Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-01-07
BOLD YEGGEMEN
TRY TO CONCEAL !
CRIME BY FIRE
Burglarize Ransom CONNECTION
airy Store, Then Attempt to
Burn Down Building.
LOSS ESTIMATED AT 81, 900
bandits Pour and Light Kerosene in
Two Plaees-Abandon Structure
to Flames.

, Choosing en- hour in the dead OF
night when but few pedestrians are
upon the streets. and with a raging
snow storm concealing their move
ments, yeggmen about IL o'clock last
night stole upon the Robert Ransom
confectionery store, 300 Ninth street,
armed with burglar tools. matches ana
q gallon pail of kerosene, and after
ransacking the place, made all attempt
10 burn down the structure and thus
cover up the crime. The high wind
which swept the city effectually
muffled any sounds which were made
by the robbers, and working deliber-
stely the men pried open the cash
register for vaiuables, and then com
pletely ransacked the premises piling
mp huge pile Of swag. Setting fire
10 the building in two places. the
yeggmen abandoned the structure to
the raging flames which we're at that
time rapidly eating their way towards
the cen-er Of the store from both the
front and the rear.
LEAVE No CLEW.
The bandits then shouldered their
booty and stealing away under cover
OF darkness we're swallowed up by
the binding snow storm. leaving but
a single clew, the pail in which the
keroene was brought to the scene of
the burglary The authorities are at
a loss to ascertain the identity of the
criminals, and thus far no arrests have
been made, although the entire police
force is. on the qui vive to land the
men. who apparently are desperate
criminals and old timers at the game,
from the way in which the job was
pulled"
Shortly before 11:30 the attention
OF neigE bors was tracted to the con
fectioaary store by a red glow which
emanated from the rapidly burning
building. and when the fire depart
ment arrived on the scene, the flames
were making good headway Only
prompt work upon the part OF the
fremen saved the building and con
ten from total destruction Mr.
Ransom this morHing estimated his
loss az $1,000, and the proprietor has
no way Of determining accurately Just
what goods were stolen by the fire
bugs
WY OPEN DOOR.
The yeggHen could not have chosen
q better inc to carry out their vel
laid plans. The streets had been de
serted hours before. all pedestrians
having been driven indoors by the
blizzard which held the city in iti
grasp An entrance was effected by
pryIng open a window at the rear o.
fIc store. the ins 'rument used evi
IDENTIFY being a Jimmy. Once within
the place the bandits began a sys
tgmatiC search for valuables
Shelves were ransacked. stool
overturned and everything left in con
fusion. Having gotten all The swa!
which they desired the criminals theI
dumped kerosene under the soda foun
tain AT the front portion of the es
Enlistment. and on the cellar step
at he rear. Touching matches to tn
infammable liquid. they shoulders
their ill-gotten spoils and a momen
later were obliterated by the storm.
When the fremen had eXtinguishe
the blaze. a search OF the premise
disclosed a gallon pail in which tn
kerosene had been carried Mr.. Rar
son was reused from his slumbers a
20 minu es 10 II o'clock and upon &c
ing into the store, told the fireme
that the pail was not his and had neN