The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1872-02-01
THE TRENTON BANK ROBBERY.
How Million Of Money was Saved From
the Grasp of Robbers.

last sunday morning, the telegraph has
furnished brief outline, embodying the
leading facts. Full and interesting de-
talls OF one OF the most adroitly planned
and boldly executed bank robberies ever
recorded in criminal annals are given be-
low:
From the best information it appears
that On the third of January three men
went to Trenton, who pretended thew
We're sufferers by the Chicago fire" and
had come to that city for the purpose of
gong into business and locating there
They selected a small wooden building
next door to the fremont Bank as the
seat OF their future operations The oc
cupant Of this house was negro, and
they rented the place from him for two
years, paying quarters money in ad-
vance. The old negro refused for some
time to give up his place but the .sutfer
ers' told such pitiful tale, and pressed
the case SO !orcbly, that the old man
yielded at last An additional incentive
was given the movements of the negro in
the shape of an unusually large rent. and
the sufferers" began at last to enter upon
their new venture
They started the rumor through the
town that they intended going into the
ribbon business, and apparently began to
I make preparations for carrying on that
\ commerce on an extensive scale. In
reality, however, the sufferers had a
design on the funds in the vaults of their
nelghbor, and toward getting possession
/ OF large amount of these coveted funds
they were making rapid strides. One of
\ the hrst steps toward successfully carry
lng on the work of robbery, was to estab-
/ ilsh perfect line of communication with
the interior of the bank, so that watch
/ could be kept up outside while the thieves
4 We're at work upon the safe within.
\ ne matter OF getting into the establish
ment never seemed to present any diff
culty, Tor they appeared to have looked
upon that as thing settled and easy of
accomplishment
Before they attempted to enter the
building, the thieves had cut through the
wall Of the bank and had All the prepara-
tlons made TO put telegraph through
that was to serve as a monitor to the
men while they were getting possession
OF the property in the building 1t is sup
/ posed by the police that the thieves en-
tered the bank on Sunday morning, at
about tour O'Clock, and commenced oper-
atoms at he door leading into me vault.
Four OF the number Went ON this axnedi-
ton. and the fifth was left hab;nG to
watch the street and give the alarm in
case of any accident or interruption from
tht outside. This man who was left be-
hlnd IN the house adjoining the bank. took
up position at the front window that
commanded a view of the street. By this
means he could PLAINLY SEE ,nv ono con,-
inc in the direction ~ tba hanI ana was
AHA AZ oncn tn yir,,,aI III I'LL, tI., II
work in the buildinG of fhn an3rn,nb ~
any danoerous narson
OF course the first thino done ON Gain
inc the inside of the bank va. ~ -nt,Io
thu means by which tbis taIaoranh;c nn,,,
munication VA ia ha Lan+ ,Tha baI,
that had onlv been narti,lIv ont tbrn,,'rL
the wall was fu1lv onanad Tho ,y;ra 80
ed throuOh and a small haI t;ad ~ tha
end OF IL and inst nv4r thn baa1 If tho
PRINCIPAL ..onnnar !, Tba otbar o,1 nf
this trIepreph yyirn thn lnnLnnt LoIl /,
his hand and nv nrevinnslv ronca,taa
SIGNAL he was able tn sion Tho ,yorl, ~
will and a0ain set if ooing Ero,,, tba
appearance of the pIace an3 tb.. ,SarinI,.
implements lett behind bv the thievns
they must have been INTERRUPTED several
times while tAey were irving IN hraak
open the door of the vault. While two of
the men were 'wOrkinU" AT the door two
others We're opening the private boxes in
the bank and securing thr contents Tba
thieves got into the buildinp bv the rpar
entrance and then settled the door in such
a manner that at the leas. alarm of dancer
from the street they could safely esc9pe
by that way. As the affair finally tnrnad
out, this was the verv way Nv which the
burglars rot on
About halt-past nine o'clock on Sunday
morning one of the watchmen who was
to remain on duty during the dav came
toward the bank His approach WAS duly
I, legraphe1 to the men WORKING inside
They stopped their labors and when the
watchman. Mr. Sween, was mounting the
steps, another signal told them who and
what he was Knowing perfectly we'll
that to deny this man entrance to the
| bank would be to alarm the town and
completely defeat the object they had in
coming to the place. Mr.. Sween was
quietly permitted to open the several doors
and get into the place. He was no sooner
within the threshold. however than ha
was suddenly seized. oapoed and tied
and thrust into a chair. entirely unable 70
| interrupt the work that was going forward
| The second Waterman of the place made
his appearance sometime later than Mr.
Sween. This was communicated tn the
thieves in the same manner as the arrival
of Mr. Sween; but one of the party more
impetuous than the rest. iumned a, hin
with a pistol too soon. and the noise of
the scuffle was heard bv a lady comino
down the street.
The thief had attacked Mr.. Bavles AL
most at bis entrance 70 the hank snd tbat
gentleman made such a desnerate figbt ~
regain his liberty that the noise reached
the ears of the lady coming toward the
bank She gave an alarm and a nolice-
man at once rushed to the bank only to
find, however, that the burglars had es-
capped, carving witt them ahont one
hundred thousand dollars, worth of United
States and other bonds belonoino TO the
depositors. The policemen then went to
the adjoining house. and arrived inst in
time to grapple the last eacaninG thief
A terrific struggle ensued. bnf the thief
who was fighting for his liberty. was bet