Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-01-14
THE INTRUDFRS
T,Oo Thieves, One Brute and
the Other Human. Furnish
\ Action and Some Thrills

working around the roots Of some
young fruit trees. But for the maids,
busy indoors. the Place was deserted
Of human or canine life.
Thus, luck was with the two in
truders.
Through the fence-gap in the oak
grove bored Titus Romaine's hugest
and oldest and crankiest SOW. She
was in search Of acorns and Of any
other food that might lie handy to
her line OF march. In her owner 8
part of the grove there was too much
competition In ehe food hunt from
other and equally greedy pigs of the
herd. These she could fight off and
drive from the choicest acorn boards.
But 1t was easier to forage without
competition.
:, So through the gap she forced her
grunting bulk. and on through the
Places half OF the oak grove. Paus-
ing now and then to root amid the
strewn leaves, she made her leisurely
way toward the open lawn with its
two hundred-year-old shade oaks and
| Its flower borders which still held a
few toothsome bulbs.
! THE second intruder entered the
grounds in much more open fash
ion. He was q man in the late
twenties; well set up, neatly, even
sprucely dressed: and he walked with
slight swagger. He looked very
much at home and very certain of
his welcome.
I'D
would have guessed him to be a
travelling salesman, finely equipped
with nerve and with confidence in
] his own goods. The average servant
would have been vastly impressed
with his air of self assurance and
would have admitted him to the house
without question. (The long mem
DRIED warden Of Auburn prison would
have recognized him as ALT Dugan,
! one of the cleverest automobile
thieves In the east)
Mr. Dugan was an Industrious
young man as we'll as ingenious. And
he had a streak OF quick witted au-
dacity which made him an ornament
to his chosen profession. His method
of work was simple. Coming to a
|
some local hotel and, armed with
clever patter and a sheaf of auto
mobile insurance documents, would
make the rounds OF the regions bet
terclass homes.
| At these he sold no automobile in
! surance, though he made seemingly
earnest efforts to do so. But he
learned the precise location of each
| garage, the cars therein, and the
easiest way to the high road, and any
/ possible obstacles to a hasty flight
! thereto. Usually he succeeded in per-
suading his reluctant host to take
him to the garage to look at the
cars and to estimate the insurance
value OF each. While there 1t was
easy to palm key or get good
look at the garage paddock for future
skeleten-key reference: or to note
what sort of car locks were used.
A night or two later the garage
was entered and the best car was
stolen. Dugan, like love, laughed at
| locksmiths.
Sometimes-notably in places where
dogs were kept--he would make his
! initial visit and then. choosing a time
| when he had seen some of the houses
occupants go for a walk with their
dogs, would enter by broad daylight
and take chance at getting the car
out unobserved. II he were inter-
rupted before starting Off In the ma.
chine-why. he was that Same polite
insurance agent who had come back
to revise his estimate on the pre-
MUM needed for tho car, and was
taking another look at 1t to mako
certain.
Once In the drivers seat and with
the engine going, he had no fear of