The Case of the Missing Pocket Watch
A Tacoma family's frantic search for a stolen heirloom ends when a toddler is found with the culprit in his overalls.
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 household of Ferdinand Warnke, of Twelfth and Junett streets, was thrown into the wildest excitement this morning when Mrs. Warnke discovered that her valuable watch had disappeared during the night. A search was at once instituted, but after two hours of hunting, the conclusion was reached that burglars had paid the home a visit, and the police were notified. In the meantime, Ferdinand C. the second, aged 4 years, was sleeping peacefully. When his mother went to dress him, the watch dropped from the rear pocket of Freddy's overalls. Mr. Warnke notified the police to call off the detectives and told them of the joke.
“A monotonous 'tick-tick' sounding in his ear served as the accompaniment of his dreams.”
This lighthearted domestic story provides a rare glimpse into the private residential life of Tacoma at the turn of the century. It marks a moment of suburban normalcy amidst the high-pressure political and industrial news of the era.
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