The Burglar's Secret Den in the Seattle Woods

While playing in the woods near C. P. Foster’s mill, a group of boys wandered into a hollow, hidden from view by a few firs and cedar trees. A blanket was spread out on the ground and upon it was a big pile of stolen property. Nearby lay a small collection of books, including 'History of a Prison,' 'Omega,' and 'Prancisco Pizarro,' which were from Smith’s library. There were also several letters addressed to Miss Katie Franklin; a Sunday school book with Miss Franklin’s name in it; a postal card addressed to W. B.; a lot of rubber seals; clothing of different kinds; a shotgun turned nut downward, leaning against the log and marked W. Richards; a photograph of Bass Nelson; an autograph card case containing a lot of Mrs. Dr. Betch’s cards; a medicine case; bottles, pills, powders, a lady’s leather hand bag with the sides cut open and empty; a pair of fine boots, a blanket, two cash boxes, broken open, empty jelly tumblers, and a hundred other things too numerous to mention. Dwight Smith, leader of the party who made the discovery, is the youngest son of Smith, from whom some of the stolen property had been taken. Nine of the boys are no more than thirteen years old, and when they realized they were right in the midst of a burglar’s camp they became very much frightened and started for home on the run. This discovery goes to prove that the burglar who entered Smith’s home and stole his property is the same one who afterwards broke into Mr. Betch’s, Miss Franklin’s, and many other places.