A Wedding Night Heist in Georgetown
A newlywed couple returns from a day out to find their home ransacked, though the thieves showed a strange sense of etiquette.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The residence of William A. Carle, at Georgetown, south of the city, was burglarized some time Friday afternoon and about $300 worth of Mr. Carle's personal effects stolen. With rare consideration for a newly married couple, the burglars left the silverware and many wedding presents where they could easily be found. Mrs. Carle has been entertaining friends at her residence for several days, and Friday afternoon the party took advantage of the beautiful weather and came to the city. On returning home in the evening, nothing was noticed out of order except a back window had been left open. Mr. Carle discovered the theft the next morning when he found his razor and toilet case missing. Upon further inspection, he found his dress suit, business suit, and trousers had been stolen, along with diamond studs and gold cuff buttons. The burglars had rifled through his jewelry case and moved to the next room, but seemed to stop their work suddenly, as other valuables remained undisturbed. The case is currently under investigation.
“With rare consideration for a newly married couple the burglars left the silverware and many wedding presents where they could easily be found.”
Georgetown was an industrial suburb in 1893, and this report captures a quiet moment of domestic violation before the neighborhood was annexed by the city. It serves as a reminder that 'property crime' has always been a staple of the Seattle beat, though the burglars' decision to leave the silverware behind adds a curious, almost polite layer to the crime.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.