Jacob Bros. store burglary

JACBOS, BARTLETT, HARTWELL

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 5/24/2011 at 08:33:56

A BIG HAUL

Burglars Enter Jacobs Bros. Store and Secure $500 Worth of Goods.

The "biggest haul" ever made by burglars in Grundy Center was made last Tuesday morning between one and two o'clock at Jacob Bros. department store. About five hundred dollars worth of goods were taken most of which was in jewelry. They also took two beaver overcoats, with name of Clement Bains & Co. on the collar, two suits of men's clothing, one a black melton single breasted sack coat, size 36; pants 32-33, No. 1156, gloves, shoes, caps, knives and hose. They gained an entrance to the store by breaking a window out of the door in the west end of the grocery department and breaking off two iron bars used in protecting the window. After gaining an entrance to the store they broke off the money drawer but got nothing for their trouble. They used matches for a dark lantern. This probably accounts for the light haul they made on the clothing department as they were unable to find the sizes they wanted. The noise they made was heard by Ed Davis and he took the trouble to get up and dress but as everything was quiet when he went down stairs and looked about the house he again retired. Messrs. Jacobs Bros. are of the opinion that the burglars were alarmed at the noise they heard outside else they would have taken more staple goods. Evidently they are novices in the business. They could have taken severally thousand dollars worth of goods almost as easily as they took five hundred dollars worth.

--The Grundy County Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 14 January 1897

BURGLARS CAPTURED

The Men that Broke into Jacobs Bros. Store were taken in at Des Moines.

Fred Bartlett and John Hartwell who burglarized Jacobs Bros. store last week were captured in Des Moines Friday. Marshal Hardle who had been on their trail all week, returned to Grundy Center with them Saturday night. They confess that they are the parties wanted for the crime. Their story is about as follows:

They had been laying around Grundy Center for several days--one of them having served thirty days in the Grundy county jail. They were in Holland Monday and about ten o'clock at night they returned to Grundy Center pretty thoroughly intoxicated. They wandered around town until about twelve o'clock when they went to the rear of the grocery department of Jacobs Bros. store and knocked out one of the windows in the door. For fear the noise they made would arouse some one they did not enter the store at once, but took a stroll on Main street. A few minutes afterward they saw a man (Elmer Mertz) leave Cole & Morrison's livery barn, and after he went to the Central House they took up their pilgramage to Jacobs Bros. store. Everything being quiet on the back alley they entered the building and took what good they wanted. After packing their grips they started south stopping at a straw stack on Will Lyon's place where they changed their old clothing, leaving their "duds" to furnish a clue to their wanderings. From here they went to Gladbrook, then to Tama City, from there to Madrid, thence to Des Moines where they met their downfall.

Detective McNut of Des Moines, received one of the cards sent out from Grundy Center giving a description of property stolen, and he kept his eyes open for the "birds." After reaching the Capital city they became thirsty for the "flowing bowl," and after passing several saloons they concluded to take a drink. Here is where they fell down. One drink called for another, and they soon became "mellow," so much so that they made their way to White Chappel, and displaying some of the stolen property, they were at once spotted by Detective Jones as the men wanted and after an exciting chase they were captured. Hartwell, at the time of his capture, had one hundred and forty-four rings and fourteen watch chains on his person, while Bartlett had one hundred and forty-eight rings and thirteen chains.

Ed Wilbur, being in Des Moines at the time, identified the goods as those taken from Jacobs Bros. store.

Both men are now confined in the county with prospects of a long term in the penitentiary staring them in the face. Bartlett is well marked having an anchor on his right arm and an American eagle on back of left hand, with a crucifixion of Christ on the left arm, while on the back side of the same arm is an angel kneeling at the cross. The work is tattooed with indelible ink. Hartwell has a very crooked nose and a large scar on right hand.

The prisoners appeared before Mayor Sayer Wednesday morning, waived examination and were bound over to the district court.

--The Grundy County Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 21 January 1987