Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-15
MYSTERIOUS BURGLAR
CAUSES NIGHT ALARMS
IN WEST PHILADELPHIA
Residents Engage in Bloodless
Battle With Elusive Thief.
Frightened Janitor Sole
Prisoner
POLICE JOIN IN WAR
Vigilance Committee Turns Out in
Force and Seek Peering Face
and Elusive Feet

The mysterious burglar" OF West Phil
adelphla was uncovered for n brief mo-
fnent last night. He robbed four houses
IN the section between 49th and 50th and
Walnut and Chestnut streets, during the
two previous nights The thief" or who
ever he was, was discovered last night
By the Vigilance Committee that has been
formed for protection. The mysterious
burglars" white face was seen. There
was a fulllsade. of shots. The face dis
appeared and the burglar is still at large
today.
After the first robbery, Monday night.
the Vigilance Committee was formed. with
DR.. Lifwood L. RICHTER, 1924 Chestnut
street, as "chief." Every member of the
committee Is pledged to sit up all night,
each In turn. to be ready to spread the
alarm in case the mysterious burglar is
seen prowling about. Last night is was
the turn Of "Chief' Fighter Just before
dawn, a scared and trembling voice on
the phone ,iinplored the chief to rouse
his band. -.
Hes out on the tennis court" whis-
pered the voice Hurry up" Doctor
Fighter buckled on his trusty Al, and,
with n companion, dashed to the tennis
court used by the section II is below 50th
street, between Chestnut and Walnut
streets. Before they got there they heard
shots on Walnut street: then In the rain
and fog on Chestnut street they saw three
thing" Mysterious footsteps running
somewhere" and faint shouts sounded
somewhere else"
When Doctor Fighter and his COM
panfon came to the tennis court they saw
: man scaling fence. They opened fire
on him. Some one else shot at him from
the window. He disappeared. A little
later shots, n couple of blocks away,
rang out. Scared faces appeared all along
the block as lights flashed on. Minute
mdn" of the Vigilance Committee ap-
peared scantily clad. But the only "cul-
prit"' uncovered was colored janitor, who
was fattened out on a porch. He was as
white as a sheet.
'Lawdy Lawdy," he chartered, "Ah-h-h
though All was a g-goner, shuah." He
had $40, and thought all the shooting was
an attempt to make him surrender his
roll While the Vigilance Committee were
shaking the janitor into conference, sew
eral more shots sounded a few blocks
away. Some one" was heard running
but after that the committee could hear
nothing but the gentle patter Of the rain
drops.
< Policeman Mcmillan. Of the 32d street
and Woodland avenue station was found
and said he had fired the last shots He
said he heard a soft whistle in an alley at
SD street and Chester avenue. Two men
stepped out from behind bulk window
and Joined another man. The three then
fled. A detail of police clattered up to the
scene of the excitement in a patrol, but a
thorough search failed TO uncover any
suspicious character.
Only one man is thought to be respons-
ible for the thefts that have stirred the
nelghborhood. He robbed the home of
Mrs. H, L. Fehr, 4922 Chestnut street,
and the house next door Of Mrs. d. F.
Duer. 1924 Chestnut street He also
robbed the home of NJ Seissert 24S
South Farragut terrace, and that of DR..
Linwood l.. Fighter the head viglanteur.
At the home of the latter he took 100
grains of cocaine From this latter fact
the man Is thought to be a cocaine fiend.
= He was heard walking around in Doctor
Fighters house, but every one thought he
was some other member OF the family. He
even went to the bathroom, let the water
run. and Is thought to have taken an in
section OF dope" there. The dope" ten
dsncies OF the mysterious burglar make
him all the more dangerous the police say, |
for he probably does not care what he
does
- Two hardware dealers in the immediate
neighborhood said today that they COM
pletely sold out their supply of revolvers
20 residents yesterday. Even shotgunS
are now In demand.