The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1914-01-07
TRICKY BURGLARS
Quick Of Wit and Full Of Resource
In Time Of Danger.
DARING IN EvADING CAPTURE.
Ingenious Schemes Used by House.
breakers, When Detected In the Act
Of Robbery, to Battle Their Pursuers
and Escape the Clutches Of the Law.

! breakers, When Detected In the Act
Of Robbery, to Battle Their Pursuers
and Escape the Clutches Of the Law.
The wise burglar considers not only
how he may enter. but also how he
may escape. He has the whole thing
planned out before embarking on his
venture. and nothing is left TO chance.
when he is at work in room he
usually locks the door on the inside. or
II there is no lock he simply props a
chair with its back hard under the
door handle. thus making it quite i'm
possible for any one to come In upon
him Unexpectedly.
Sometimes his ordinary precautions
fail. and he Is driven to take others on
the spur Of the moment. These are Of
ten of the most extraordinary charac-
ter and may end in doing serious dam
age to life and property.
An instance i'm point occurred not
long ago at Hopwood, near Redditch.
A bridesmaids wife was alone in the
house at night when she was aroused
by a creaking sound. Opening her
eyes, she saw a rough looking man in
the room. Evidently he knew his way
about, for he tiptoed to a chest of
drawers and took out small cash box
which held "A sum of about $T5. With
great presence of mind the lady re-
Trained from screaming She waited
until the man was out of the room,
then sprang up and hastily put on a
dressing gown.
Then she ran out. but on gaining the
top Of the stairs was met by a blaze
of flame. The thief. who had evident
ly heard her get out Of bed. had snatch
ed up pile of newspapers in the pas
sage below and. heaping them on the
stairs, set fire to them.
1t was impossible to pass the barrier
of fire, and, though fortunately help
came in time to put the flames out. the
burglar got clean away.
Even more cunning was the ruse Of
a thief who raided house on Woburn
street, London. The tenant hearing a
noise outside his bedroom door. jump
ed up and discovered that his watch
and chain were missing. Without wait
ing to put on slippers he bolted down
stairs and was just in time to see the
thief rush out Of the front door. He
gave chase. The thief glanced around.
saw that his pursuer was barefooted
and. taking bottle from his pocket,
flung it forcibly down upon the pave
ment i'm front of the other.
The householder naturally pulled up
short. just in time to save his feet,
while the burglar. turning sharply
down side alley. disappeared from
view.
The latter case calls to mind one
which happened in Davenport or. rath-
er, in Stoke. which is the residential
suburb Of that town. A naval officer
was aroused about 3 a. IN. on winter
morning by hearing a slight clatter
He picked up a sword
and went down and located the sound |
as having come from the dining room.
There was good deal Of silver |
there. and he at once made up bis
mind that burglars were after 1t. He
tried the door, but found 1t fastened
from the inside, so went out Of the
front door and rushed around to the
But the thieves had foreseen this
maneuver. As he reached 1t one of
them flung handful Of pepper into his
face. and as he reeled back, chOked
and half blinded. they both jumped out
and took to their heels.
One of the smartest tricks ever play
I'd by burglar was In house in the
suburbs Of Worcester. The man broke
IN at night and. after packing up some
silver below. ventured upstairs to see
what he could find. The master OF the
house spotted him and called his son.
They located Mr.. Sykes in first
i0or front room. His shadow was
plainly visible on the blind, outlined
by candle or lantern.
The father kept watch outside in the
'ront, while the son went for police
nan. When he returned with the Of
lcer the shadow was still plainly visi-
lie. But when they went up and en-
cred the room. behold there was moth
ng but an effigy made with pillows
md a suit OF clothes.
The intruder. seeing that he had been
discovered. had rapidly constructed
his to personate himself and had then
feared or by means Of a rope hanging
rom a back bedroom window.-Pear-
pms Weekly.