Man Charged in Wisconsin Historical Society Theft

http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/currentnews/newsarchive/2005abc/october2005ab/wischist.cfm

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Posted October 7, 2005.

Man Charged in Wisconsin Historical Society Theft

A man broke into an antique glass bookcase at the Wisconsin Historical Society Library in Madison September 29 to steal a rare volume valued at $3,000–$5,000. Matthew Brooke, 26, was charged September 30 with felony theft of library materials and criminal damage to property for smashing the glass with his elbow and taking a bound volume of the Pennsylvania Evening Post newspaper containing issues from January to April 1777. Brooke, who had been released from prison in April after serving two years for disorderly conduct, told the court that he took the book because he wanted to read an article about a historical figure named William Hill.

Michael Edmonds, associate director of the library, told American Libraries that Brooke entered the building early in the morning before the library itself was open and was seen wandering around by maintenance people. After allegedly taking the volume from the case, which was in a common hallway, he remained in the building until the library opened, where police found him using a computer with the book stuffed into the waistband of his pants.

The bookcase features a permanent exhibit of the earliest items collected by the historical society, including reports by state governments and Revolutionary Era volumes of newspapers. A valuable artifact itself, it was placed in the office of the governor in 1854 and served as the original WHS collection.

“That’s why it’s like the Ark of the Covenant to us,” said Edmonds. Since the attempted theft, the society has moved the case into the library, where it will be visible to staff at all times.

Posted October 7, 2005.