The McArthur enquirer. (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1873-1884, 1873-02-26
$l28, 900 Found In Church
| From Tho Reading Eagle.l

Readers have not forgotten
the Lancaster bank robbery,
and the subsequent flight ofthe
cracksmen to Reading, by be-
ing driven in a sleigh hired at
q Lancaster livery, The thieves
arrived in this city at six
o'clock in the evening, alighted
at the post-olfice, and since
then nothing has been heard
of the robbers, notwithstqing the
most dilligent search that has
been made.
A discovery however was
made yesterday morning by the
sexton Of the New St. Pauls
Memorial Church North Sixth
street, Mr.. Gideon Knabb, re-
siding No. 29l Reed street,
through which bonds, mortgag
es, notes, and other instruments
bearing face value to the
amount of over 100000 were
recovered, The particulars Of
this mysterious affair as given
by MIR, Knabb are as follows:
Mr.. Knabb went to the church
yesterday morning as usual,
for the purpose of attending to
his customary duties. Descend
ing to the basement to attend
to the fire, his attention was at
tracted to a bundle Of some
kind in the stairway stuffed in
to a hole at the side of the
stairway. He subsequently,
took out the package, opened
and examined it, and to his
utter surprise and astonishment
found that the parcel contained
some seventy instruments of
writing, proving to be a lot of
bonds, notes, mortgages and
certificates bearing face-valHe
of S127,9 900, evidently held in
deposit at one time by Messrs,
Stehman, Clarkson & Co., bank
ers, of Lancaster. The discov-
cry was Immediately made
known, and several prominent
gentlemen informed ofthe full
particulars. The Rev. Mr..
Bausman lelt Reading this
morning for Lancaster to in
form the parties IN reference to
the matter.
The papers were wrapped in
a copy of the Congregational
Globe, dated February s, 1871,
and are Of such matter as is
only valuable to the parties to
whom they belong. The robbers
were evidently cracksmen off
experience, having been en-
gagged in such business before.
The large sealed envelopes con-
tanning available and converti-
bic funds were scientifically
dipped and opened by the
thieves, while the private Sc
curities remained untouched.
Among the papers are thirty
four bonds, the highest of which
is $4,000. There are seven
large mortgages, ranging from
81, 900 to $4,000, together with
many other certificates of loan,
insurance policies, judgments,
and other instruments.
Mrs Knabb, wife of the sexton,
gave this morning a statement
to the effect that on the even
ing the thieves arrived from
Lancaster there was chapel
service held at the church.
She noticed a mysterious per-
sonage leaving the church dur
ing service, He was large
heavy-built man, having a
heavy cloak thrown over his
shoulders. His suspicious
movements attracted her atten-
tion, but it being in church she
soon forgot it. There is some
doubt but that the individual
seen BY Mrs. Knabb was one of
gang of interested robbers.
Their motive of placing the
bonds in church is a matter of
much conversation and sur
mise, and the only construction
to be put on the affair is that
the thieves were anxious to
shrOud the whole affair in as
mysterious manner as posi-
BILE.
nal.