Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-10-25
The Waterford o.. u Bank Robbery.
ONE OF THE BoLDEsT AND MOST sUccESSFT
ReBarRrFS or prcoRn -S5nO OOO sro1rN

The Waterford N.I.) Bank Robbery.
ONE OF TIE BoLDEsT AND MOST successful
| RsBBERIEs on REcoRD.-S5O0, 900 STOLEN.
We compile from the Troy papers, the
following particulars of the daring bank
robbery in Waterford on Sunday night.
The Saratoga County Bank, does business
in two story brick building in Waterford,
n. Y. The first story is used for banking
purposes, and the remainder is occupied by
the cashier, d. NJ. Van Hoyenberg and
family, which consists Of his wife, two
daughters about eighteen years of age and
one son eight years old.
AT O'Clock Monday morning Ann Dris-
coll, the servant who slept in the basement,
was awakened by two men. They were
standing over her one holdings dark lantern
in his hand and the other pointing a revOlv-
er at her head, and threatening by all that
was horrible to kill her instantly if she dared
utter the least outcry, they commenced to
bind her wrists and limbs. She was then
questioned as to the location of the sleeping
apartments Of the family, and the number
of persons it comprised She gave them
truthful answers, except that in the hope of
frightening the men, supposing that there
were but two, she said that Mr. Van Hoven-
berg brother was one Of the inmates of the
building. At this one of the rufiians brought
his revolver close to the head of the terrified
woman, and told her that she lied, for the
gentleman mentioned BY her had not been
in the house since the previous Sunday.
This was the truth, and judging from this
and from other incident the inference is that
the robbers We're a. intimately acquainted
with the internal arrangements A. the in
mates themselves.
The two men hastily slipped pair of
handouts over the woman's wrists, and tear
ing her undcrcl0tnng into strips, made it
into gags which they applied. Then she
was ordered to remain quiet on penalty Of
instant deathif she dared tomoye or attempt
to make a noise.
The men and their eonfederates, To- the
number, it Is believed ofseven. then proceed
ed up stairs to the doors Of the sleeping
apartments of Mr. Van Hoyenberg and
family. The inmates were all asleep. The
0or leading into the apartment of Mr.. and
Mrs Van Hoyenherg was forced open with
a ehisel or bar Mrs Van ilovenberg was
the first To awaken, and when she opened
her ewes a masked man was standing over
her, one hand tightly clutching her throat,
and holding in the other revolver which he
pointed at her head. She pleaded for her
life, and perfect security was promised to her
in the event of her following instructions.
ShelOOkedabout and dSaw another man mask
ed as the other with his hand on her husbands
throat. When Mr. Van llovenherg awOke
he comprehended the situation at glance,
and shouted for help. Instantly he was
throttled and silenced. Then his limbs
were tied together with tarred rope, his
wrists secured with handouts, and piece
of muslin crammed into his mouth.
When all the inmates of the building had
been thus disposed of Mr.. Van Hovenberg
was ordered TO get up, his limbs having first
been set free, then in his night clothes he
was ordered to accompany the robbers down
stairs into the banking room. - Do not
kill him-he Is all have got, - pleaded his
wife " He won't be hurt. only he must
obey orders was the reply Seven men
accompanied the bound man down stair.
Two men were left TO take care of the
family These men led the young ladies
into their parent room and placed them in
bed beside their mother, and then going 10
the closet where the little boy had been
placed, they brought him out and put him
alongside of them. One Of them walked UP
and down the hail and peered out the front
door. The other, with an audacity that
recalls the achievements of Claude Duval.
reclined upon a lounge and entered into
conversation with the ladies. On his side
the conversation was carried on with p0-
liteneSs that indicated he was a well bred
robber Mr.. Van lloyenberg asked him
what he and his coniederates intended u
do. " Well. You know our objective are
after money. p" said he with n0nchalance.
" Can do nything TO make you more COM
fortable?' he querled, and then. proceeded
to supply her with pillows. - Are you
cold?' he asked, and liberal supply of
quilts from the other beds was furnished.
Then this polite rascal made tour ct the
room. inspecting pictures and helping him
self to purse Of money "a This is nice
watch You have here, hut don't be alarmed,
| WON'T take it, nor VIII ! touch your jew
elry, hut want your dinmOnds-wherc are
they - - have no diamonds, replied
Mrs Van iluvenherg. oh. yOu re- not
poor" urged the fellow, with a smile.
- Yes. we are poor. replied the lady
The polite individual then left his COM
panion to take care Of the ladies while he
proceeded 10 the basement. lie soon re-
I turned, accompanied by the servant. Then
without any ado he commenced to tear up
the sheets of the bed which the ladies Occu-
pird Look here. what are you tearing
up my mothers nice sheets ior?n asked
Sarah Van Iovenberg. II You want old
rags | can get YOU some. = We usually
help ourselves to what we want. was the
reply. With the strips made of the torn
sheets the work ofgagging Mrs. Van loven-
/ berg, her daughters and the servant was
commenced. In the meantime the little
/ boy was lifted ont Of bed. What are you
| tying Us up for, and what do you intend to
/ do with my little son - inquired Mrs. Van
| Hovenberg Of the Chesterheldian burglar
- We are doing what Is necessary for our
/ own protection nobody will be hurt "
1 After the gagging process had been CON-
| pleted the room was deserted by the robbers,
| who took the little boy with them Thus
an hour-it seemed an age to the terrified
mother and her children-pasSed away.
N The BANK
Cashier Van Hovenberg was led into the
bank room. With horrible oaths and i'm
precautions upon his head if be disobeyed
orders. be was commanded to unlock the
vault door. He pretended to have forgotten
the combination and made scores of excuses,
to secure delay, in the vain hope that as
sistance would come before he was compel-
cd TO expose to the thieves the valuable con-
tents of the vault. At last the patience Of
the robbers gave out. Some of them whis-
pered - kill the - if he don't open il
right away" All this time his arms were
secured behind him, and three men-two
armed with revolvers and one with dag
ger and rolling pin in his hands
were standing close to him. Still anxious
to secure delay he turned to the men and
said - can't unlock the door with my
hands behind me- The handouts We're
slipped from his wrists, and he was again
commanded to proceed with his work. After
] f.f
the burglars. losing all patience. proposed
to take his life if the cashier persisted in his
lodges Abandoning all hope Of relief
Mr.. Van Hovenberg then opened the vault
doors, and with two revolyers pointed at his
head was compelled 70 stand by and witness
the thieves while they Tansaeked the con
tents thereof
Before any of the plunder was removed
from the bank Mr. Van Hovenherg, after he
had obeyed a command to unlock the front
door, was ordered to proceed up stairs. lie
was taken into an apartment adjoining that
which his wife and children occupied, and
bound and gagged in the securest possible
manner. Then thirty or forty tin boxes con-
tanning bonds and stocks belonging to pri-
yate parties were carried ont Ofthe vault and
placed upon the floor Of the counting room.
All OF these boxes were broken open and
their contents placed in heap. Several
cast iron boxes resisted successfully their
violence. and these with the bonds and
stocks taken from the other boxes, were,
when the thieves were ready TO depart, car
ried out Doors and placed in wagon which
was waiting for them.
The burglars then quietly drove away
their plumber. The inmates did not hear
their departure and all remained quiet for
some time-all except Sarah, who struggled
until she removed the tarred ropes with
which she had been bound Then she leap
ed from the bed and searched the different
rooms until she found her father, who was
tied to a bed. She released him, and he
securing a revolver, proceed to the street
door, discharged several barrels of the
weapon with his wrists still confined in the
handouts. This brought assista ce.
THE GANG.