Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-10-18


into their parents room and placed them
in bed beside their mother, and then 60
ing to the closet where the little boy had
been placed, they brought him out and
put him alongside of them. One of them
walked up and down the hall and peered
out the front door. The other, with an
audacity that recalls the achievements
of Claude Duval, and even outrivals the
freaks of that distinguished gentleman,
reclined upon lounge and entered into
conversation with the ladies. On his side
the conversation was carried on with
politeness that indicated he was well
bred robber, who knew his manners and
knew when to display them. Mrs. Van
Hovenberg asked him what he and his
confederates intended to do. Well, you
know our objective are after money"
said he with a nonehalance. Can L do
anything to make you more comforta-
ble?" he queried, and then without wait
ing for an answer, he proceeded to sup
ply her with pillows. care youeold ?"
he asked and liberal supply of quilts
from the other beds were furnished. Then
this polite rascal made tour of the
room, inspecting pictures aud helping
himself to purse of money. " This is
nice watch you have here, but don't be
alarmed, won't take it, nor will | touch
your jewelry, but | want your diamonds
where are they?" 81 have no dIa-
monds," replied Mrs. Van Hovenberg.
"Oh, you're not poor" urged the fellow
with smile. Yes we are poor" re-
piled the lady. Thus an hour-it SEEM
ed an age to the terrified mother and her
children-passed away.
IN THE BANK.
Cashier Van Hovenberg was led into
the bank room, where his captors stopp-
ed in front of the vault door. With hor-
rible oaths and imprecations upon his
head if he disobeyed orders, he was COM
manded to unlock the vault door, With
his arms secured he commenced to work.
He pretended to have forgotten the COM
bination and made scores of other excu-
ses, but they would not harken to him.
By various pretexts he secured delay, in
the vain hope that assistance would come
before he was compelled to expose tc
the thieves the valuable contents of the
vault. Slowly-the hands upon the aia
of the clock before him moved an age
Of time seemed to elapse while he wa;
alone with the marauders. In every
way that occurred to him he sought de
Jay, but at last the patience of the rob
bers gave out. Some of them whisper
ed so loud, however, that his quickeneC
hearing drank in every word. "Kill
the -- Il he don't open it RICH
away" All this time his arms were Sc
sured behind him, and three men-twc
armed with revolvers and one with da.
ger and rolling pin in his hands-wer,
standing close to him. Still anxious t.
secure delay he turned to the men anc
said: +" / can't unlock the door with my
hands behind me-" The handouts wer,
slipped from his wrists, and he was agar
commanded to proceed with his work.
After consuming more time by his de
lays one of the burglars, losing all pa
tience, proposed to take his life if the
cashier persisted in his lodges. Aban
doning all hope of relief Mr. Van HOY
4 enberg, to whose arms the shackles were
restored, then opened the outer and inner
vault doors, and with two revolvers
pointed at his head was compelled tc
stand by and witness the thieves while
they ransacked the contents thereof.
THE PROPERTY TAKEN,
Eight thousand FIVE hundred dollars
in currency belonging to the bank was
first slowed away. Then thirty or forty
tin boxes containing bonds and stocks
belonging to private parties were carried
out of the vault and placed upon the
floor of the counting room. All of these
boxes were broken open and their con
tents placed in heap. Several cast iron
boxes resisted successfully their violence
and these with the bonds and stocks tax
en- from the other boxes, were, when tn,
thieves were ready to depart, carried ou
doors and placed in wagon which wa,
waiting for them. Only last week the
bank vault contained $4,000 in curren
cy, and this morning a remittance o.
$4,000 was received.
UPSTAIRS.
Before any of the plumber was remov
ed from the bank Mr.. Van Hovenberg
after he had obeyed a command to un
lock the front door, was ordered to pro
coed up stairs. He was taken INTO al
apartment adjoining that which his wife
and children occupied. and bound and
gagged in the securest possible manner
AFTER THE ROBBERY.