The Republican journal., 1872-10-24
Waterford Bank Robbery.
From the Troy Times, Oct. II.

| = "i,' MS lilnlly, Willcn con-
sists Of himself, his wife. two daughters
about Is years of aye, and one son, a little
boy who saw his eighth birthday vester-
day. This building was, between the
hours Of and O'Clock this morning. the
scene Of the most daring and outrageous
robbery ever pcrpetrated in Waterford,
certainly, and in this vicinity, probably.
FIRST APPEARANCE OF TIE ROBBERS.
AT l o'clock this morning Ann Driscol,
the servant who slept in the basement,
says she was awakened by two men
They were standing over her, one holding
a dark lantern in his hand and the other
pointing revolver at her head and
threatening by all that was horrible to kill
her instantly il she dared otter the least
ontcry, or make any attempt to betray
them. Without any more ado they com
menced to bind her in such n manner rs
to render her incapable of moving. She
briefly resisted them, out finding that she
was only perlling her own life without
| becoming instrumental in thwartinm the
purposes OF the men, she abandoned her
opposition and allowed them to bind her
| wrists and limbs. She was then QueS-
toned as to the location Of the sleeping
apartments OF the family, and the number
OF persons it comprised. She gave them
truthful answers to the questions in every
respect but one. In the hope of frghten-
| M the men, SuppOsing there We're but
| two, sbs said that Mr.. Won Hovenberg's
| brother was one OF The inmates of the
| building. Before the last words of this
hctlon had been uttered, one OF the rutlians
brought the revolver close to the head of
the terrified woman, and told her that she
NEG, tOr the gentleman mentioned by her
| had not been in the horse since the
| previous Sunday. This was the truth,
and Iud%lng from this utterance and from
| other incidents, the Inference is plain that
| the robbers were as Intimately acquainted
with the internal arrangement rs the in
mates themselves. The men then h%stiIy
Slpped pair of handouts over the
woman's wrists and tearing her under
clothing into strips made it into gag
which they used in providing for hcl.
| silence. Then she was ordered to remain
| quiet, and instant death was nam;,i rs the
penalty if she dared to- move or attempt
to make Il noise. A minute or two after
ward the men left the room satisfied that
| the woman was secure
SECURING THE FAMILY.
The men and their contedrratrS. to tht.
| number it is believed OF seven, proceeded
upstairs to the doors of the sleeping
apartments of Nh. Van Hovcnherg and
| family. The inmates were all asleep
unconscious of the presence of the mid
night marauders The door leading into
the apartment occupied by Mr.. and Mrs.
Van Hovenberg was forced open with 4
chisel or bar. The door was partially
broken and portion Ot the casing trac-
tured 10y the effort to secure entrance.
Mrs. Van llOvenberg was the first to
| awake, and when She opened her eyes
she saw the gas hurners i'm the room were
lghted, and that a masked man was
| standing over her with one hand tightly
clutching her throat, and holding in the
other n revolver which he pointed ut her
head. She attempted to speak and sue
ceeded in uttering petition for her life
Perfect security was promised to her in
the event of her following Instructions.
She looked and saw another man, masked
rs the other, with his hand ON her huS-
bands throat Mr.. Van IIovenherg had
until this moment been asleep. When he
awoke he comprehended the situation at
a glance, aud shouted for help. Instantly
he was throtted and silenccd Then his
limbs were tied together with tlrred rope.
his wrists secured with handouts, and a
piece 0I muslin crammel INTO ms mouth
Mrs. Van H"Venberg lmplored the MASKED
aSSalIantS not to harm her cnldren. NhF
was fnId that they would ne protected.
9he d'd not know that white the men
We're securing her husband and herself
the doors of her childrcn's Sleeping-rOom1
had been broken open in the same manner
rs the oiherS' rive men It Is heheVed,
entered 'he room !IrSt ofoNch INTO ana as
S,9'e" III hIn"eoiilhS ana tNln@ Mr. an"
MIS- An IioNeho'r@' IN ,Ile meantime
i"ut ","e'S oroNe open me 'tooIS o' iHet
"'tuS'llGiN rooms Nhe o, 'I'G f"u'l%
ltnIfS, , >a!''l' h'u Pee'l a"'Neh'" p5 'hT
struggle III hef parents apartments ~"
"heh She saw the TWO men enter hcf
room HIe htl peh'h4 'ne pe''i '"e W'9
instantly Se'|eI ana dragged rom h'r
hldih| piacr- lheh lhe holhr"l'tfN Ter
for Wh'Gh nae maa possessed her "ep1tl'''
an" Nhe o"idly iAe'" 'he "eSPef'ao'S.