South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-12-16
ROBBERY
IN RECENT YEARS
Maxwell and SWanger Hard
ware Stores Scene of Bold
RobberieS in Broad Daylight
Chicken Thieves Busy.

Positively the boldest daylight rob-
berry ever committed in Mishawaka
occurred Monday at high noon when
the Maxwell hardware store was rob-
bed OF over 500 in national currency
and about $50 in checks. No clue
is being held by the police as the rob-
berry was not discovered by Mr.. Max
well for nearly two hours after it had
occurred.
Under pretense OF buying a sled for
his son, we'll dressed man drew the
attention Of Mr.. Maxwell from the
store to the outside while his partner
entered the building from a side door
and cleaned the safe of its contents.
As the men visited the store during
the noon hour when the clerks were
out to dinner, Mr.. Maxwell was alone
one inside. He claimed Monday
evening that -e suspected something
wrong by the actions of his customer
outside, who compelled him to remove
SledS from their racks and who took
considerable time in Pricing. The
man outside, according to Maxwell
continually watched the inside of the
Sill anu IL ID luOu6Hl that witch Tic
man at the safe gave the high sign
he left, stating that he would rather
leave the selection of a sled to his son.
AS Mr.. Maxwell entered the store he
met the other thief leaving the build
ing. He claimed that he had not time
TO wait and stated that he would re-
turn after having lunch. Here again
Mr.. Maxwell thought something
wrong, as 1T struck him as odd that
the man could have entered without
him noticing him.
Several other cheScks amounting 10
several hundred dollars, were left in
the safe and were not taken, as 1t IS
thought the man was interrupted by
the entrance of one OF the clerks re-
turning from dinner by back door.
When the clerk entered the front OF
the store he saw the man leaving but
thought that he had been waited on
and suspected nothing wrong.
Mr.. Maxwell after entering the store
secured his overcoat and left for din
ner and did not return for nearly two
hours After returning he went to the
safe intending to bank the money
which was in the safe. It was then
that he discovered the loss and he at
once notified the police, who are work
ing on thecase. The money drawer
was found under the safe where IL
had been thrown after having been
rifled.
Swanger Also Robbed.
On the same afternoon as the Max
we'll robbery, parties entered the j. Q.
Swanger hardware store and stole
tools valued at over $50 from the
counter, where they had been placed
by clerks. The r0bberieS were COM
mitted at the same time. While one
of the clerks was at the rear of the
store waiting on customer, the theft
was made. The discovery OF the loss
of the tools was not made until sew
eral hours afterward. The police were
called but no clues have yet been es-
tablished.
HenhouSe Robbed.
Chicken thieves visited the hen
coops Of Z. J. Opelt, S25 +. Joseph ST,
Monday, and stole several valuable
hens. The thieves were kind enough
to leave three old hens and few half
grown ones for a start next season.
The chickens were killed In 'front.' OF
the coops as their heads were found
a few feet from the henhouse The
police were notified and trailed the
thieves for several blocks by the drip
pings of blood on the sidewalk, but
lost the trail.