Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1866-06-29
Great Bank Robbery at Maine.
Si0,OOO ST0LEN-THE CASHIER AND
HIS FAMILY OvERPowERED.

HIS FAMILY ovERPowERED.
A heavy bank robbery took place in
Maine on Friday morning of last week,
the details of which we copy from cor
respondent Of the Boston Journal:
The National Village Bank was plum
dered of every dollar contained in its
safe, together with large quantity of
bonds, &c, amounting in all to the sum of
about $4,000. OF this amount the bank
loses in cash and bonds about $4,000
About S65,000 in bends belonged to in
dividuals in the neighborhood, who had
placed them in the bank for safe keeping.
These consisted of United States, State
of Maine, and Portland and Kennebec
Railroad bonds. The robbery was one
which for boldness of execution and orig
inality of conception is rarely excelled.-
The facts in connection with it, as told me
by Robert Butterfeld, the Cashier of the
banks, are as follows At about 2 o'clock
this morning Mr.. Butterfeld says that he
was aroused from his slumber by receiv-
ing blow upon the head, which for a
moment stunned him, and upon awaking
saw three men, their faces disguised with
masks, standing by his bedside, armed
with pistols and knives, who Immediately
seized him and demanded the keys of the
bank. To this Mr.. Butterfeld made no
reply, whereupon he was tied with small
cords, being bound hand and foot, and
gag placed in his mouth, made of pill
low-case which one of the ruffians 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 to
where the keys were concealed. In the
same bed lay little son of Mr.. Butter
field, about eight years of age, who was
seized at the same time, and bound in a
similar manner as his father.
The sceams of the boy awoke his moth
er who was asleep in an adjoining cham
Der with a sick infant, who, ON rising up
in bed, found that two of the ruffians, who
as they entered her room had extinguish-
ed her light, and whom she beheld by the
aid of dark lantern they had, were
standing over her, and who threatened if
she made the least disturbance to take the
life of her infant "We do not want your
lives" they said eve have been in this
bloody war and its money we want
" We want the money in the bank" She
was then left in the care of one of the
scoundrels, who acted as a guard over her,
another performing the same service in
her husbands room, while the third, who
had possession of the keys, descended the
front staircase, and joining companion
who was watching outside, proceeded to
the bank which was but short distance
from the house.
The building was entered at once, and
the door Of the vault, was unlocked. But
the inside door of the safe, which has one
of Halls patent locks, they could not un-
lock; whereupon one of the party re-
turned to Mr.. Butterfeld's residence, and,
with the one who was watching him, un-
pinioned his feet and took him to the bank,
where they forced him to open the door.
After this was accomplished they then re-
bound him and a, once proceeded to clear
the safe Of its entire contents, which they
placed in bag.
Mr.. Butterfield was then conveyed back
TO his house and placed in his chamber
His wife was then bound and gagged, af-
ter which procedure the robbers decamped
with their 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 the 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 rob
bers, by which means the boy subsequent
ly was enabled to mloosen himself and
alarm two domestics in rear chamber of
the house, who, after considerable delay
occasioned by fright, came TO the rescue
and all the parties were released.
Mr.. Buiterfeld then at once proceeded
to the house of MIR. Carr, one of the Di-