The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1870-04-27
YERNS-lN ADVAWGE.
The Columbia Robbery.

one OF Tue olncerS connected With the
Internal Revenue Department, was
entering the passage way leading to
his Yoffice-which is in tho second story
of the building in the Court House
square, occupied by Messrs. Scott,
Williams & Co., as n banking house
he observed ball Of twine on the
floor, behind the door; on stopping to
pick it up, he found that the cord pass
ed through hole in the side wall of
the bank. His suspicious becoming
excited, he Immediately went out and
related the circumstance to two ac.
quaintancos, when the trio returned
and made an examination Of the
premises. The rear door Of the bank
was found ajar, and the parties enter.
cd the doors leading into the front
office were all open continuing cxplo-
rations, they next discovered a sledge
hammer, steel rods, wedges, and sew
eral MISUNDERSTANDING implements,
end the door of the vault open to its
fullest extent. A voice in an adioin-
ing closet attracted their attention,
when, upon opening the door, white
man came forward. This individal,
Dayton Il. Gaigo by name, was form
erly United States soldier; after
wards connected with an assessor 'soflice
IN one of tho upper counties, but lost
his position through maIfoasance in
Office, as We arc informed he then
came to Columbia and was employed
for timc by Probate Judge Wigg
is now Idle Gaise's account of his
incarceration in the building is to the
effect that, on Saturday night, about II
O'Clock, while on his way home, he was
overtakca by the rain; that he step
pod into the passage way, in rear of
the bank, and partially closed tho
door; shortly afterwards, q man,
whom he supposed was the bank
watehman, caught him by the arms
rnd dragged him into tho adjacent
room--Gaigc, as he says, protesting
that he was not robber, etc.. an
other individal then appeared and
presented revolver at his head,
threatening to kill him if he made
any alarm. Gaige says he was then
forced into closet, near tho vault, the
parties insisting that he should lie
down and keep perfectly quiet, or
they would promptly dispose of him.
tlo says that the two individuals then
returned to the front room, and con-
tlnued hammcriog and boring for
several hours and that about 5
o'clock, as ho snpposos they left the
building. EIe was, as he asserts,
afraid Of making any outcry, as tho
robbers might bo on the premises still
and would carry out the ,hcir threats.
This statement lie made, with but
slight variation, whcn questioned by
different parties. Gaige had an OK
animation before the Mayor, on Mou-
day morning, but was cautioned by
tho attending Magistrate against maxi
Ing any statement that would crimi-
nate himself; he merely repeated
what we have given above. Gaige
declares that there wore only two men
within tho building --ono of them be-
Ing rather slender, and the other
Htout, with curly head.
This IS ono of the best planned and
most successfully carried out robhor-
les which has ever occurred in this
portion of tho country. The bur
glars went to work Systematically
even arranging twine. tclegraphic
nlarm-and covered thcirt tracks care
fully, that nothing tangible relative
TO their movements has tronspircd, +,
and beyond mere suspicion, there is
nothing to 60 upon. a quantity of
burglars implements were left
IN the room-sufficient to start
several individuals in tho business.
Jlmmios, lovers, braces, boring appa-
ratus, etc. A sledge hammer belong
lag to respectable mechanical ostab-
Iishment, was among the lot; which,
OF course, was n matter Of surprise TO
the Legitimate owners. Among the
stolen property, was q large amount
OF bills of tho old Bank of the State
and Exchange Bank Of Columbia. It
is believed that no bonds or stocks
Of which thore was largo quantity
IN the vault-were carried of. The
entire loss, it is believed, will not cx-
oeed $500 the bank suffering to
the exton. of about $4,000, it is
thought; special dopositors being tho
principal losers. Several thousand
dollars in gold were taken; silver was
throwu aside, from its great weight.
the thieves effected an entrance
through the front door, aud their exit,
apparently, from the rear. The prin-
cipal door of the vault was forced
open by breaking the outer edge of
+, the two'upper sockets in the door fac
ipg; and, as it is supposed, through
tho means Of a lcaver, springing the
Two lower bolts out of thoir sockets !;
= holes had been drilled above them for
q some unknown purpose. The pad .
dock on the second door was then
smaehod strips of India rubber were
2 used to deaden the sounds. The
Q hinges Of one of the doors Of the safe.