The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-08-29
TWO ARRESTS
IN STORE BREAK
Picked Up at Montpelier
Junction and Brought
to Barre
MOORE & OWENS
STORE BURGLARIZED
Two Complete Outfits of
Mems Furnishings Were
Taken


Two men giving the names of Richard
Bruce, having discharge papers of the
Canadian army, and John B. Ducas, were
brought to the Barre jail early this aft
ernoon and will be charged with breaking
into the Moore & Owens store last night
and stealing complete outfits of mems
furnishing goods. The men were wearing
the goods when arrested, and the various
articles were identified by the members
of the firm of Moore & Owens. Extra
cuff buttons and stickpins stolen from
the store were in their pockets.
The men were captured by Officer John
s. Murley of the Barre police force while
they were asleep on the river bank near
Montpelier Junction at noon to-day.
Soon r.being detailed on the case,
Officer Murley went to Montpelier juno
tion and there learned of two strange
men seen coming out of the woods and
lettering about the Junction The officer
instituted search and located the men
not far away from the station. 1t is evil
dent that they had planned to board a
train under cover Of darkness.
Careful inspection OF the stock Of goods
and the disarranged boxes told only too
well this morning that the young men
had made a complete Job of outfitting
themselves. They selected fair.grade
suits, both of them size 80, and left the
tags Except for those which were con
cesled where the boys did not find them
In size of foot they were nearly alike,
one taking size Z and the other 7ia
In girth of neck they were only slightly
apart, one taking size l5 collar and the
other l5Hs. Hats were size Z and slight
ly larger. Peerless union suits of the "a
size were selected, after the young men
had inspected the stock up as high as
A.. Shirts of the most expensive grade
were the only kind that satisfied the
luxurious desires of these deyotees Of
fashion. And so on down through the
list Of articles selected.
Hosiery, garters, cuff links, shirt studs,
stickpins and other things which 90 TO
make the complete man according to the
dictates of fashion were chosen after the
most painstaking fashion, for the evi-
dence this morning showed that the
young bolsheviki had laid out various
articles, such as $3.50 shirts, only to dis
card them when they found something
more to their liking. A counter, in the
rear of the store was Uttered with these
discarded articles Of clothing while back
Of some suit racks were several other
messedup articles which, on trial, had
been found unsuited. The total value of
the goods stolen ranges in the vicinity
OF 500.
So far as the indications gave hint to-
day, no attempt was made to tamper
with the firms Office or with the safe, al
though the thieves were standing almost
within reach of those places while they
were trying on their new raiment.
The earmarks of the crime were al
most conclusive proof that the work was
done by amateurs and, moreover, that
the break was committed by someone
who was acquainted with the interior of
the store more than a casual customer
would be. The thieves apparently had no
trouble in going to the various parts of
the store where the desired articles were
located, for other articles were not dis
turbed to any great extent.
Even more conclusive evidence that
the work was done by persons well ac-
quainted with the interior of the store
was the manner Of entrance. The rear
door is bolted by two bolts, and on the
outside is screen door of heavy mesh
which, too, was hasped securely last
night when Mr. Owens of the firm was
the last TO leave shortly before o'clock
This heavy mesh on the screen door
was ripped back sufficiently to permit of
the insertion of a hand of moderate size
said hand slipping the hasp out of its
place, and leaving the wooden door with
glass panels to be attacked. Either with
chisel or with heavy knife, the
thieves laboriously went at the putty on
the pane nearest the bolts and, after
digging away part Of the lower sash,
sprung the glass outward so far that the
pane broke, making an opening of sufii-
cient size to. let in an arm. The slipping
of the bolts was then matter of but
second, and the thieves found themselves
inside, with hours at their disposal in
looking over the stock.
The robbery was discovered this morn
ing by Mr.. Owens, who was the first to
enter the store He saw various articles
of the stock laid out on the back counter
and, investigating further, he discovered
the back door TO be unlocked Still more
investigation revealed pile of discarded
clothing back of suit rack, while back
of some cases nearby was another colec-
ton Of wearing apparel The floor was
dirty where the shoes Of the burglars
had brought in their accumulation of
mud from Enterprise alley