Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-11-07
The Great Bank Robbery at Water.
ford, New York,

| Especial correspondence OF y. \. World
! WATERFORD, n, Y, October IA.
| The banking house of the Saratoga
| County National Bank in this village was
! the scene Of an audacious outrage this
morning. Between the hours Of one and
/ four gang Of burglars, in some mysteri.
1 Gus manner rot yet explained, obtained
entrance to the bank building and pro
| ceeded 20 the apartments occupied by the
cashier, Mr.. Van Hoevenbergh, and his
! family, which consists of his wife, two
daughters, aged eighteen, and one son
| eight years of age. These apartments are
situated in the second story of the build
ing, All the occupants were bound and
threatened with instant death IN case of
an outcry, Mr.. Van Hoevenbergh was
forced to accompany the ruftians to the
counting-room Of the bank, where he
was led to the vault, which he was com.
manded to open. He endaavored in vari.
Gus ways to secure delay, and actually
succeeded in OBTAINING the burglars an
hour. At last two of the men
placed loaded reyolvers at his head
and threatened to instantly blow his
brains out if he did not forthwith open
the vault. He then complied with their
demand, and exposed to the view of the
thieves all the precious contents Of the
vault. They made short work of all the
contents. Five hundred thousand dollars
worth of stocks and bonds, and 50, 500 in
money were piled up in heap and car.
ried outside 70 wagon which was wait
ing. Mr. Van Hoevenbergh was taken
upstairs and bound so that he could not
move. The robbers departed with their
plumber A few minutes afterward, one
Of the cashiers daughters managed to sc.
cure her own freedom. She proceeded
forthwith to extricate her father, who di-
rectly afterward fired two shots from his
revolver The noise made by the weapon
aroused the villagers, who soon gathered
around the bank, too late to secure the
thieves, but in ample time to hear the
story of the robbery. The bonds and
stocks were all deposited in the risk of
the owners and the loss consequently
falls upon private parties.
from the Troy Times OF the 14th inst
Mr.. Van Hoevenbergh made the fol-
lowing statement to a reporter
The burglars hauled me out of bed,
There were two great strong men. One
on each side Of me held revolver at the
side of my head and babe me make no
noise. They took ne down stairs to the
bank vault and told me to open ii or they
would blow my brains out. faltered
and hesitated as long as | dared, and
finally went to work at the lock to open
it. They had my hands in handouts be
hind my back and make me work at the
lock in that way. spent about an hour
in delaying them in this way, hoping
some one would come by the bank on the
street and give the alarm, They had
men stationed ontside the bank at all
points to give them warning of the ap
proach of anybody, Every little while
one of the men from the outside would
come in and say, Amt that-got that
lock open yet ? We had better blow his
brains out and end him" Then they told
me if | did not hurry that they would
kill me and blow up the safe. The
only excuse | could make them
was that | could not do anything with
my hands fastened behind me. They
then loosened the cuffs from one of my
hands and told me to ''be quick and open
that lock" spent about twenty min
utes more In delay, and when ! found it
was useless to resist any longer, opened
the lock, They then placed the hand
cuffs on my hands and remained there
till they had completed the robbing of
the safe. They had dark lanterns and
dirk knives and every utensil for the
thorough pursuit Of the villains calling
After they got through they took me up
stairs and placed me in bedroom alone
by myself, where only remained about
minute. The last of their footsteps had
not died out in the hall when | got up
and took the revolver with my hand still
behind me and went down stairs. My
daughter Sarah had slipped the cuff from
her hand and she cut the rope which
bound my feet. The men were in the
house about three hours. 1t was near
four O'Clock when they left. When got
to the door fired five times from the re.
yolver TO alarm the neighbors, but it was
so dark could not see where the men
went to. They had left before ! got
down. Don't know whether they had a
wagon or not.
While the men were in the house no
name was mentioned One was heard to
ask for "No. g. This is supposed to be
the number of the men in the house, but
there were probably some in the yard
outside who Kept watch, and did not
come in. The yard is surrounded by a
nlgu DIlCk Will All lDt uOQTS III tut
house were locked and bolted When
they got ready to 60 out, they compelled
Mr.. Van Hoevenbergh to unfasten the
front door and let them out into the street
He did not see which direction they went
Some Of the neighbors say they heard n
wagon on the street about four clock
in the morning, A man who was
getting his horses ready to 60 out
drawing sand, about quarter to four
o'clock, said he saw team
with wagon load of men go mp the street
in the direction of CohOes. Another man
said he saw several men dressed in dark
clothes 90 over the Waterford Bridge 1t
is supposed that when they left the house
they separated and went in different direc-
tions, When the burglars left the bank
they took with them everything that
would lead to their detection They all
wore masks of various kinds till after
they left the bank. All that was found
were two dark lanterns and lot % new
steel handouts, which were taken posses
ion of by the Troy officers who went up
to work up the case The bank vault
was completely Quilted The hooks, pa
pers, and everything they did not want
to take off they scattered over the bank
floor
- -