The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-05-28
Robbery Of the County National
Bank, OF Ciearfeld

On Thursday morning, May 18th, our citi-
zens were somewhat startled by the announce
ment, that the County National Bank, in
| this borough, had been entered by burglars
and robbed of large amount of money and
bonds A crowd soon gathered at the bank
ing house to view the debris of the demolish-
ed vault and safe. Upon examination it ap-
peared that the burglars had gained access
to the building at the font entrance, having
by means Of wedges and bar, wrenched off
the hasp into which the bolts of the lock
enter upon being sprung by the key. The
burglars having provided themselves with
large supply of tools at three of the black
smith shops in town, they next attacked the
vault door. The vault is constructed of
heavy boiler iron, firmly rivited together,
and enclosed within brick walls The door
The burg lars It would SEEM first eGGf 6Hte
knob by means of which the outer door of
the vault is locked, with q cold-chisel, and
| then, with heavy sledge-hammer drove in
the iron centre piece which operates the bolts,
and smashed the lock to fragments. Still not
being able to get into the vault, on account
of the top and bottom bolts remaining in
their position, they dug away portion Of
the brick wall, ond then, with an iron wedge,
forced off the clasp that holds the lower
| bolt to the inside of the door. The nexl
/ obstruction, was the inner door of the fire.
proof, fastened with heavy paddock; which
was knocked off by a blow from the sledge-
hammer, Having now gained access to the
vault, the next Obsticle in the way OF the
burgulars securing their booty, was the Lii
ley Burglar proof-safe with combination lock-
First they pulled the Lilley safe about two
thirds of its length outside of the other door,
knocked off the combination knob, and then
| n+to fo1 IN nj IN nd fo ,oiooac tha
conical-shaped chilled iron centre block in
which the combination operates. Evidently,
having found this fruitless effort, they then
piled the heavy. sledge ge-hammer with great
force and various portions of the
front edgesV yafe and door, but succeed
ed only in knocking off some small scales.-
Finally, however, it seems, they found a
weak spot-a flaw, more than an inch in
width and about five inches in length, in tho
iron Of the door, to the left of the combina-
tion. The iron covering this defect in the
door was only about quarter of an inch in
thickness, and the inside about half an inch.
The outside portion over the flaw having
been broken in with the sledge-hammer, they
next drove heavy steel punch through the
inner part and into the combination, break
ing the lock into pieces. From appearances,
the burgulars evidently had hard job on
hand, and one which must have taken them
perhaps more than an hour to accomplish,
as the iron through which they forced their
way, is literally covered with dents and
Marks and the great wonder is that they
did not alarm the whole town by the great
number of heavy blows they struck to secure
their end. The robbery must have been com.
| mitted between midnight and morning, and
, the amount secured by the burgulars was
Sl5, 900 in money and 81 800 in government
bonds. The Directors met at once, and offer
ed a reward of 5000 for the apprehension
l of the burglars and the recovery of the
3 money and bonds. Persons were speedily
1 sent in various directions but the robbers
have not, as yet, been apprehended.- Rats
, man Journal.