Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-03-28
THE CITY.
BOLD BURGLARS ABOUT
Upon the Second National
Bank.
and Systematic Opera
tiOns.
Inventory of Tools, Outfits, etc.
BOLD BURGLARS ABOUT.
Other BurgIarIes.

We this morning furnish the details
of an attempted burglary on a giffan-
| tic scale, which for audacity of con-
| ception, and the cool systematic steps tax
| en- in its execution scarcely has a parallel
in the criminal annals of Nashville. The
| Williams had planned their scheme well, and
made scientific and precautionary arrange
ments which they thought would insure
| their success. The had selected time.
too, when they might least expect detec-
ton. They are expert adopts and profess
sional burglars of no ordinary skill and
cunning, and were fully equipped with
all the necessary tools and appliances.
They had evidently reconp offered the prem
ises, and fully mapped out the details and
difficulties of their nefarious enterprise,
which was nothing less than the robbing of
the vaults of the Second National Bank
on College street, near Union, of all the
money and valuable contents therein de-
posted. Having arranged all prelimina-
rics, they SefecVeu SATURDAY night as the
occasion for putting their scheme into exc
cution
The time was most propitious for evil
deeds and evil doers. 1t was pitch dark;
few persons were on the streets; the rain
fell in incessant patter, and then it was
Saturday night, and they were not likely
to be disturbed by early business honrs
next morning. Amidst the darkness and
stiffness of the surroundings they selected
"The very witching time of night,
When churchyaTds yawn, and he'll itself
breathes out
OontagiOn to the world -
With these advantages in their favor, and
all their equipments and appliances, fully
experienced in such nefarious transactions,
the villains began cautiously and nOisoless-
ly their systematic operations. As to how
the entrance was first effected 1t is not
definitely known. One theory is that by
some means they got on top of the Com
mercial Insurance building, from the roof
of which they projected timher5 across the
alley into north window of the upper
story of the bank building, by which they
made ingress into the latter. The window
being fastened en- the inside, however,
seems to be somewhat against this theory.
Another sGrmise is that ons OF the burglars
was secteted in some part of the building
in the evening, and that he opened the
window from the inside and threw rope
across the narrow alley 10 the top of the
Commercial Insurance bui ding by which
the timbers we're drawn across enl
the other parties We're eaabled to
enter. Having effected az enhance
above they cautiously commenced system
attic operations. No carpenter or expert
ever went more deliberately or scientific
ally at an undertaking. All their tools and
explosives wer8 brought forward. A
picket WIS stationed on the roof of the
Commercial building, who, by the gas
light, could see the approach of any person
from any direction, without himself
being seen. The first thing to be done
was to establish alarm signals, which had
been previously agreed upon, communi-
eating with this picket and the operators
at the vaults below. For this purpose, a
hole was bcred through the floor above,
and through tho upper front window fast
ening of the bank. The end of cord was
placed in the hands of the picket on the
roof drawn through the hole at the win
dow and through the hole in the upper
floor, and attached to a stool below, at the
vaults. This rope worked on noiseless
pulleys, and the raising and letting down
of the stool indicated 10 the operators upon
the vaults whether any one was approach
ing, from what direction, ETC., which were
well understood by the previous ayree-
ment. Having arranged these prelimina-
ries, the vault robbers commenced
operations by the light of dark Ian
terms. They we're at the vaults and
of tools IS villains ever used
for similar purposes. The entire moneys
and deposits, very large sums, Of the Sc
sond National Bank wero before them, and
with time enough the rich prizs they
IL I -,
They commenced with the skill of accom-
plished professionals, by drilling and bors
ing through the fine rich iron door of the
vault, This they perforated and blew
partly of, or SO nearly SO that unhinging
it was but the work of few minutes They
fancied that success was about TO crown
their heme. But the contract they had
undertaken was nore extensive than they
had counted upon. The door they had
bursted was mere outer shell as compared
to new barriers presented There was
second iron door, and inside the vault was
burglar proof combination lock safe of
four plate steel thickness, and secured with
two inch bolts; within this there was an
inner safe vault of similar thickness and
fastenings, and in this inner vault were the
moneys end valuables Ct the bank. So the
bold burglars found, no doubt, to their
blank amazen ent, that though they had
entered the outer veGlt, q fair commence
ment had not been made. There was a
great deal to be done before the money
was reached. Whether the difficulties now
presented convinced them that daylight
would approach before their results could
be accomplished, or whether a signal from
the outer picket caused them to suspend
operations is not known. One conjecture
is that they left their tools and burglarious
implements at the vaults, thinking that the
next day being Sunday, no discovery would
likely be made, and designing to return
Sunday night and complete the job. Be
this as it may, no further progress was
made They left off operations and left the
building, leaving all their tools, ETC., be-
hind. 1t is not known where they made
their exit from the building as there were
several points from which it could be eff
fected. The following is the list of tools,
etc. left By the burglars at the vaults of
the bank and which are now in the hands
of the police of the city.
One drill, one drill press, two pinch bans,
one extension bar, seven drill bits, seven
large wedges, twelve small wedges, two
wrench heads, two jialmy heads, two pun
ches, sixteen 3-inch wood screws, five gim-
lets, enc brace, two sugur bits, one screw
driver, one reamer, one chisel head, one
small monkey wrench, four washers, one
oil can, one charger, one half round file,
one dark lantern, four pulleys, one jack
screw, one tamper, one sledge hammer, two
set of screws, one bundle cotton cord, ore
ratchet drill.
The tools are of the best quality, and
finished in the highest art of mechanism.
The outfit is complete in every particular,
and were evidently procured with an eye
to business by adroit and skilled connois,
seurs in in the art Of burglary.
Hon. E. A. James, of Chattanooga, be-
ing present when we had furnished cur
inventory of the articles, fscetiousIy re-
marked, ''Why, a man could make his way
into Congress with them things"
This il one of the bOldest and most