Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-02-18
Butler Pores Over Pictures
in Vain Search for Like
ness of Thief Who Hood
winked Him and Stole
$4,000 Jewels.
Police Believe Criminal Is the
Same Man That Looted the
Richards Residence Near
Media, and Think He Must
Be New to This City.

william Young, butler for Mrs. Fred
.r,ck lost. of 1901 Pine street, hoodwinked
nv a burglar who stole $4,000 worth OF
isuels from the house, spent several
bours today poring over pictures In the
Ros1ies' Gallery at City Hall searching
for the likeness of the thief
Young finally gave UP the search after
hooking at nearly every picture in the
eollection. So far no clue to the identity
a. the man has been found, and the police
believe he is new to this city.
The circumstances surrounding the theft
have led the police to believe that the
burglar is the same man who last Satur-
day plundered the home of George r.
Richards. on the Red Bridge Farm road
near Media, OF $1,000.
Late this afternoon Mrs. Jost said that
the value of the missing Jewels was
$4,000 and that the original estimate of
10000 was incorrect. The jewels, she said,
had been in the family for generations.
The thief is described as about 35 years
old, 5 feet inches tall, Weighing about
1bO pounds of dark complexion and wear
ing a small mustache. He was we'll
dressed and of suave manner.
This description differs from that of
the man suspected of having entered the
Richards home only In that the latter was
described as tall and not wearing n mus
tache. BY STOPPING It would be easy for
the thief to make himself appear short.
the police say. The mustache may have
been false.
Although the burglar was not seen in
the Richards home, a man of interna-
tonal fame as a gentleman burglar" Is
being shadowed here as a suspect He
has been implicated In many such big
deals as the Jost and Richards robberies,
but has always managed to escape without
leaving positive clue behind him.
Mrs Jost was entertaining friends yes
terday afternoon when the man arrived.
He explained to the butler he was an "old
friend and did not care to disturb Mrs.
Jost. He asked for writing paper so he
could leave a note and when the butler
returned the friend" was missing.
Thinking nothing amiss, the servant went
on about his duty, believing the stranger
had grown tired of waiting and had left.
His striking appearance and easy manner
In conversing had convinced the butler
he was gentleman.
Servants were going freely about the
house and Mrs. Jost still was entertain
Ing while the man re-entered room after
room, picking up every piece of valuable
jewelry in sight. The robbery was not
discovered until o'clock last night. Then
Mrs, Jost found her bedrooms had been
ransacked, clothing strewn all over the
house and the jewel boxes emptled OF
only their valuable gems. None of the
servants noticed the untldy condition OF
the rooms or small articles of jewelry
lying about the floor.
The burglar left no clue. He evidently
wore gloves, for not a finger print was
left on any of the articles he touched
The police ssy he did his job well, took
as little time as possible and then, with
the suave manner that always wins in a
robbery, calmly walked from the house,
apparently free of capture, swinging his
cane as though he had attended a dinner
party In the Jost home.
Detectives have come to the conclusion
mat the man who did the Richards "job"
was veritable Jimmy Valentine" Only
such burglar would have had sufficient
nerve to make away with the Jost jewels.