Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-09-17
ASHTABULA, OHIO, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER II, 1870.

Bob went back TO his work and worked
all the afternoon, but with no luck, and
so when nine o'clock came that night,
Charley took hold of things. We got
our Jlmmies and our plug-uglies, and
fixed up prop to work the opener
against. / was bound TO open any safe,
once I got purchase with my opener.
They can't stand long against it.
Before we got to work, gentleman
Tim went to the back door and with a
fine brace and bit he made a small hole
through the panDel OF the door; he felt
it pulled on the other side, and knew
Cute Jack was at his post. Leaving the
wire through the door, we rugged a
spring hammer so that it would strike
like dinner gong, only it would strike
on book and make dull tbud, instead
a clear noise like bell. Jack was to
pull wire and keep US posted by it of
outside matters and dangers. Then we
got to work, and got the opener to
bear. We made little or no noise, still
we stopped work whenever Jacks bell
gave one thud, which meant danger, two
thuds meant ahead again, while three
meant that some one was either coming
into the bank, or that some policemen
was searching along under stoops, and
would, when he got to the bank stoop,
discover Jack as he lay curled up.
Should this happen, he was to feign
sleep, and, at the worst, could only be
made to move on. However, every thing
was propitious, and the bell only sound
ed the one rap whenever the policemen
drew near the bank. We had worked
about an hour, and felt sure couple
more would let me through the door,
when Bob, who had not discontinued his
attempt to unfold the combination OF
the lock, uttered a joyful exclamation,
and Immediately the ponderous door
swung open. He had bit upon the com.
bination partly by luck and partly from
his knowledge of locks. The little door
was of but little hinderance to us,and we
were soon in the vault. Gentleman Tim
produced some india rubber bags which
he had provided, aud into them he hur.
riealy placed the wealth of notes, stocks
and bills which we found. A lot If de-
positors' tin cash boxes were ranged
around, and these We broke open and
added the contents to our pile.
The bags now become full, and yet
still more was to he had for the taking
1t would not do for one of US to load
himself with a single dollar, for if arrest
ed on the street on suspicion, we must
have nothing traceab.e to the bank about
our persons. A long, low trunk was in
the vault, and we found by measuring
its thickness tLat it would just enter the
sewer at the corner.
Now came the most dangerous part
of the work. BY pulling the string, the
wire end of which was in Jacks hand,
we communicated TO him through ar.
ranged signals that we were ready to
come out. In answer, be informed us
through the same channel, that the DO
licemen were still near. Alter waiting
fifteen minnles Jack tei>graphed that
the coast Was clear, and one by one we
slipped ont of the from. door, ant. hand.
ed the bag of stuff, which we carried,
down the sluiceway to Charley, passed
on III different ways, to meet, as by ar
rangemcnt, in AN hour afterwards at the
mouth of the sewer. | came out of the
bank last, carrying the trunk, which
gave to Charley, aud then passed down
toward the market.
| waited an hour and then went to the
sewer mouth and waited in the shade Of
the pier an hour more, but none of the
fellows came. At last l slipped up the
sewer aud found no Charley.
then saw how | had been fooled
The Williams had come together and made
off with the spoils before l mad got
there.
never set eyes on one of those fel
lows since. If | had one would have
died, be it him or me.
The bank offered big reward, and
had my doubts whether it wouldn't be
hetter to each aud claim it, and 20 gel
something But as had no bonds tt
return TO them, and poor clues to give
them, | feared they wouldn't act squar,
with me. Now I'm tast and may AZ wei
make the best of it. Ii you can do any
thing to catch 'em, III be right glad
ii you can't, it can't be helped; only i
you do your best, why, as | said before
| forgive you all clean for hunting mt
down.
Little more remains to be told. The
clues given me by English Bill were sut
ficieni TO enable me to trace his fellow
williams: but safe, on unextraditioDa
soil, they live in wealth, and no doubt
daily rejoice in the fruits Of their most
successful robbery. / visited Bill the
other day, and told him of their safety.
He didm't enjoy the news at all, but
with many curses, compared their tate
to his, and damned them for their treach
cry. AS lett, he said, 81 don't know al
| forgive you quite, but if | ever get out
of here, and have a chance to shoot you
from a sewer-why | wont, that's all. >
NapOleon's Downfall.