Evening star., 1937-03-14
By John L. Coonfg.

.
1t sounds ridiculous, doesn t
- The business Of filching
other peoples property is a serious
business. So many things can happen
that are not at all in the humorous
category. For instance, . policeman
may come along. Or the owner may
show up. Or somebody report the
theft. None Of these things imply
humor Of any kind whatsoever. Espe-
cially If there should happen to be .
gun In the hand of the owner Of the
property being fllched.
Yet despite all this-despite the fact
that the thief may receive at any mo-
ment shot OF hot lead-many of
them reveal sense Of gusto humor.
A careful study of thievery as prac-
ticed throughout the world discloses
that thieves do funny things. Just
why? Well, that is a question for. the
psychologists to answer. Just nature
bubbling up, perhaps. They want =
laugh, or want to create laugh on the
public-and the police.
Workmen recently ordered to re-
move some buildings in Washington to
make room for the new Federal build
ing program turned up at the address
given them with their trucks and other
wrecking paraphernalia. Imagine
their surprise when they found va
cant lot for the address given them
H,1,t tho of
ft
Immediately the telephone began to
buzz. The proprietor got on the line
and was made acquainted with the
fact that there we're no buildings at
the address he had given them. Forth
with he exploded and then raced down
to the spot. Sure enough, there was
not a sign OF building, just vacant
lot staring him in the face. The en-
tire building had been stolen and
carted away piecemeal some time be-
fore. Nobody recalled who did the
work and what became Of the material.
THIS business Of house stealing
seems to be favorite one with
the crooks with sense Of humor. Re-
ports OF Its having been done in other
parts Of the United States are COM
mon. In Kansas City c. w. Bren-
neisen reported to police the theft Of
two houses belonging to him. Not only
did the thieves carry away the houses,
but all the fixtures that went with
them-electrical, plumbing and other
fixtures; The remarkable part about
this theft Is that the houses were on
adjoining lots owned by Brenneisen.
In Denver, Colo 4 house belonging
TO Daniel E. Davis vanished by the
theft route to parts unknown. Mr..
Davis told the sheriff that he had
endeavored for several months to have
the house vacated, but with poor re-
suits. Now the house itself had va
Gated
Media, Pa, Is not far from Phila-
delphia. In fact, it may be considered
. suburb Of the City of Brotherly Love.
Yet the thief who. went up in the
tower Of the Lima World Tabernacle
there and removed brass bell weigh
Ing Is pounds was not imbued much
with brotherly love. But just what
could he do with a brass bell of this
size
The theft was not disclosed until
the church authorities themselves de-
cided to remove the bell. They sent
Workmen to the top Of the tower, so
feet from the ground, for the purpose.
Then the report, mo Bell" said the
workmen. All their trouble for MOTH
ing. What became of the bell? To
this day no one knows The minister
suggests that the theft was a prank.
Just q bit Of light humor on the part
OF thief.
A Baltimore colored man stole loco
motive. Now, Of all things to try to get
away with, imagine locomotive! First
steam has to be got up, then the engine
has to be driven out Of the locomotive
yards. And when on the main track
what then? Their are trims to be
on the watch-out for. You can't tuck
. locomotive under your arm and run
When you see some one coming. Nor
can you run it of the side Of the
road and cover it up until the author
1ties have passed.
Evidently the colored thief thought
Of none of these things. Or perhaps
he just had happy-go-lucky sense
OF humor. Anyway, as Edward Bell,
B. & o. locomotive engineer, was
bringing his engine out Of the B. & O..
shops in the city not very long ago,
what should he see to make his eyes
open wide and his jaw drop but an
other engine APPARENTLY start OF by
itself. Surely not . ghost engine" he
thought, though he had heard Of these
very things driven by famous engineers
'f DID, whose nsm1F are tradition with