Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-10
FIVE NINTH WARD
DWELLINGS ROBBED
IN THREE NIGHTS
All Were in the Vicinity of Twenty
Sixth and Market
Streets.
EVIDENTLY USED
AN AUTOMOBILE

Five robberies have occurred in the
Ninth ward in the last three nights. The
thieves broke into three homes III one
block. In all the houses entered the bur
glars We're little repaid for their trouble,
MS very little money was taken, and other
articles, such as silverware, were not
touched.
One robbery occurred at the home of
Mrs. Catherine Schopfer, 2l4 West
Twenty-Sixth street, the thief, who
evidently had used an automobile for the
purpose of making his escape, was dis
covered by Mrs. Schopfer's 15-year-old
son, Simon b, who saw the man ransack-
search of money, as valuable silver
ware and cut glass although removed
from the closet, was not taken.
The three homes entered IN the one
block were those of G. G. King, 2602
Market street; T. b. Motiinnis, 26l6
Market street, and George Slaughter,
26lS Market. These homes were robbed
Wednesday night and entrance was gained
to each of the three in identically the
same manner. The burglars got in each
through window in the dining room.
Flowers on the window sill were carefully
removed and placed outside on the
ground.
In the home of c. G.. King, change
amounting to little over 81 was taken,
as well as strip of car tickets and .
chocolate egg belonging to the baby.
The sldeboard drawers were pulled out
and thoroughly ransacked. A small bank,
containing SlO was overlooked. Mrs.
King, when she came downstairs IN the
morning, found window up and the
flowers out In the yard.
In the home of L. B. McGinnis about
50 in cash and box of cigars were taken.
Cigarettes were strewn about the floor.
Entrance was gained in the same manner
as in the other houses. Some flowers had
been removed from the window sill and
placed in the yard The sideboard drawers
had been ransacked The money taken
was IN an old pocketbook, which was
lying on the diningroom table.
In the home of George Slaughter,
drawers were ransacl1ed and about s3 IN
cash was secured. A chair by the dining
room window IN this home had been
moved to another part of the room. The
pocketbook was thrown out in the yard,
where il was found the following morning.
In this home the dining room window was
fastened, but this did not deter the rob-
bers
Thursday night, the home OF John i.
Bergstorm, 202 East Twenty-fifth street,
was entered, but nothing was taken.
Entrance was gained through the dining
room window Sideboard drawers were
ransacked but the thieves were not re-
paid for their trouble. It is believed that
they were frightened off as they did not
go into any other rooms Flowers on the
dining room window had been carefully
removed. An old empty pocketbook had
been thrown in the backyard. IL was turn
ed over TO the police.
The robbery at the home of Mrs. Schop-
fer last night is believed to have been aided
with an automobile. Mrs Schopfer said
today that she heard an automobile
pass up and down Twenty-sixth street
| several times and had remarked 10 her
youngest son, Simon, about it.
Around midnight, the oldest son.
| Charles l.. Schopfer, came home and
went into the kitchen TO partake of a
light lunch. In few minutes he was at
traeted by his smaller brother, who was
in the next room, calling Mamma,
Mamma" and hurrying into the room,
he found his younger brother very much
excited saying, There was big man in
ittft anu llt WAS III SAidb tiOStt.
The older brother placed little faith In
the story until he noticed draft from
the front of the house Making an investi-
cation he found the front window open.
Then returning to the room, he peered
into the closet and discovered that the
younger brother was right, for every
thing in the closet was topsy- -turvy, and
number of articles had been placed on
the floor outside the closet.
Entrance in this house is believed to
have been gained through the front door
A key was found on the front porch of
the home, where it evidently had been
dropped by the burglar in his fight.
All these five robbenes have been re-
ported to the police, who are making an
investigation. Women of the Ninth ward
section are greatly disturbed over the
increasing number of robberies that are
taking place.
No clue has been found TO these or any
other recent robberies, of which the fol-
lowing have been reported in the past few
days: Sacred Heart Church, Tenth and
Madison streets; the rectory of ST. Paul's
r.. G. Church, Fourth and jackson streets
the parsonage of st. Paul.s NJ +. Church
1014 West Tenth street, and the houses
of John p. Priest, 10l6 West Tenth street;
j. Norris Robinson, 1901 Trenton Place
and the Wyberg home, 202 East Twenty
fifth street.
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