormon disclosed, gained access
TO the interurban station by Jimmy
ing" a side window in the passageway
in the north side of the station open
ing into the rear room directly at the
side of the safe.
There they drilled hole to one side
of the combination through the heavy
steel door. A Taper made threads in
the hole. and then with a heavy lag
screw the lock, by the pressure
brought on il by the screw. was being
gradually forced off the door. when
the thieves We're interrupted by Heb
BILE. The one hole not being enough the
men had started another. drilling this
hole nearly through the door when the
alarm of cops" stopped them.
An expert locksmith took off the
safe combination this morning He
stated the men. at the rate they We're
progressing, would have secured en-
trance in about ten minutes more
Once through the outer door. a set OF
ten skeleton keys, perfect examples Of
this illegitimate art. would easily have
enabled the men TO have entered the
small steel door and to have secured
the~ss00 in cash within the safe