Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1869-07-15
THE OCEAN BANK ROBBERY.

THE OCEAN BANK ROBBERY.
Ar Astonishing Burglary, Yielding
100000 to tho OPeraiors..IIow IL
From the New York Sun.
The community is again startled by q
colossal bank robbery, and ono of the old.
estand most conservative moneyed institu-
tons Of tho city is made the victim of al
exploit in thievery that for ingenuity in de-
sign, skill in execution, and success
marks tho sure advancement of
burglary as an art. In this instance, prob
ably the full amount of one million of dol.
lars in available funds and securities has
been appropriated by the enterprisiup
rogues, who have so carefully covered their
tracks that the police are utterly bnfflcd
even III detecting d clue that might fastcn
q faint suspicion upon some one.
THE DISCOVERY. -.
Iho Ocean Bank. occupying the main
stone building It Futon and G1ee nroMh
streets, was the scene of his last and most
daring undertaking. The bank was closed
and secured in the usual manner on Satur
day afternoon at the ordinary time, gold,
currency, stocks, bonds, certificates and
other valuable securities. aggregating be-
tween three and four millions of dollars in
value, having first been deposited in the
safes standing within the trebly doored and
locked vault. The porter swept up the lit
ter made by the days business secured the
windows and doors, and retired to his apart
ments in the attic, congratulating himself
that he had no more work to do until Mon
day morning. Monday morning came, and
with 1t tho porter, bright and early The.
doors were opened Mt o'clock in the morn
ing, and as daylight found its way into the
long darkened apartment, the porter was
thunderstruck by noticing tie vault door
standing open. With one leap he cleared
the counter, jumped over desks, stumbled
over chairs, and made the fastest time he
was ever known to make, in direct line
to the vault opening. Here his astonish-
ment was increased by the discovery that
the interior doors were open also. Strik-
ing q light he was amazed ut seeing the
floor Uttered thick with those beautiful evil
dences of value he was accustomed to see
handled with so much care, and mixed
with them, and lying around loose, were
numerous bright and shining gold pieces.
The bank had been robbed. "Watch |"
''Police" shouted the porter. Then re-
membering that he had locked tho door on
entering, he returned to the entrance of
the building, opened the door, and gaining
his senses as he proceeded, stopped shout
ing, went out, locked the door behind him,
and fastened to the Liberty street police
station, and informed Capt. Steers Of his
discoveries. The Captain called two Off
GERS to accompany him, and with the porter
went to the bank. On hastily surveying
the scene, he assumed the responsibility of
taking possession Of the bank, and sending
These were speedily brought to the scene,
Uses was made, disclosing the fact that the
operators had entered from the rear base
ment, by boring hole through the ceiling
of that room and the floor of the room
above, thus effecting an entrance into the
Presidents room, giving them the range OF
the institution.
One safe contained the assets in charge
of the receiving teller, being mainly cur
rency, gold and checks. There was $50,
600 in gold. tied up in canvass bags, and
filling o considerable portion of the avail
able space. One of these bags was taken
out and examined, but being found heavy,
was left standing on top of the safe. An
other bag was cut open and its contents
scattered about, a portion of it having
been taken, probably for loose change.
bank bills and greenbacks was in this safe
and appropriated by the robbers, but not
much else of value; S1O,O in checks pay
able to the bank, $500, 900 in three per
cent. certificates, $4,000 in gold
certificates, and about 1,2OO,OOO in
various bills receivable were left intact.
The other safe was forced open in
the same manner as the first one. This
contained the exchange package of the
bank, made up for delivery at the Clearing
House on Monday morning, which were
left intact, so that the bank made its set.
Elements yesterday in full, and without the
slightest inconvenience. Besides these,
the safe was filed with small tin boxes and
sealed packages belonging to the custom
ers of the bank, and left there for securi-
ty. A number of these, for which there
was no room in the safe, were piled on the
floor between the two safes. These were
all opened and thoroughly examined, eve
rything in the shape of money or negotia.
Bile securities in them being appropriated.
The amount taken can only be estimated.
as the bank has no knowledge
of or any responsibility for the
contents of such special deposits
The President of the Bank. Mi. D. r..
Martin had three private boxes here, all OF
which were despoiled, but he declines Civ
ing his loss. VIM. Okell exchange broker
in the basement of the bank, had box
containing bag of gold, sundry bonds,
checks, &C., and $500 in currency. The
currency was taken, but the other valua.
bles left. One man, name unknown. claims
that his box contained coupon bonds to the
amount of $50, 600, all of which was taken.
Other individual losses vary from $3.50 to
500, 900, but the losers decline stating the
amount of their losses and the bank has nc
means of knowing. But it is commonly
estimated that, including the amount lost
by the bank, say $25, 900, the robbers sc.
cured from $50. 600 to $1.O00.OOO.
THE BASE OF OPERATIONS
The basement of the bank was formerly
one room, and was occupied by the Globe
Insurance Company. William Okell sub.
seQuently rented it for an exchange Office,
and sub-divided it into three apartments, as
shown in the diagram. The middle and
rear apartment he offered for rent, reserv.
ing the front room for his own use. About
three weeks ago we'll dressed, gentleman.
ly appearing person engaged the inner OF
rear room, Us he represented, as an agency
for the Chicago Life Insurance Company,
agreeing to pay $500 per year rent, month.
" in advance. He paid one months rent,
$50, on taking possession. He appeared
to MIR. Oken to be German, but the name
he gave is not remembered. This Office is
directly underneath the private room OF
the President Of the bank, and has an en-
trance on Fulton street, numbered 220. A
few days after engaging the Office, very
respectable sign, gold letters on black
board, extending across the entire front,
appeared, reading as follows:
INSURANCE, NEwcoMB o'NEuL.
About the same time an elegant office
desk, with an imposing array of pigeon
holes, was brought to the place with good
deal of ostentation, and care taken to let it
be seen going in. Then came what SEEM
ed to he a remarkably large wardrobe,
which was placed against the. wall of the
room. After these demonstrations, Messrs.
Newcomb & ONeill relapsed into obscure
ty, as no one seems to remember having
seen them come in or 60 out, or have any
visitors. OF course, no Newcomb& O'Neill
were to be found yesterday.
On examining their Office it was found
that they had carefully screened the glass
partition between them and the room ''to
let, and had taken other precautions to
keep out pry1ng eyes. Thtewnrdlobo was
found to have at either end secret panel
doors, covering openings large enough to
admit a man, and in which any amount OF
tools could be concealed. Some of their