The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1920-04-16
ANOTHER ATTEMPT
TO ROB TOGGfRY BY
BOLD, BAD MEN
BURGLARS FRIGHTENED AWAY
BY ARRIVAL OF PIPKIN. WHO
CAME IN ON NO. 2 AND WENT
TO STORE.

T. S. Pipkin, who had been over to
Seattle on business, arrived home
Wednesday morning on No and
went to the Pipkin-Taylor store,
known as The Toggery, before going
to his home. He went in through the
front door and to the rear and as he
approached the rear he noticed some
thing peculiar about the floor, but
thought for an instant that the
plumber had been doing some work.
but why he should be cutting through
the center of the floor puzzled Mr..
Pipkin. He dropped his grip as he
stood regarding the floor and then
heard noise in the basement as If
the whole place were being turned
wrong side out--and knew at once its
Observation-Disclosures had been at
work again, and they We're going out
of the basement so fast that no at
tempt was being made TO avoid noise.
and he saw the burglars as they left
by way of basement window Be
ing armed he might have shot them
had he fired through the rear win
dows, but since no great damage was
done he held his fire.
Mr.. Pipkin then went out and
finding the night police officer, they
returned to the store and went into
the basement where they found a
brace and bit and a handsaw with
which the burglars had been cutting
hole through the floor a means Of
entering the store to pillage and rob
The brace is good ono and has the
appearance Of belonging to bridge
carpenter or other workman who
works on heavy timbers and the bit
is about an inch and a quarter size.
The saw is common carpenters
hand saw. All the tools have seen
much usage and they had probably
been stolen from some mechanic.
The burglars had entered the base
ment, evidently, through the base
ment window at the rear of the store
and had carried in a keg of about 20
gallons capacity to stand on while
boring holes up through the floor and
saving to make an way to the store
above. The floor is of two thick
nesses Of inch boards and the under
layer had been completely cut away
and about a dozen holes bored thru
the upper layer and work begun with
the saw when they were interrupted
and left the job so hurriedly that
they had no time to carry the tools
with them.
II was fortunate for the Pipkin-
Taylor company that Mr.. Pipkin ar
rived when he did and went to the
store, for had he not undoubtedly
several hundred dollars worth Of
merchandise would have been carried
away by the gang. And it is equally
fortunate for Mr. Plpkin, no doubt
that he was not a half hour later, for
then the burglars would have been in
the store and might not have hesitat-
ed to fire at him as he entered, with
what dire results can only be i'm
agined.
Mr.. Taylor and A. w. Heidrich,
who had been at Wenatchee, had re
turned about one O'Clock and had
tried the front door to see that all
was secure, but had not gone in. The
intruders were of course in The base
ment at that time.
This is the third time that burglars
have visited this store within The
past six months. On Oct 81 last,
burglars entered and carried away a
great quantity of merchandise and
cash. estimated at s400; Nov 30 the
second robbery took place and this
time the loss was estimated at about
$3.50, but the burglars were caught
and much of the goods recovered
Now the loss at those times is esti-
mated at from $500 to $500, as it
was found upon taking the annual in
voice that much stock was missing
that was not discovered before.
Messrs. Pipkin and Taylor are
much worried over the continued eff
forts to raid their store and it is like
ly that steps will be taken to safe
guard the place so that the next visit
or This nature will have results not
looked for by the burglars.