Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-07-04
CLARIFIED, PA, WEDNESDAY, JULY 4, 1866
The Remarkable Bank Robbery in Maine
The Cashiers Account.

The robbery of the Village Bank OF Bow
doinham, Me- ,on Friday morning, June 22d,
by party of robbers, was one of the ex-
traordinary performances Of these times.
The robbers carried off every dollar contain
ed in the safes, amounting in all to about
$4,000. The robbery was one which for
| boldness of execution and originality OF con
ception is rarely excelled The facts, as re-
lated by Mr.. Butterfeld, cashier of the
bank, are as follows:
At about clock In the morning Mr.
Butterfield says that he was aroused from
| his slumber by receiving blow upon the
| head, which for a moment stunned him, and
| upon awaking saw three men, their faces
| disguised with masks, standing by his bed
| side, armed with pistols and knives, who
Immediately seized him and demanded the
! keys of the bank
To this Mr. Butterfield made no reply,
| whereupon ne was tied with small cords,
| being bound hand and foot, and gag pia-
ced in his mouth, made Of a pillow-case,
which oae Of the rutfians took from the bed.
Not complying with the demand which was
made, Mr.. BUtterfeld was then violently
choked until he was forced to tell, which he
did by pointing where the keys were con-
| cealed. In the same bed lay little son of
Mr. Butterfeld, about eight years OF age,
who was seized at the same time and bound
| in a similar manner as his father.
The screams of the boy awoke his moth
| er, who was asleep In an adjoining chamber
with a sick infant, who, on rising up in bed,
| found that two of the rufians, who, as they
entered the room, had extinguished her
light, whom she beheld by the aid of a dark
/ lor,E =, h,l -+a har
and who threatened, if she made the least
disturbance to take the life of her infant.
we DO not want your lives, they said
''we have been in this bloody war and it's
money we want I'VE want the money
in the bank" She was then left in the
care of one of the sconndrels, who acted as
a guard over her, another performing the
same service in her husbands S room, while
the third, who had possession of the keys,
descended the front staircase and joining
companion who was watching outside, pro-
-ceedod to the bank, which was but short
distance from the house.
The building was entered al once, and the
door of the vault, which is located on the
ground hoor, was opened, and the outer
door Of the safe, which was inside the vault,
was unlocked. But the inside door of the
safe. which was one of Halls patent locks,
they could not unlock whereRpon one OF
the party returned to Mr.. Butterfeld's res
idence, and, with the one who was watch
ing him, unpinioned his feet and took him
to the bank, where they forced him to open
the door
After this was accomplished they then
rebound him and at once proceeded to clear
the safe OF It's entire contents, which they
placed in bag.
Dir. Butterfield was then conveyed back
to his house and placed in his chamber.
His wife was then bound and gagged, after
which procedure the robbers decamped with
the booty.
During this time Mrs B. was not con-
scious that her husband had been taken
from the house. She was assured that he
was perfectly safe and uninjured. At her
request her little boy was brought into her
room, who was suffering very much by the
tightness of the cord around his ankles.
At the request of his mother the cord
was loosened by one of the robbers, by
which means the boy was subsequently en-
abled to unloosen himself and alarm two
domestics in rear chamber of the house,
who, after considerable delay oecasloned by
fright, came to the rescue, and all the par
ties were released.
Mr. Butterfeld then at once proceeded to
the house of Mr.. Carr, one of the directors
of the bank. and informed him of what had
taken place. The news of the robbery was
then at once made known, and sped ike
wildfre throughout the village.
Pursuit was made in different directions
by the citizens. 1t is supposed that the
robbers, after they had plundered the safe,
took their fight in direction, according to
indications found in piece of woods near
the road, TO Brunswick, where were also |
found several pairs of stockings, pieces of
cord, and Montreal newspaper, bearing
date of the 18th inst.
The President OF the bank has offered a
reward of $4,000, as follows $4,000 will be
paid for the recovery of the bonds and mon
ey, or proportionate sum for less amount,
and $1,000 will be paid for the apprehension
of the thieves