GRANDVIEW VISITED BY BAND OF ROBBERS

BEIK, MULLER, SHELLABARGER, HIGLEY, REUTINGER, OAKES, STEEL

Posted By: Judy Kelley, volunteer (email)
Date: 4/4/2010 at 18:11:42

Source: Louisa County Historical Society scrapbook, clipping from unknown newspaper, handwritten date of Feb. 23, 1914.

Safe Blown Open But Little Booty Secured

BURGLARS MAKE ESCAPE

First Visited Store at Mueller & Shellabarger - Then Broke Into Higley Drug Store, the Elevator, M.N. & S. Depot and J. J. Beik Lumber Office in Succession - Two Suspects Arrested in Columbus Junction.

Thieves visited Grandview Tuesday night, entering four or five business places and finally blowing the safe at the J.J. Beik lumber office, which act roused the town. The thieves escaped before a posse could take the trail. Their loot was small.

It is believed that they began operations compartively early in the evening. They first visited the general store of Muller & Shellabarger, gaining an entrance through the flour room at the rear. They broke open the doors with a crow bar which they had secured at the tool shed near the Muscatine North & South depot. At Muller & Shellabarger's they found only $2.50 in cash, and after a short search departed through the rear entrance, going out the alley.

Next they went to the D.J. Higley drug store, where the post office is located. Here they were a trifle more fortunate, securing $6.00 in cash and two searchlights. They failed to take any stamps from the postoffice, however. From the drug store they went to the Muscatine North & South depot where they entered the waiting room but were unable to get into the ticket office.

From the depot the thieves went to the Grandview elevator office. Here they found no money, the proprietor having deposited all his receipts of the day before, before the bank closed.

Then the robbers proceeded to the Beik lumber office. Here they made preparations to blow open the safe which they did effectively, the explosion wrecking the safe, destroying books and records therein contained, and, of more immediate moment, awakening Miss Nora Steel, whose home is near the lumber office. Miss Steel, hearing the noise of the explosion rushed to a window and looked out just in time to see one of the robbers raising up from before the wrecked safe.

Acting instantly Miss Steel took down the receiver of her telephone and notified central. Unfortunately the Steel residence and the Beik lumber office are on the same line and in ringing central Miss Steel rang the phone in the lumber office. This must have alarmed the yeggmen as by the time a posse of business man had been hastily gathered together the culprits had flown. The robbers secured but eleven cents in cash from the wrecked safe.

Later their trail was found and a search was begun. The tracks led in the direction of Wapello.

The Grandview men followed the trail of the robbers along the M.N. & S. railway until a point opposite the home of Jos. Reutinger, where they struck off west across his field and it was impossible to follow them longer.

In the afternoon word was received here that Deputy Sheriff Frank Oakes of Columbus Junction, had arrested two men near that city who were supposed to be the men wanted. They had on new overshoes and considerable small change, and refused to say where they were the evening before. It is said that the Grandview folks were able to identify some of the plunder on them. They were brought to Wapello today noon and lodged in the county jail.