The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-09-20
DISCR|MINATIVE
HOUSE THIEVES
RIFLE ENTIRE CONTENTS AND
SELECT THE BEST.
NO PLATED JEWELRY WANTED
Adjoining Homes Of Superintendent
Fox and Dr.. WindIe are Visited
While the Folks are Away
Early in Evening.

Two Oskaloosa homes, Charles j.
Fox, S25 High avenue East, and DR..
William S. Windle, S27 High avenue
East, were burglarized between seven
end nine o'clock last evening and jew
elry worth about $3.50 was stolen. At
both the Fox and the Windle dwell
ings only solid gold pieces and val
liable jewels and watches were taken.
Silverware and money was overlooked
and gold plated jewelry was ignored.
In each home the search for valuable
pieces was thorough and few hiding
places were overlooked. Drawers were
drawn from dressing tables, cabinets
and bureaus and rifled and pocket
books and purses were ransacked and
thrown upon the floor. During the hunt
for valuables, window curtains and
shades had been drawn and the work
carried on quietly. That the vandals
meant business was shown by the
theft of loaded automatic revolver
from the Windle home. Here also were
several handfuls of cigars stolen.
Done Early in the Evening.
Mr.. and Mrs. Fox and daughter,
Miss Martha, and DR.. and Mrs. Windle
and daughter, were absent from home
during the evening, attending the Lyr-
IL theatre. Mrs. Fox who drove direct
ly home from the movie was first to
discover the theft, and when her hus-
band and daughter arrived was stand
ing dazed in the lighted hallway. A
hurried search revealed the nature
Of the nighI visit, and Mr.. Fox called
the police department. Chief of police
Lawrence and Policeman Wilson came
In the patrol and had examined the
house and begun search on the out
SIDE when DR.. Windle informed them
of the burglary of his home. Here
the same marks of robbery were in
evidence.
Entrance lad been. gained to the
Windle home through west window.
A screen had been removed. Before
beginning the search all shades had
been drawn and the theft carried on
without light.
DR.. Windle suffered the greatest
loss. Jewelry stolen from his residence
was valued at over $3.50 Two diamond
rings alone were worth almost 5000.
An opal ring was missing, and hand
some gold watch and chain were TAX
en-. Also a valuable bracelet and an
old fashioned gold chain necklace are
not to be found. The automatic re-
yolver was of some value, eslr ..
Thieves are Discriminative.
More care in the selection of jewels
ry was shown at the Fox place, where
plated pieces were untouched, and a
large roll of bills in one purse was not
taken. Three gold rings and four pins
were the burglars booty from this
home. Among the stolen articles were
a gold pin and ear rings with beauti-
full coral settings, a gift to Mrs. Fox
from a sister who has long been dead.
The search extended to all rooms
of the homes In bed chambers draw
ers were drawn from dressing tables
and bureaus and the contents scatter
cd about the floor. Bed coverings were
torn from their place. A gold watch
was smissed in the hunt through the
coverings of Miss Fox's bed. Bad taste
was however shown in the Fox home,
where money was ignored. Here a
basket containing some fifty or sixty
pennies was stolen.
OF the two diamond rings stolen
from the Windle home, one solitaire
cost DR.. Windle $S5 about fifteen years
ago, and the other ring with twin
jewels was worth over 500.
Other houses along the newly dis
covered gold coast" in Oskaloosa
were notified of the burglary and a
thorough search conducted. Only the
two adjoining dwellings suffered from
callers last evening.
The local police suspect number
of escaped prisoners who broke Jail
at Peoria, Ills, several nights ago and
were reported headed this way. A look.
out has been kept for these fugitives
who are now blamed for the robbery.