The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-04-20
THE BOLD BURGLARS.
Moro About the columbia crac,ssmon.

terday:
On Sunday morning. about O'Clock, as
with the Internal Revenue Department, was
entering the passage-way leading TO his
office, lie observed ball OF twine on the
moor, behind the door; on stopping to pick II
up, he found that the cord passed through q
hole In the side wall Of the bank. His suspicious
becoming excited, he Immediately went out and
related the circumstances to two acqualnt.
ances, when the trio returned and made
OF the bank was found ajar, and the parties en-.
tered. The doors leading into the front office
were all open; continuing their explorations, they
next discovered sledge hammer, steel rods,
wedges aud several mysterious looking imple'
ments, and the door OF the vault opened 10 Its
fullest extent. A voice in an adjoining closet at
tracted their attention, when, upon opening the
door, o white man came forward. This individual,
Dayton l.. Gaige by name, was formerly United
States soldier, afterwards connected with an as
sessors ortice In one OF the upper counties, but
lost his position through malfeasance in office, as
we are Informed; he then came 10 Columbia.
HOW HE GOT THERE
Gaige's account OF his Incarceration In the
building is TO the effect that on Saturday night,
about IL O'Clock, While on his way home he was
overtakcn by the rain; that he stepped into the
pasSage-way in rear Of the bank anu partially
closed the door; shorty afterwards, a mau, whom
he eupposed was the bInk watchman caught him
by the arms and dragged him into the adjacent
r0om-Gaige, rs he says, protesting that he was
not robber, &C.; another Individual then appear
cd and presented q revolver at his head, threaten
ing to Kill him IL he made any alarm. Gagc says
he was then forced into closet. near the vault,
the parties insisting that he should lie down
and keep perfectly quiet, or I ey would promptly
dispose o, him. He says that the two individu-
ais then returned to the front room and con-
tinued hammering and boring for several hours;
and that about o'clock Us he SuppUSes, they
left the building. He was, rs lie asserts, AFRAID Of
making any outcry, as the robbers might be on
threats. This statement lie made, with but
slight variation, when questioned by different
parties. Gaigc had an examination before the
Mayor yesterday morning, but was cautioned by
an attending magistrate against making any
statement that would criminate himself; lie
merely repeated what we have given above.
Gaige declares that there We're only two men
within the 6uilding-one OF them being rather
slender, and the other stout, with curly hair.
TIE LOSERS.
1t fortunately happened that large amounts OF
money had recently been sent away from the
bank to other points, and there waS less on hand
than there had teen at any one time within the
last six months. The robbers found some com
pensatiOn for this. however, in the large number
forty or lfty-of private boxes and special de.
posIts. The most OF these they examined and
were considerate enough to take no bonds or
stocks OF any Kind. They helped themselves in
all to about $4,000, the firm OF Messrs. Scott,
Williams & Co. being losers TO the amount OF be-
tween S1i 900 and $4,000. An equal, or perhans
little larger, amount Of loss was distributed
amongst n considerable number or dcpositors.
MessrS. G.. II. Baldwin, j. P. Southern. j. r
Adams, Robertson and Beard are mentioned
among the losers.
Throughout the whole OF the period Of trial and
uncertainty, the sympathy OF the whole cemmu-
nifty flowed in strong and encouraging currents
towards fhe Arm Of Scott, Williams Co. they
met their losses so cheerfuy and so resolutey,
as largely to increase the confidence already re.
posed in Them. Business was brisk with them all
day yesterday, and they received more money on
deposit than they were called on to pay out.
Early yesterday morning they issued the follow
ing card, which we take pleasure III copying, as
honorable to all concerned:
"7D The Pu6lic.-With many thanks to our
friends and the community for their manifesto.
tiOns OF sympathy OH the occasion OF our recent
loss, we assure them Of our readiness and ability
to meet oil demands promptly on presentation. 1"
ITO the president and cashier Of the Carolina
National Bank we are under special obligations
for Ihe!r kind offer Of assistance. IL needed.
SCOTT, WILLIAMS 4 Co..
THE REWARD.
Tie following notice Is published
"SiI Thousand Dollars Rescard.-We will pay
$4,000 for the recovery OF the currency, gold anu
bank bills stolen from our bank on the night or
10th instant or ten per cent. upon the
value OF any portion thereof, and $1,000 for evil
ScoTT, WILLIAMS & Co."
FALSE ALARM.
The Augusta Chronicle OF yesterday says:
The robbery was perpetratcd on last Saturday
night or Sunday morning, and the first ntimatton
received OF 1t here was conveyed TO the cnlel ol
police Of this city, by the medium ola ;elegraphlc
dispatch from tile Mayor OF Columbia. The dis.
patch briefly stated that heavy bank robbery
had been perpetrated In Columbia ON the prcce.
ding night, and that the burglars who had lifted
twenty thousand dollars of swag had taken the
train for this city. In tile dispatch was contain
ed Z description oftwo OF the burglars, and When
The afternoon train oyer the Charlotte, Columbia
aul Augusta Railroad reached this city, tile p0-
lice we're waiting for it at the depot
bat the men were nos or board for whom
they W. re looking. Later 10 the evening another
and very confused dispatch from the Mayor Of
that two burglars had left Columbia on the AFTER
noon train for Augusta. ana would reach htre
that night, anu asking that heavy force of po-
lice wnald meet and search the train for the rob-
lers. He also stated that two r7,ive ur.ce.s rom
Columbia werp nIso nn Tie truin. One Of the
young man OF about twenty.luEr years old.
Weighing about one hundred aud thirty-fve
pounds, and having light hair and flir complex
ion. Tse other one was about thlrty-two years
Old and weighed one hundred aad ilty pounds.
lie had dark comrcXion. wore no heard and
had dark curling hair. Although little puz
zled that two policemen should have left
Columbia wthth burglars and travelled to this
the chief Of police determined to obey instruc.
;ioIs, ana on Sunday night q force consisting OF
ten POLICEMEN. and commanded by Lieutcnants
King and Purcell, were sent tn he rGllrcaa bridge
to halt the train as soon rs it crossed the S1van
nah River. AS soon As the engine hal passed the
bridge the train was stopped and the officers
boarded it, while the other policemen kept guard
on TIE outside, and prevented all egress. No one
was FOUND however, that corresp0ude'l with the
description, aad the police made another water
haul.
THE STOLEN BILLS.
Up to a late hoar yesterday afternoon, the affair
still remained enveloped in profound mystery,
and the chances are that the burglars remained
in Columbia for day after the robbery, and then
made thai. escape Sorthward. On yesterday, O
dispatch was received here which would seem to
Indicate tnly the loss in bank notes IS not SO great
A., .i.as at first Supposed. Messrs. John j. Cohen
& Sons, brokers OF this city. received telegram
yesterday morning from Columbia. signed by the
receiver of the Exchange Bank OF that city. ask
ing them to warn brokers not to buy Dills or tlat
bank, rs large amount OF them had been stolen
on the night previnua. If 1t should tnrl out that
all the bank notes stolen were bills oil the EX.
change Bank, then the loss will not be near SO
heavy rs was at first supposed. The bills OF this
bank are only worth twenty-five cents on tue dol
lar. and the loss. Including gold and silver, would
he about $500.
The famous female en"rossing Clerk oil tht
Iowa House has tr:umHhed. ne is to marry ont