The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-10-16
HOUSEBREAKERS
GET RICH HAUL
At HOUCK HOME
Jewelry Valued AT $1,000
Taken By Bold
Burglars
ENTIRE RESIDENCE
WAS RANSACKED
Thieves Took Only Jewelry
And Clothing; Make
Getaway

Gaining an entrance by prying open
a window on the south side of the
back parIor at the home Of Judge Lew
is 3. Houek on North Main street
sometime early Friday morning, thief
or thieves made hurried run through
the drawers Of tables and other recep-
tacles which might contain vaIuabIes,
securing jewelry and clothes said to
amount to about $1,000.
Judge Ho1ck was in Newark at the
time of the robbery and Mrs. Houck
and her infant son were the only ones
in the house Mrs Houck spent
Thursday in Columbus and it is
thought by Judge lIouck and the police
that some professional was attracted
by the brilliance of diamond brooch
which was given to Mrs. Houck within
the past few months and which held
five good sized diamonds, and accord
ingly followed her to her home and
then broke in during the early hours
Of the morning.
The robbery was first discovered
Friday morning about o'clock when
Mrs. Houck became restless and
awoke. Hearing shutter on one of
the windows banging against the
house, she descended the stairs and
found a door open, probably fixed so
by the thieves that speedy egress
t.hN l. l.. H.,
HOUSE RANSACkED
Then Mrs. flouck noticed the win
dow open about Is inches. She called
Chief Parker at once and then noti-
fled her husband by long distance tel
ephone. Judge Houck arrived here on
the morning train.
1t was found that no silverware had
been taken although the drawers con
tanning 1t had been opened, as well as
others which contained things of no
great value.
Not finding anything of value down
stairs. the thief probably proceeded
upstairs and entered Mrs. Houck's
dressing room where things were
thrown about the room in confusion
and where number of drawers in
stands and tables had been left open,
their contents looted
A further examination of the rooms
visited by the robber showed that no
clothes belonging to Mrs. Houck or
the child had been stolen. A pocket
book which Mrs Houck had taken to
Columbus with her and which contain
/ ed about $50 in money was untouched,
az she had taken it into her own
| room. Among the things which are
known to have been stolen is the large
diamond brooch which Judge lIouck
| believes took the eye" of the robber,
and several rings which were quite
/ valuable.
SUSPECT PROFESSIONAL
; One phase of the robbery that
r makes Judge Houck believe that the
, robber was not local man but "a pro
= fessional thief and housebreaker, was
that in the alley at the rear of the
from common handbag which Mrs.
iIouck carries about town with mis-
cellaneous things In it We're found and
thrown away as things of no value.
"lie knew just what he wanted and
what everything was that he saw as
soon as he placed his eyes on 1t. That
is what makes me accept the theory
. that he was a professional, or at least
one who has had experience in robbing
houses" said Judge Houck Friday
morning after an examination of his
home.
TAKES oVERCOAT
A coat belonging to Mrs. HouCk was
found in the hall where the robber
} had dropped 1t after removing II from
"A dress.box upstairs. Probably discov-
erjuC u to he a woman's coat when he
got II in the light, he dig 5arded it and
hastily snatched Judge Houcks over
coat from the hall-rack. That and IA
suit OF clothes we're the only articles
Of clothing taken.
From the scattered bits OF paper and
small trinkets taken from Mrs, Houck s
handbag the thief was traced down the
back alley and to Chestnut street, but
the heavy rain in the night and the
/, leaving off of the tell-tale paper had
). obliterated all further clews as to
d which way he had gone.
While searching about the outskirts