Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-11-05
$I,700 In DIAMONDS
TAKEN FROM JEWELRY
STORE SHOW WINDOWS
Burglars at an early hour last night broke into
the jewelry store owned by DR.. W. H. Law on La
Sale ST., and displaying uncanny daring removed

]
monds from the display
window under the very
nose of pedestrians Of the
business district. The thief or thieves
made way with their loot, and it is
believed secured a several minute
start on the officers before their crime
was discovered
That the store had been burglariz-
ed first became known at $50 when
John Waldman, the matchmaker, ar
rived at the store to put the diamond
window display in the safe. We spied
evidence of burlary from the outside
of the building. Entering he saw adj
mission had been gained by forcing
the rear door, the safe had been en-
| tered and $50 taken from the cash
! drawer and the door Of a small lock-
ed vault in the safe which was lock-
! ed had been pried OF. This vault
contained only personal Papers The
robbers had passed over watches and
all other valuable ieweiry, except the
diamonds, and had evidently in their
haste overCokcd q tray of diamonds,
which were underneath some other
jeweIry in the bottom Of the safe.
Alarm IS Sounded.
Mr.. Waldman gave out the alarm
Of the burglary as soon as he found
the window display missing The po-
lice rushed 10 tho store in the patrol
and by 10 o'clock, less than ten min-
utes after the theft was discovered,
at least fifty people we're gathered
on the sidewalk in front of the build
ing The crowd hovered around,
looking to see what had occurred un-
til late hour. The daring oI the
burglary created more excitement
than any crime committed in Ottawa
since the r0bbing Of the National City
bank on Nov 10, last year
Or, w. II. Law, the owner of the
store was notified and aided the po-
lice in making the search The loss
will be a complete one for DR. Law.
as he carried no burglary insurance
on the gems.
Neghbor Hears Noise.
John Meyers, who lives above the
store, stated that between . and 9:30
o'clock he heard a noise downstairs.
but on account OF the eariness Of the
hour, he never mistrusted that any
thing unusual was amiss. Mr.. Mey-
crs stated that he did not hear an
auto start back Of the store, so it is
believed that the thieves. if they
travelled in a car left it on q street
nearby,
The back door, through which they
gained entrance, was forced in by
some sort Of tool or instrument The
entire door casing was split down,
and left gaping about six inches
apart. The forcing of the door must
have caused a great deal of noise.
The front room of the store, where
the safe was standing, was well light
ed from the ornamental street lights,
from the safe light and from the win
dow lights. The two display windows
are cut off from the store. only by
sliding doors of glass which make it
possible for any spectator to see
clear to the back of the salesroom.
The safe was visible at all times to
any pedestrian.
Safe Doors Unlocked.
The doors Of the huge metal safe
were just pushed together and not
locked 1t was the custom of an en-
plOye Of the store or fer Dr. Law
himself to visit the building every
night between and 10 o'clock to re-
move the diamond window display to
the safe. The vault was never locked
until between 9 and TO-
The robbers while they encountered
70 difficulty in getting in the safe.
where access could be had to the
pile Of iewelry trays, found a com
Dartment about twelve by fifteen in
ches locked The door of this little
vault was pried entirely off by the
thieves, aud was thrown to one side.
This compartment contained only pa
pcrs.
Worked In County Jail Alley.
The Law iewelrv store in located
TO the north end OF the heart Of the
business district on the principal
street of the town 1t is just around
he corner and in the same block with
the county Jail and sheFin's resi-
1ence Across the street are the
American Legion club rooms, which
we're filed with people last night
None of these either saw or noticed
anything amiss until the robbery was
discovered Next to the iewelry
store. is the Boston candy store, and
N the other side of that is the Lib
ertv fruit store These places were
Goth open, but the people in them
lid not hear the robbers at work
Mr. Waldman was attending a per-
rormance of the Orphem theater.
lust cne block away, while the thieves
we're l0oting the building.
Were Professional Gem Thieves.
Working on the theory. that no one
(Continued on mage G. column 81