The Washington times., 1921-10-18
OFFICE A I
IS
|RANSACKED
Cong. Johnson, Active In Berg
doll Probe, Loses Chest OF
Valued Documents.

A larp cedar chest. containing val
liable official and private papers,
was stolen last night from the office
, of Congressman Ben johnson OF
Kentucky in the House Office Build
ing.
Under the rays Of bright electric
lights burglars cut a pane OF glass
in the Congressman's office window,
unlatched the lock, entered the room,
and carted the box away
Thief Familiar.
"It was an inside job. directed by
an outsider" declared Mr.. johnson.
when he was summoned to the office
today.
The job was done, according to in
vestigators, by persons familiar with
the Congressman's room. Nothing else
but the box was touched. A revolver,
postage stamps, and other things were
in the room at the, time. A hasty
survey showed that the robbery was
made for the purpose of securing the
papers in the cedar chest.
Mr.. johnson refused to divulge the
contents of the box other than to state
that the papers were invaluable to
papers referred to some committee
work which the Congressman has re-
Gently been engaged in.
Finger print experts were summon
ed early this morning and took away
with them the window pane, on which
were found prints of fingers.
There is no doubt In my mind that
the thieves were after the papers in
that box" declared Mr.. Johnson. "If
the chest had not been locked I be-
lieve they would have extracted certain
papers which they were sent for and
left the others. Many Of the letters
in the box would be Of inestimable
value to certain persons"
Sheridan Talbot and J. c. Ander-
son, employees of Mr.. johnson, were in
the office until 10 O'Clock last night.
The robbery was discovered by An
derson about 1870 o'clock this morning.
According to the detectives assigned
to the case, the robbery was well
planned, and It is believed the cedar
box is still in the building. Two men
are thought to have committed the
| burglary, one acting as lookout.
Exit by Corridor.
The corridor in front of Mr.. John
sons office opens into large court,
which is flooded with electric lights
all night. One of the robbers opened
the window, stepped out on a ledge,
and then walked stealthily along Eatil
he reached the next window.
With the aid of a Jimmy, the burg.
lar broke a small portion Of the pane.
Reaching in with his hand he un-
latched a small lock. Still using the
jimmy, the burglar forced open the
office door The chest, which was in
corner near the window, was
| dragged out. Marks on the floor
showed where the chest was pulled
along. There are no marks in the
corridor.
The robbery is thought to have oc-
Cured between 1890 and midnight.
Watchmen report that nothing was
carried out last night.
b. r. King, of police headquarters,
was assigned by Chief Of Detectives
Grant to aid the Capitol police in their
investigation.
This is the third time in seven years
that Mr.. Johnson's room has been en-.
tered. The first time, six years ago,
the thieves entered Mr.. Johnson's OF.
flee and set fire to a number of val.
liable papers. This occurred while ne
was chairmani of the House District
Committee. The second time. two
years ago, Mr.. Johnson's room was
ransacked, hut nothing of value was
| taken.
The CONGRESSMAN is a member OF
the House Appropriations Committee
and conducted the Bergdoll investiga-
| ton.