Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-03-29
BANK ROBBERY IN LOUISVILLE.

THIRTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS, STOLEN
PROFESSIONAL BURGLARS TAP
Rich MINE, BUT Miss PART OF THE
TREASURE.
The recent bank robbery in Louis
vile, KY, is 80 strikingiy similar in all
its details to the robbery of the Third
National Bank of Baltimore, last Au-
gust, that we reprint the following &C.
count of it from the Courier Journal OF
the l1th instant.
Yesterday afternoon considerable e1-
element was created throughout the
CITY by the report that the Falls CITY
Tobacco Bank had been robbed OF
large amount. The story flew from mp
70 lin until it became the common taiK
of the city, and the place was visited oy
numbers of curious people. 1t had
been so long since any very Important
burglary had been committed in Louis
Vile, that many were increduious at
first. but the report was soon confirmed
beyond question. The following is, as
near as we can gather, the story OF the
robbery, which was certainly in one
SENSE. one of the most successful that
ever came underline notice OF cur police.
SOMETHING WRONG.
On opening the Bank at the usual
hour yesterday morning one Of the
clerks, Mr. Henry Sauer, went to the
vault for the purpose of opening 1t for
business, but he was unable to work
the combination of the outer door.
Charles Brent, another clerk, came to
SAVERS assistance, and both together
tried the bolts, and worked half an hour
without being able to open the door,
The officers OF the Bank, finding that
it was impossible to reach the safe, and
surprising that the locks of the vault
were out of repair, sent to Mr.. Charley
Sneed, who came with his foreman, MIR.
Ellis, bringing all tools necessary for
FORCING AN ENTRANCE,
and commenced drilling through the
thick iron casting of the vault.
The work of drilling was a tedious
one, and several hours Of hard labor
were thus expended. AT o'clock in
the afternoon three holes had been Dor
ed through the iron, one being made
through the main leverage bolt. Iron
prizes were then inserted in the holes,
and Dy this means the bolt was gradu-
ally forced back from its fastening, III
the iron facing until the door bou!d be
opened.
After the door was swung open the
attention of the men was attracted by
the opening of piece OF iron, which
they discovered to be i ''thimble, from
the inner fastenings, and on examining
the outer part of the outer door they
found a block OF wedge, made OF pine,
which had been driven behind the large
iron lock bolt in such position as to
prevent its sliding under preston OF
the combination key, and, in pressing
the bolt backward by the leverage OF
the implements used, deep indentation
sufficient to admit of its passage from
the lock was made in the wood.
These discoveries of course naturally
excited grave suspicious, and Oh open
mo the inner door, which also had to
be forced, Il scene was presented within
the vault that filled the bankers and The
worbmen with feelings OF diSmay and
alarm One of the iron safes had been
opened.and the door appearedas though
il had been torn open by some mighty
force; large pile of papers, principally
local bonds lay scattered about the floor
of the vault. 4 bag of goldamounting
TO about $4,000, a lot OF jewelry OF ms
cellansous character and unknown value
and it is thought by Mr.. Alexander, the
cashier, but not positively known, that
Ten United States ten-torty bonds Of
$500 each, all Of which were Oh special
deposit,
WERE MISSING FROM THE SAFE,
and u square hole which had been cut
through the iron roof of the vault near
the wall indicated clearly the manner
and route of their exit. Thieves had
entered the house and once more prov
cd that burglar proof vaults and burglar
broof safes are not burglar proof at all.
But how the thieves had succeeded III
forcing their way into both vault and
safe was not more perpleXlnS question
than their means of reaching the vault
TO commence their work.
The vault Is SlJudlcl dC tllc IC"i VI
the banking room, and It's outer door
forms 4 part of the walls of the estab-
ishmcnt, its roof being made of solid
chilled iron about one inch thick. The
ceiling being Only about eight feet hlgA
high vacuum or false room, partially
filled in with brick, interyenes between
this iron root aud the second floor OF
the building which is occupied by busl-
ness offices of various kinds.
THE ROOM IMMEDIATELY OVER TIE VAULT
is occupied by Mr.. X. w Smith, agent
for the Mutual benefit Life Insurance
Company of Newark, y. j. and the ell
trance to this room is by the stairway
from Main street, leading into the gen
eral hall.
1t was evident that the burglars had
come in from above, making use of one
Of the second-story rooms and cutting
downward to the treasure they We're
seeking. Taking the bearings OF
the vault the officers of the bank
went up stairs and entered the
room of Mr.. Smith. An examlna-
ton revealed no signs Of the villainous
work of the robbers, and Mr. Smith
laughed at the idea, saying that the