The New York herald., 1922-04-12
Burglars Live in Place,
Sleeping in Beds and
Drinking Wines.
RUN Up BILL FOR LIGHTS
Brooa,.:~ Home Is Robbed by
Two Posing as Laundry
Men.

Herman Rawitser Of 233 West Sew
enty-second street, a manufacturer.
returned with his wife Saturday after
n trip to France. to fiad that robbers
had ransacked their house and had
taken virtually everything that was
movable.
There was evidence also that the
robbers not only had stolen or de-
spoiled everything of value in the
house, but that they had lived there
for several weeks. Indications were
that they had deserted it only a few
hours before Mr.. Rawitser and his
wife returned.
II lave been in the panel of the
than thirty years." Mr.. Rawitser said
yesterday at his office. 52c Fifth ave-
nue.. "and in that time / have heard
of and helped to investigate a great
number Of robberies. 1t was always
my impression in large robberies that
the amounts lost were exaggerated.
But when got one look at that house
l changed my mind, If I had been
away another week they probably
would have taken the house.
Every Closet Ripped Open.
Every closet had been ripped open
and what had not already been removed
we found tied in bundles in the basement
ready 10 be taken away--linens. table
appointments. my clothing. Mrs. Rawit-
ser's furs--everything. even my wife's
underwear. They forgot nothing and
left nothing. Every piece OF silverware
was gone including many heirlooms that
I considered priceless For three pieces
alone / would give $4,000 each to get
back. Some articles were presents Mrs.
Rawitser received from friends in Eu-
rope and naturally had a great senti-
mental value.
when / say that my loss will total
between s35.000 and $4,000 | am plac-
Ing the lowest possible figure on 1t. !
had some insurance of course. but who
would have expected such a cleanout as
this? l have been living in the house
for twenty-five years and have made on
an average of two trips to Europe a
year, but / have never been robbed
before.
why they even ate box OF dog
biscuits and they broke into my wine
closet. l tell you IL Is hard to think
what they did not do. They ate and
slept In the house. burnt the lights and
apparently came and went as they
pleased"
Mr.. Rawitser said the robbers got into
the house by breaking the lock on the
basement gate and then lifting the cross
bar apparently with jimmy. The glass
in the basement doorway was broken so
the lock could be opened from the inside.
When Mr.. Rawitser left there was a
ito let sign on the building. II had
been placed there by Pease & Gilman at
his request. Monday morning the manu-
facturer found a half dozen signs, evil
IDENTIFY placed there by the robbers.
Detectives from the West Sixty eighth
ureet station. who were called to the
house. spent several hours searching
through the rooms for clews.
Mr. Rawitser is a director of the Bay
State Metal Wheel Company. chairman
OF the board of the Consolidated Warp
Company OF Stafford Springs. Conn. .
vice president and general manager OF
the Durex Chemical Corporation. presi-
dent and director Of the Fabyan Woolen
Company. president and director OF the
Mystic Woolen Company and director
OF the Vulcan Insurance Company.
Before starting for Europe Mr. Rawit-
ser had given all his servants vacation
and they we're not due to return until
Monday.
sheets Used to Garry Loot.
Two burglars last Saturday visited
the apartment Of Henry Jaffe. a clothing
dealer at eli Vernon avenue. Brooklyn.
overturned most OF the furniture. and
walked out with $4,000 worth of clothing
and jcwery tied up in two linen sheets
taken from a bed In the house. Jaffe
Is j partner in the clothing firm OF
Jsfic & Miller, "a Manhattan avenue.
Brooklyn.
Mrs. Jaffe and the children were out
when the burglars broke into the apart
Continued on Page Three.