The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-07-21
Yeggmen Attacked Coon's
Store and Postofiice at
Castleton Corners
WERE DRIVEN AWAY
BEFORE TAKING ALL
Members of Household Liv,
ing Upstairs Awakened
by the Explosions

Castleton, July PA burglary which
has all OF the earmarks of professional
ism was committed at 2 o'clock yester
day morning at the general store of l., +
Coon in Castleton Corners when two mer
entered the place by means OF a window
blew open the safe which was used in
connection with the postotiice in the
same building and stole about 5000 in
stamps and cash. They also carried
away many valuable papers belonging to
Mr.. Coon as well as large number OF
money order blanks. The yeggmen
missed about $3.50 in money which was
right under their fingers, and they
dropped, in their fight, a pocketbook
containing $40. All of the stolen valu-
ables, with the exception of about S25, is
the property of the United States gov.
eminent.
The two thieves were seen by members
of the Coon household and fairly good
description was obtained of them.
The building in which the store is To-
Gated and in which c. j. Coon, son of the
merchant, conducts the postoflice, is also
used as dwelling by the Coon family,
some of the rooms being on the same
floor as the sslesroom and others above
it. Mrs. G. L. 0akman of Rutland, a
daughter of L. f. Coon, and her husband,
were visiting Mr.. Coon Thursday night
and it was the Rutland people who first
became aware of the presence of the un-
welcome visitors in the house, both hav-
ing been awakened by the two explosions
which occurred.
Rousing Mr.. Coon, who slept directly
over where the safe was, they hurried
downstairs, as did the merchant. Mr.
Oakman switched on the electric lights
as he went to the lower floor and their
glare frightened the yeggs, who made a
hasty exit through the rear of the build,
ing. They went towards the barn, back
OF the house, and disappeared in south
erly direction. Mr.. Oakman was within
eight feet of one of the burglars as he
ran. The Rutland man describes the
crooks as smooth faced men of perhaps
35 years of age. One of them wore khaki
trousers and had no coat. The other
wore dark clothes.
There is door permitting communica
ton with the store from the household |
apartments by means of the kitchen, but |
the yeggs had taken care that there was |
no danger to them from this source, hav- |
ing barricaded the door with an ironing |
board and refrigerator SO that it could |
not be opened. This left the front door
as the only means of exit for the family |
and insured the safecraekers comparative
safety in their operations, as the window
from which they gained entrance by
merely cutting a wire screen was in the
rear of the store. The window had been
left open the previous night.
The thieves took from the principal
of the safe postage stamps to
The value of about $500 and about SITS
n cash which belongs to the postoffice
department. A small iron box which
hey extracted and the contents OF which
hey probably did not know contained
= F. Coon's deeds, insurance policies and
,ther papers.
In the safe was a cigar box contain
ng about $3.50 in bills belonging to Mr..
1oon. This was blown out of the safe
W the explosion. The money in it was
overed with debris, however, and the
hieves did not see the cash They took
Is from cash drawer and the pocket
'ook referred to above but overlooked a !
econd cash drawer in which there was
ONE $50. A few feet away in desk
rawer, which was unlocked, was 5000 in
ills, belonging to Mr.. Coon, which was
Eft behind.
A watch and few other articles were !
AIKEN from the kitchen
There are various coniectures as to I
he manner of the escape of the burglars,
ut the consensus of opinion is that they ?
ook motor car, as tracks where a 5
iachine had been left standing were n
zen in the highway leading to Fair Ha-
en- and a short distance from the store v
uilding. Another story is that ma c
nine rushed past the store a few min d
ties after the discovery OF the burglary. c
Ding in the direction taken by the yegg-
ZEN. q