Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-04-01
fRUSTRATES ATTEMPTS
TO ROB TWO BIG
SAFES
SEES ONE SPOTTER
MEN WORK COMBINATION ON
SAFES OF ILLINOIS LAUNDRY
BUT OBTAIN NO LOOT-uN-
ABLE TO WARN POLICE.

With the watchtul eye OF a spotter
taking scrulnizng survey Of her
store at intermittent intervals, Miss
Agnes Rigden, Columbus street ilot
list, was unable to reach the telephone
early Sunday morning to warn the
police that robbers were in the room
adjoining.
Kept a. her place oi business by the
expected arrival OF Easter flowers or
an early morning train Miss Risden
and her boy messenger, Harold Quinn.
We're practically kept prisoners while
the yesgmen worked, mo it is not be.
licved the burlars know that the flor.
ist and her assistant were In the
room next door. until the Quinn boy
turned on the water TO get a drink
just as Miss Rieden was calling The
lclicc.
The man who kept peeking into her
store was described by Miss Rigden
as being tall and slender She did
not obtain a good enough view OF his
face in the dark, TO be able to identi-
ft him in case he is captured The
rest of the gang remained hidden ana
were not exposed to the florists view
at any time.
Miss Rigden stated this Afternoon
that she was able to hear the men
WORKING with the safes of the laundry
and Standard Oil Company the lat
ter company having an office in the
laundry. She heard the bolts slide
and then her attention was attracted
thru the thin partition separating the
Two buildings, by the sound OF fling
Condition of the Two safes this
morning exploded any theory that the
men were drilling preparatory to dis
charging blast Fine metal dust OIL
the floor indicated they had been I'll.
ing, presumably making keys to tit
the inside doors OF the safe, behind
which the money is kept Both outer
doors of the safes had been ingenious.
~ opened The fact that the robbers
felt out the combinations is certain
proof they were expert at their jon.
The turning on of water apparently
frightened the party away, as few
minutes later an automobile. said to
resemble Moine.Kni light of recent
patterns drove up. From the lime the
automobile rounded the corner with
its occupants nothing more was, seen
nor heard Of the bandits.
The police arrived on the scene as
soon as Miss Rigden got her appeal
for help into central. Officers Monroe,
Cisco and Merchant Police Kilgore re.
sponded. but when they arrived at the
laundry the yegss disappeared.
Their trouble was all for naught, as
they obtained no loot from either the
cash register or the safes. They left
no clews which would aid in tracing
them
Miss Rigden estimates today that
she remained concealed from the spot
ter for two hours before she could get
to the telephone, which was in plain
view Of the window. to summon the
police. All that time she expected to
be detected and to hear a blast wreck
the safe.
She tried vainly to catch the NUM-.
Der Of the automobile. but in the dark
of the early morning could not read
the little tin plate on the back Of the
machine. She did not see the yesgs
enter or leave the building, but was
alarmed by the rafting OF the safe
bolts. 1t is believed the men gained
entrance to the laundry thru q sky.
LIGHT in the rear Of the building