The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-04-04
Police Seek Gray Haired Man
AS Perpetrator of Robbery in
Nolan Supply House Sunday

Dittmars. then Jacob Grubb's icwel-y
store roof Prom this roof they gained
entrance 20 the Portsmouth steel COM
pany tWhitaker-'ilessnerb office vim
placed there as a IRE escape.
TINS window they jimmied. From the
small ONCE they entered the larger one.
and jimmied the door that leads Into the
hall on the sixth noor. Then they went
down the stars TO the NTH floor. and
Jimrnicd the hrst door 70 the McI.ain
rooms. but could not enter there owing
10 cases hsNiug been placed 30 that A.
could not be opened. They then tried
locked with TWO double combination
locks. Finding IL could not b. tmmied.
they broke the large plate glass In the
ooor. and passed through into tho room.
ing Just how they worked.
Upset Telephone.
Entry TO the safe effected. they evil
Gently began looking around for some
thing TO dead-u the sound. Rugs ia
the Office Of McLain's were evidently
taken hrst. They then went TO the
TOOK large drugget. Il 80 happened
that small desk was la the center of
Tho drugFet; and upon IN desk was
a Bell telephone. IN moving the desk
they upset the telephone and jarrsd
learned yesterday that the central IN
ON the board about 1850 o'clock sun-
DAY night and tried To ring the Offices
hue failed IL II now supposed that
shortly after this telephone was upset.
Discovery Made.
Ihat robbery had been done was not
s 5Sieu w Sbsi, ,yi GISi0SN vet yeslerdsy
tanltor at the building. made his frst
rounds. lie found one safe door dang
ling loosely 10 the safe. and the 9th. q
lying about four feet away. The 70
lice were notified immediately and began
their work II was not Tong until they
as much a. the roDners had over sin
hours tho start OF them. with not a
visible clue LEFT behind other than a
dirty handkerchief
Night Waterman Downstairs.
An lutelllgenccr reporter visited the
store last night ana couverscd wiki
William steer. the night Waterman. H,
~aid mat he came 10 work on sunday
night about II o'clock. and made his
Erst rounds at that time. By reason
OF all thu offices being closed the SAM
bath hc did not have any work 10 keep
nim upstairs 30 ne pat IN has time on
uc tloorS downstairs. Mr.. steer said
that there were people on the floors
during the evening. and that Dr. J. W.
Storsr was in his oftics until n o'clock
From then until morning. he said. he did
did not see anyone going or coming. Ia.
sound
Knew Ground Well
The movements OF the robbers show
that they knew their ground well. From
the time they got upon the roof OF M,
Lukens building. however. until they
entered The Portsmouth Steel COMPANY
offices. their trail va Ia plain sight aud
thr window and fire escape into II Can
easily be seen from the street.
one OF the proprietors said last night
mat iurte weeks ago "A man about 50
years of axe came INFO the store tryiuE
tc sell notions. tie said he visited them
three or four times. and seemed To b.
very observing, taking ia the lay Of all
tn mixtures Ia the office.
lie said that the reason the robbers
had not obtained more loot was the fact
that their stock runs down al the emil
Of each month. and that this months 1r-
der was slow IN arriving To thu. alone
hc attributes the smalln"ss Of the loss
% il understood that the loss will be-
$500 90 gold, and S2r0 iu money.
All detectives are working on tho case
and hope before long Co clear Il vi. This
~ IA, first SAT, cracking Job since tine
Jucrgeus bakery safe was blown ana
the largest In the county since IN, safe
iu the First National Bank OF Elm
Grove was entered.