Putnam patriot., 1919-11-21
BLOW OPEN SAFE
in POST OFFICE,
Burglars Unmolested Enter the
Bosworth Store at East
Woodstock
Smash Plate Glass Window and Up
set Store, But Village Sleeps On

Nitroglyeerine applied through
hole bored in the top of the safe in
the East Woodstock postoffice, located
in Bosworth's general store in that
town, on Saturday night, wrecked one
corner of the store and permitted
burglars to escape with nearly two
hundred dollars in cash, war savings
stamps and postal goods,-all done
under the cover of the darkness and
without arousing single townsman
from the calm Of his pre-Sabbath
slumber.
The burglary stands as one Of the
most daring and successful which has
been accomplished in Windham coun-
ty in many months, for the robbers
accomplished their every purpose. evil
IDENTIFY at their leisure and without
leaving a single trace of identity.
| Wendell Bosworth, postmaster, re-
| manned in his store until $50 o'clock
Saturday evening, an hour somewhat
later than he is accustomed to keep
open. The last customer gone, he ar
ranged all of his postal supplies in the
safe. together with about $500 In
cash. and then departed for the night
The safe is located near the front of
the store Just within large bow
| window.
Early Sunday morning, a man liv-
ing near the store, which is located
directly opposite the Congregational
church and somewhat back from the
road, came excite6ly to Mr.. Bos-
worth,s house with the news that the
store had been entered, the big plate
glass window at the front completely
smashed and the store apparently ran
sacked.
Mr.. Bosworth, on reaching the store,
found the remains of the window scat
tered about the store yard, the inter
Tor of the building plentifully sprin-
kled with molasses from shattered
barrel. stamps, envelopes and various
other postal supplies scattering the
floor and the safe door wide open and
the interior empty. Further investi-
CATION disclosed a small hole bored IN
the top of the safe, at point where
the inserted combustible would just
touch the door. just what material
was used for the explosion has not
been determined, but the character of
the damage caused would indicate
that nitrogiycerine had been employ
ed.
The state police were notified Inn
mediately of the robbery and arrived
in East Woodstock on Sunday morn
ing. but so far there is not single
clue to the robbers. Although the
store and the yard have been thor
oughly inspected not single trace
even a fingerprint, has been found.
| Aside from the loss of the postal
supplies, Mr. Bosworth suffered con-
siderable damage to the store. The
broken window was large one, plate
glass. and considerable stock was lost
in the breakage of bottles and other
materials by the explosion.
! Mr.. Bosworth says that ne cannot
remember having seen any strangers
in the vicinity recently, and while the
police have questioned many, they
have been unable to find trace OF
any suspicious persons. The entire
robbery remains as complete mys-
tery as does the reason for the calm
sleep of the town through what must
have been a decorating crash and ex-
plosion. Though several people were
sleeping in the house next to the store
none report having heard the expio-
sion or the crash Of the breaking win
| dow.
The post Office at East Woodstock
has been located in the Bosworth
store for about four years.