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


The Cashier made TO Open the Bank
Vault-FrOm 100000 TO $780,
900 in Money and Bonds StO
lena Terrible Affair.
TIE Troy Times gives the following
particulars of one of the boldest bank
robberies on record. The Saratoga coun-
ty bank, does business in a two story
brick building in the village of Water
ford, N. Y. The first story is used for
banking purposes, and the remainder
occupied by ID, M. Van Hovenberg and
family, which consists of his wife, two
daughters, about eighteen years of age,
and one son, little boy eight years of
age. This building was entered between
the hours of one and four o'clock on
Monday morning and was the scene of a
most daring bank robbery.
THE AMOUNT OF PLUMBER.
The amount of pldnder carried off is
variously estimated at between quarter
and half million of dollars 1t GER
tainly exceeds the first named sum, and
may reach to round half million of
dollars. Everything valuable In the
bank vault, except two government bonds
of $4,000 each, which were in the cash
ier's drawer, a quantity of silver ware
belonging to Rev. r. P. H. Vail, and a
$50 bill which was in a tin box belong
ing to Mrs. j. B. Enos, was taken by the
robbers.
FIRST APPEARANCE OF THE ROBBERS.
AT o'clock Monday morning Ann
Driscoll, the servant who slept in the
basement, says she was awakened by two
men. They were standing over her one
holding dark lantern in his hand and
the other pointinga revolver at her head
and threatening by all that was horrible
to kill her instantly if she dared utter
the least cutlery, or make any attempt to
betray them. Without any more ado
they commenced to bind her in such a
manner as to render her incapable of
moving. She briefly resisted them, but
finding that she was only periling her
own life without becoming instrumental
in thwarting the purposes of the men.
she abandoned her opposition and allow
ed them to bind her wrists and limbs
She was then questioned as to the loca
ton of the sleeping apartments of the
family, and the number of persons il
comprised. She gave them truthful an
swers to the questions in every respect
but one. In the hope of frightening the
men, supposing that there were but two
she said that Mr.. Van Hovenberg's brotf
er was one of the inmates of the build
ing. Before the last words of this fc.
ton had been uttered, one of the ruffians
brought the revolver close to the head O
the terrified woman, and told her that sh,
lied, for the gentleman mentioned by he
had not been in the house since the pre-
vious Sunday. This was the truth, anC
judging from this utterance and from otl
err incidents the inference is plain tina
the robbers were as intimately acquaint
ed with the internal arrangements as the
inmates themselves.
sHACKLED AND GAGGED.
The two men hastily slipped pair o
handouts over the woman's wrists, anC
tearing her underelothing into strips
made it into gags which they used il
providing for her silence. Then she wa,
ordered to remain quiet, and instan
death was named as the penalty if sh,
dared to move or attempt 10 make &
noise. A minute or two afterwards tn,
: men left the room satisfied that the wo
man was secure.
SECURING THE FAMILY.
The men and their confederates, to tht
number, it is believed, of seven proceed
ed up stairs to the doors of the sleeping
apartments of Mr.. Van Hovenberg anc
family. The inmates were all asleep un
conscious of the presence of the midnigh
marauders. The door leading into tn,
apartment of Mr.. and Mrs. Van Hoyen
bergh was forced open with a chisel O,
bar. The door was partially broken anC
, portion of the casing fractured by thu
F effort made to secure an entrance Mrs
Van Hovenberg was the first to awaken
and when she opened her eyes she saw
that the gas burned in the room and tina
a masked man was standing over her
, hand tightly clutching her throat, ant
holding in the other hand revolve
e which he pointed at her head. She at
r tempted to speak and succeeded in utter
ing petition for her life. Perfect secu
rity was promised to her in the event O
! her following instructions. She looked
, about and saw another man, masked a
p the other, with his hand on her husband
e throat. Mr.. Van Hovenberg had unit
, this moment been asleep. When h,
awoke he comprehended the situation a
; a glance, and shouted for help. Instant
e ly he was throttled and silenced. Their
his limbs were tied together with tarret
J rope, his wrists secured with handouts