The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-02-07

"A Daring and Successful Deed
Wntchmen Gagged and Manacled-
Safe Broken Open-Large Amount
of Funds Stolen, Etc.
[From the Philadelphia Pr ess.
KENsINGToN NATIONAL BANK.

KENsINGToN NATIONAL BANK.
This institution stands on the east side
Of Beach street, just south Of LAUREL The
building Is m old one, three stories in
height. Just as the hour of closing the
bank had approached, on Thursday AFTER
noon, pretended police officer, with moth
ing about him TO denote that he was not
conservator Of the public peace, stepped
quickly into the counting-room and asked
for the cashier. This gentleman being
busy hcstated 4 few moments before COM
plying with this request, and the interim
was improved by the official in taking
careful survey Of the interior Of that por-
tion of the building devoted to the uses of
the corporation. As there was nothing
unusual in this gaping curiosity of the Off
Ger. and as he displayed his mace in man.
ncr quite conspicuous, suspicion on the
part OF the bank officials was not aroused.
FINALLY, Mr. William Mcconnell, the cash
icr, asked his business, and was startled
when he answered " there have been some
suspicious characters lurking about the
nci.hborhood lately, and the lieutenant of
the district desired me to tell you that they
might attempt to break in"
This intelligence was at once ratallcd to
every attachc of the bank, but no further
action was taken regarding it than to call
the institution, John Holmes and Morris
Murphy, and give them particular instruc-
tions to let no person inside the bank build
ing after il was once closed. The doors
were then locked, and the watchmcn were
left in charge.
About ! O'Clock 4 rap was heard upon
the door, which was repeated before the
watchmcn could draw the bolts to ascertain
the matter. When the door was opened,
two policemen" fully equipped for night
duty, were discovered, and one Of them
said: s'The lieutenant has heard from good
sources that this bank will be robbed to-
night, and he sent us to aid you in protect
ing it"
All suspicion disarmcd, and the watch
men, thankful tor aid i'll the face OF threat
cncd danger, the pseudo officers were i'll.
yitcd in, and entered. After some general
conversation about the rumor Of the rob-
| berry, one of the strangers said: 81 am very
dry; | wish ! had 4 drink "That YOU
can have" responded one Of the watch
| men, and he started off to the end of hall
| leading to Il door issuing into the yard OF
! the bank, followed by the man VINO had
made the request. The other remained in
conversation Il moment with watchman No
,, and then told him, You had better look
out of doors and see if you see any one
coming.' This watchman No. ., Morris
| Murphy, agreed TO do.
No sooner was the door closed upon him
however, than the policeman rejoined hi.
compcer and watchman No. l, Mr.. John
Holmes, who was at that time drawing
glass OF water for his thirsty friend. But
ere he had filled it the two officers sciZet
and gagged him. and in a moment had hin
manacled and stretched upon the floor
There they left him. mute and helpless, anC
started for the front door. Hardly was il
reached when Mr.. Murphy, the SECOND
watchman, entered from his investigation
iii the street. In a trice he was treated like
his companion. Both lay now upon the
! ground, gagged and roWerleSs for alarm OF
resistance.
THE WAY BEING CLEAR,
the robbers again proceeded to the from
! door Of the bank and signalled third per
! son, who issued from some nook in the vi
cinity and entered the bank. With his aiC
the gagged and handcuflcd watchmcn were
. carried from the hall back Of the counting
desks and into the presidents room. where
they were kept guarded by the third man
who stood over them with Il loaded pistol
UPON THE SAFES
the robbers now turned their attention
With little delay wedges and bits and stee
SAWS and keys were produced, and to these
were added Sledgc-hammcrs and 'iimmies
First they must get into the tirc-proof. This
was built about in the centre of the lower
floor, and its walls extended from floor to
ceiling. It's length was ten feet, its width
eight, and the thickness of its walls twenty
inches. The only means of gaining an en-.
, trance were either TO cut through its walls
or break off the iron doors. TO the expert
burglar the latter is far preferable.
The outer door to the proof was made
out of Il single plate Of heavy iron. Be-
tween it and the jamb of the door five steel
wedges were inserted, and these were
forced in 10y repeated blows with sledges
mutllcd in cloth to deadcn the sound. Soon
III aperture appeared large enough to ad-
NIT the point of Il jimmy, and then the
door was wrcnched off in Il few moments.
his of, the robbers discovered a second
obstacle Of like nature. This was the inner
door of the proof. But this was demolished
just rs the first had been, and then the
proof stood at their mercy.
On either side of this proof, in its intc.
ror, were ranged shelves, and packed
densely on all these shelves were boxes and
packages of yaluables Of every description,
placed here for sate-kceping by depositorS.
may be called special deposits, consisting Of
all manner of yaluables packed together,
endorsed with the name Of the owner. and
placed In the possession of the bank for
" silte-kreping," subject to certain charges
and conditions. The shelves were stripped
in il tWinkling.
The amount lost must be very great, but
there is no ready means OF estimating it ac-
curately, as the owners alone knew of the
contents OF the packages. The private
watchmcn are Of the opinion that there
were moro than three persons engaged in
the removal OF these valuabes, as they
heard many strange voices outside. In
their selections the marauderS displayed
good diScernment, rs they broke open the
packa geS, carried oil all the papers that
could be turned to IN account, and left the
rest. The coupon bonds of the United
States were taken, the registered left.
But in the tire-proof was another thing
of supreme concern to the burglars. This
was medium-SiZed Lille burglar and fire.
proof safe. This, as was well known to
them, contained the funds of the bank.
The aggregate OF these was probably lu-
known to them, but our reporter learned
that ut the time the assault was made upon
the safe it contained, i'll valuables OF all de-
scriptions, 81, 100000.
They made desperate effort to get into
this safe, and ignoring the customary plan,
which is to bore into the lock and pick the
combination, they went ut it with sledges
and wedges. In the intcrsticcs between the
door and the jamb they inserted the fine
pointed wedges. These were hammered
heavily. The strain was terrible. The en-
tire right-hand jamb, great piece of brit
tie iron, was forced off. Great seams opened
il the top of the safe and along the left side,
but yet the door did not bulge, for the
steel bolts from its four edges protruded far
into the casing, and though one jamD might
be forced off, there were the others to pre-.