Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-08-02
BURG AIRS ATTACK
SAME STORE TWICE
SUCCESSIVE NIGHTS
Robbed National Confectionery
Co., on French Street
Above Eighth.
FAILED AT AUDITORIUM

Two bold robberies. both at ~"
store Of the National Confectionery
Co, In the National Theatre buiidins'
I'm French street just above Eishth'
were reported to the police, one yes
terday morning and the second one
this morning. An attempted roooery
at the Auditorium. in West EieVehth
street between Madison ana Monroe
carly TODAY was frustrated by the ar
rival on the scene of n policeman, but
,h, xxould-b theft made his escape.
The burglaries at the National Con-
fectsonary Co.'S. store surpass anything
I'm daring and sheer boldness that the
police have had TO contend with Tor
n long time and while the entire uni
formed force and two plain clothes
detectives are working on the
20 c,uss have been unearthed tn
would lead 10 the arrest of the cul-
prits. David Smith, proprietor OF tne
store. stated today that sometime
Sunday night. or early yesterday
morning. thieves broke into nus place
Of business and created general havoc
in addition to stealing quantity Oh
goods.
The thieves had boosted one of their
number through the transom over tne
front door. That this man was heaviiy
built is indicated by the fact that IN
helping himself through he reached
over TO catch shelf and this broke
under his weight and probably let
him drop TO the floor. However, once
inside he opened the door and let the
rest Of the gang in. That there were
several men in the party is evident
from the appearance of the store yes
,ersay morning. Every nook ana
corner about the place was searcneu.
The intruders helped themselves 70
all the edibles they could ma ana
after gorging themselves with cake.
candy and soft drinks they carried OF
noxes OF the confections valued az
s1.s In addition they stole a suit
valued at $50 owned by Smith and
then took $40 in cash from the money
drawer.
smith discovered his loss when ne
went 10 the store yesterday morning.
lie Immediately reported IL to the po-
lice and they advised him to say moth
ing about it, he says. and they would
msks an investigation. Smith re-
p.ir>d the broken transom, went our
and spent several hundred dollars IN
p,,rchasinr new stock and had the
store RENTED and his shelves replen-
ished with cakes, candy ana so''
drinks. He opened for business Again
late yesterday.
This morning when he went to the
store ne found il in almost the same
condition as yesterday morning. Inls
time the burglars had smashed inc
glass panel in the front door, opened
the lock and then walked IN. Ihes
had another feast on the cakes ahu
-andy and drank much SOFT stun
sudging from the number OF empty
bottles scattered about the hoor ans
before leaving loaded up with as many
boxes of the confectionery as thes
could carry and took their departure
Smith said today he estimated thes
had secured about 800 worth Q
goods.
This second robbery was also re
ported 10 the police today The pc
culiar feature Of the case is the fac
that the store is within two blocks
the police station and that the SECOND
robbery was perpetrated while th'
police and detectives were making al
investigation of the first burglary
Smith said he took no special pre-
cautions last night because he fel
comparatively safe when ne knew IN
officers were looking into the hrst rob
berry. He has no idea who the thiese
might be and as far as could be learn
eded this morning the police nave no
developed any clues
Aroused by Pistol Shots.
Residents in the vicinity of Tent
@f a
morning about O'Clock when the.
hara command to halt followed by
voliey of revolver shots 1t develope
later that an attempt had been mad
by an unknown Negro TO oreak int
theA soda water and ice cream pario
in the front of the Auditorium !
West Eleventh street and that tn
man had been detected in the act b
/. rolicenlan who did the shooting i
an effort TO halt the would-be burgla
who took to HIS heels and made goo
his escape
Patroirnan Harold Taylor was walk
ing along Eleventh street when he sa'
the Negro walk from the main en-
trance TO the auditorium. He suspect
&c the man had been up to some mis
chief and he ordered him to halt. In
stead of doing so the Negro turne
into the alley at the side of the build
ing extending from Tenth To Elevent
street and started to run. Patrolrna
Taylor fred into the air thinking thi
would make him halt but ii onl
reryed to make the fugitive run a
rhe faster. The Negro quickly disaI
peared and a search of the vicinit
failed 10 revea, any trace of him.
Patroiman Taylor returned to III
Auditorium and found that the strant
er had torn of the screen on the doc
leading to the store part II is bt
iieved he heard the officer approachin
before ne could effect an entrance tt
interior of the store had not been ms
Tested. The shooting was heard by
number Of people in the vicinity.
Have you tried Clover Dairy Blu
teri Telephones 1540-1541>--Adv.