Garage Watchman Foils Whiskey Theft

A second attempt within ten days by thieves to steal whisky valued at several thousands of dollars from the drug store of George Beringer, Fifth and Federal streets, was frustrated over the week-end by the alertness of a night attendant at a garage at Fifth and Arch streets. It was about 2 o'clock Sunday morning when James Robertson, night attendant at the garage of Herman Z. Cutler, Fifth and Arch streets, saw a man carrying a box up an alley almost directly opposite the garage. Robertson, suspicious, telephoned police headquarters at city hall. "Come to Fifth and Arch streets right away," Robertson urged the police sergeant on duty. "A man is acting suspiciously in this neighborhood. He looks like a thief." Policemen Joslin, Cattel, Reese, Jones, Petit and Carroll were dispatched to the scene. When they arrived, the mysterious stranger sighted by Robertson had disappeared. Further search proving unavailing, the police sought the box the man had carried into the alleyway. They found it in the establishment at 503 Federal street, occupied by a washing machine company. The thief had entered the place by forcing a side window, and left the box, a case of whisky, inside. Further investigation revealed that the thief and possible accomplices had entered the drug establishment by climbing a shed in the rear to the second floor. They then lifted themselves to the third floor. There they broke open a shutter on one of the windows and entered. Going to the cellar, the thieves broke open a closet where the whisky was stored. They apparently aimed to remove one case of liquor at a time. Ten days ago both the Beringer establishment and the washing machine firm's headquarters adjoining were broken into and robbed. Normal Middleton, 308 Penn street, manager of the place next to the Beringer store, said nothing was stolen from there in the weekend robbery. A check-up is being made by Beringer employees today to determine what was taken at that establishment.