Hide Article Text (OCR)
Crime Discovered by Chance at La fayette Yesterday. ROUND-UP OF HOBOS REVEALS STOLEN WATCH IN HANDS OF ONE Investigation Reveals That Residence Had Been Entered During The Family’s Absence and the Safe Rifled. A bold burglary that might have gone undiscovered until the return of Mrs. Christine Bernhart and her daugh ters was uncovered Thursday afternoon when the police of Lafayette found a gold watch and chain in the possession of a hobo whom they had rounded up with thirty-four others. Engraved in the back of the watch was the name Mary Bernhart, Attica, Ind. The hobos had been rounded up by the police with the expectation of running them out of town. As is the custom of the police the travelers were all searched and when the watch was found the super intendent of police telephoned Mayor Reed of this city asking if he had any information regarding the watch. Mr. Reed informed him that the Bernharts were away from town on a visit and that the watch had evidently been stolen. He promised to make an inves tigation immediately. The mayor then called up Fred Robi son and told him of the conversation with the Lafayette officer. Mr. Robi son and a Ledger-Press reporter went to the Bernhart home to make an in vestigation, and found that one of the windows on the south side of the house had been pried open. Some trinket boxes on dressers in the bedrooms showed evidence of having been ran sacked but not being familar with the contents it was impossible for them to tell what had been taken. In one of the downstair rooms is a large combin ation safe and this was open. The combination on the steel doors had either been worked or the Bernharts had neglected to lock it before leaving for their trip to Battle Creek, Mich., where they are guests of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Fuogizzi and family. The small drawers on the inside of the safe had been pried open and it is probable that some valuable articles have been taken. The silverware, which had been placed there for safe keeping, was undisturb ed so far as could be ascertained. All of it had initials engraved upon it and that is probably the reason it was not tken. Two ten-dollar pold pieces which were in a little box wrapped in tissue paper and tied with a baby rib bon were not taken from the safe by the burglars. No one knew what was in the safe but the Bernherts and it will not be known what is missing un til they return home Saturday. The Lafayette police were askt by Mayor Reed to hold the man upon whom they found the watch until he could send for him this morning. Upon ar rival here he will be sent to Covington without a preliminary hearing where he will be held to await the action of the court when it convenes in Septem ber. It is thought the burglary was com mitted Tuesday night as there was a gang of about twenty hobos in Attica all day Tuesday. They were drinking and raising a good deal of disturbance. Two of them got into a fight and were locked up in jail for a while. The whole bunch was escorted from the city by the police force and it is thought this was a part of the same gang that was rounded up in Lafayette.
Newspaper Details
Attica Ledger Press
Attica, Indiana, US
Fri, Jun 27, 1913
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Nick N.
USA 23 May 2026
Other Publications Near Attica, Indiana
Attica Fountain and Warren Democrat
Attica Ledger Press
Attica Ledger
Attica Daily Tribune
Attica Ledger Tribune
