Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-09-12

lock picks, in fact, a respectable assert
ment of hardware, in infinite variety anC
OF the finest kind. Some of these pack
ages of hardware were intact, and many
bore the names of prominent Chicago
firms, which led to the suspicion that the
/ Stabler u Co. firm came from the West.
A bundle of clothing was also found,
! with overalls, slippers, knee pads, and all
else required for quiet comfort.
| In the rear of the main or front office
are two rooms about 9xl6 feet each, neat.
/ ~ carpeted, formerly used as private
rooms fnr the old Cuttings banking house.
One of those had been relieved of the car.
pet by the robbers. The other, adjoining
( the bank building, was the working room
of the burglars, and glance at the in.
terror before it was disturbed would have
convinced any one that the thieves had
done their work in artistic style Enter
ing this room the first thing seen was a
huge hole in the wall about six feet by
five, gradually narrowing down to the
vault wall--ot iron and brick--to about
eighteen inches. Around this hole was a
stripe, exposing marks OF paste, indicating
that dark curtain had been drawn over
from day TO day during operations This
wall was found to be thirtytwo inches
thick to the vault side. Here they en-
countered half.inch boiler iron. To drill
through this, three heavy timbers were
provided, taken in separately, as was
shown, and afterward nailed together.
This joined timber was jus; large enough
to rest against the opposite wall, and
formed solid support for powerful
half-inCh drill. With this, over 100 holes
were drilled through the outer plate, and
by filing, it was soon removed. Beyond
this was encountered a ten-inch brick
wall, the inner wall of the vault, built of
black burned brick and cement, and sup.
posed to be very solid. This was easily
picked out, and the cement deposited so
carefully in an empty drawer as to avoid
even solling the carpet on the floor.
1t may be wondered how all this could
be done. On June |, two respectable,
looking men applied 10 Mr. John 5. Git,
tings to rent the building, one giving the
name Of L. H. Stabler, who proposed to
rent the premises for wholesale grain bro
kerage establishment They wereapparent.
ly supplied with plenty of funds, and
cheerfully paid $500 Zone quarters remit
in advance. They entered the premises
spread out set Of books on the desks,
and seemed to be doing business-through
their aCcOmpliCes, OF course, Mr.. Sauerhaus
the agent of Mr. Cuttings, frequently no.
tlced their business activity. Only on
Friday last he was summoned by the Sc
niOr to make some repairs in the cellar,
but saw nothing unusual when he called.
Their operations, judging from appear.
ances, must have been begun weeks ago,
and. although over two carloads of
bricks were removed, so quietly did they
operate that the Waterman, an cX, police
man, named Michael Burnett, never sus.
pected aught. 1t is supposed that they
did their work in daytime relying upon
the noise to deadcn the sound of their la.
bOrs.
This statement would seem to be con.
firmed by statement made that on Sun
day week last Mr.. Joseph Manning,
clerk, heard a noise while in the bank
and his companion, Mr. q. W. Hussel
runner for the bank, took the precaution
to arm himself with revolver and search
the vault All was found as safe as usual
however. Nothing further was heard
until Saturday last, when Mr. Candy, a
Director, also heard a noise but concluded
it was from distillery near by, All these
hammerings were doubtless made by sta
bier a Co, but, being beyond two walls,
no suspicious were created, -Bdaim0re
Sam IUGiiSf %