Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 May 1874 — A $500,000 Robbery. [ARTICLE]

A $500,000 Robbery.

Oku of the heaviest robberies that has ever been perpetrated in this city, came to light yesterday morning. The robbery, which took place on the 27th nit., resulted in the capture by the cracksmen or sneak-thieves of a small amount of cash, and bonds, mortgages, deeds, and other papers to the fall value, to the owner, of half a million dollars. The property mentioned belonged to Dr. C. V. Dyer, who, not being in practice or in business himself, has been in the habit latterly of intrusting his books and papers to the care of his son-in-law-and agent, Mr. Adolf Heile, manager for the Chicago Terra Cotta Company, whose place of business is at 310 Wabash avenue. The papers were kept in a small tin box, and were deposited in the safe close at hand, as they had to be frequently referred to, and on the day of the robbery were in their usual resting-place. About noon on that day, while Mr. Heile was away, a man entered the store and asked the boy in charge if they had any birds’ nests tor sale, this being one of the articles in stock. The boy replied that they had, and proceeded to show them. In order to do this he had to direct his customer—whom subsequent revelations proved to have been a spy—to the back end of the store, which is partitioned off, and from behind which the desk and safe in the office, which are also in the rear, cannot be seen. Having satisfied himself that the coast was clear for a big haul, and having noted that the safe door was standing ajar, the man made some trifling excuse and passed out. He was gone only a few minutes when he returned, this time accompanied by two accomplices. The three were engaged in loud conversation about the merits of the article that they were about to buy, and two of them again accompanied the boy around the partition to look at the birds’ nests. The third man, remarking that it was “nice and warm here,” stepped up to the stove and stood there as if warming himself; as no one saw him, it is the presumption that he rapidly and dexterously robbed the till of its contents in cash, about seventy-three dollars, leaving a check of $l5O remaining in the drawer, as being useless to him, and then stepped in the safe, a few feet distant, and took the tin box containing the papers, and which, being only four by eight inches in size, he easily concealed about him, and in a moment after rejoined his companions, and they passed out together, having concluded not to purchase for the present. It was not until night that the discovery of the theft was made by Mr. Heile, who, on making up his cash for the day, found that the currency was missing, and looking about found that the tin box with the valuable deeds and papers was also gone. As it is perfectly plain how the job was done, there is no need to give any surmises as to what might have taken place. The office is on the left side of the store, inclosed in an area of ten feet square, and, though adjacent to, is perfectly hidden from any one behind the partition. As has been stated, the safe-door was open and the money-drawer unlocked, so tl«£t the thief only had to help*himself to the valuables and hastily secrete thpin about his person. —Okicayo Tribune* ■ •