People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 January 1894 — A BOLD THEFT. [ARTICLE]

A BOLD THEFT.

A Pawn Shop in Chicago Looted of Plunder Worth 810,000. Chicago, Jan. 10. —Three desperate men entered the pawnshop of Samuel Greenburg, 55 West Randolph street, at 8:30 a. m. Monday. When they left it shortly afterward they carried with them between >5,000 and SIO,OOO worth of valuables and left the clerk and a little girl lying bound and gagged in the rear of the store. Crowds of people were continually passing the door, but so quietly was the robbery perpetrated that it would not have been discovered for hours but by accident. Greenburg* was alone in the office when the robbers appeared. He opened the shop about 8 o’clock, unlocked the safe and busied himself about his usual duties. About 8:30 a stranger called and asked to be shown a fur cap. Greenburg led the man to the rear of the store and began showing him an assortment of caps. Suddenly the man seized and threw him to the floor. At the moment two others entered the office and joined in the attack on the clerk. He was soon overpowered. The thieves bound his hands, gagged him with a handkerchief and tossed his helpless body in a corner of the office. Clothing and loose articles in the store were piled over him until •he was almost hidden from view. One man stood guard over the clerk and his confederates looted the safe. They found property valued at nearly SIO,OOO. Greenburg says there were a number of diamonds and gold watches and SSOO in the safe. One diamond, he says, weighed eight carats and was worth SBOO. The robbers took a small satchel from the stock and dropped in it the contents of the tray. Greenburg next occupied their attention. He wore a diamond stud and a gold watch and cljain. These articles were added to the plunder deposited in the satchel. As the men were preparing to leave Mary Clements came in. One of the robbers seized her and, binding her hands, marched her to a corner near Green burg. After a few minutes’ further delay the robbers left the office. Greenburg succeeded in loosening himself when the man who had guarded him with the revolver left and ran out to the street as one of the Clements family was entering to find the child. Hurriedly telling his story he started on a run for Desplaines street police station and there told the details of the assault. Officers returned to the pawnshop with the clerk and examined the premises for traces of the robbers. Neighbors said the men had gone east on Randolph street to Canal, but had drawn no suspicion by their actions. Greenburg furnished a description of the men, and this is about the only clew on which the police are at work. Belleville, 111., Jan. 9.—The safe in the office of the Western Brewing company was blown open by dynamite Monday morning. The robbers se cured about $2,000 and escaped. The police believe the work was done by professional cracksmen.