The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-03
ROBBERY OF THE WEST POINT
FOUNDRY,

The WGtchmen Bound and Gagged by
Three Men-The Safe Blown Open
Money and Bonds StOlen-A Detailed
Account Of the Affair.
NEwBURG, N. ". June 2, 1874.
At about two O'Clock this morning enc OF the
boldest and most successful robberies ever known
in this vicinity was perpetrated at the
West Point Foundry, situated at Cold
Spring, on the Hudson, opposite the military
post Three unknown men, who, after the rob-
berry. made good their escape attacked the watch
men, james Lomax and Rodney Roe. ana, having
overpowered them singly, bound and gagged them
and proceeded to rob the Office. They blew open
the safe with gunpowder and distracted about
$l,4O0 In money and $500 in government
bonds. 1t is thought that the robbers got
away on an extra freight train that stopped
at Cold Spring, going north at quarter to four
this morning Rodney Roe, the elder OF the two
watchmen, is seventy years OF age, and has been
employed in that capacity in this establishment
during the past twenty years. James Lomax, the
otner watchman, gives this
ACCOUNT OF THE AFFAIR.
have been Waterman at the foundry for seven
years. On Monday night / went on duty as usual.
| first went into the office, and stayed IN IL till
nearly hal1-paSt twelve; then went to the oven
IN the moulding shop to warm my tea. AS l was
their appearance outside. One OF them was very
stout, with large brown wh.skers, wore q black
cap aud brownish sack coat; another was sinai!
man, dark o. complexion, with mustache, and
wore SOFT hat; the third was little taller, had
a mustache, wore long rock coat and black
SLOUGH hat. the big man stepped TO my lett side,
of the others to the front OF me and the third
one behind, with lantern IN his hand The big
sa 10 lie sns IS old repe
/ asked him, "What old man ?" lie said, 1.-THE one
that watches with you.n | said thought he was
in the fore part Of the night and I in the lat
Ter, ter said to the the big man, "Do you want
you are my prisoner" He seized me suddenly by
one arm. anu another seized me by the other arm
and said, ..We want you to go along with u.s."
While we were walking they told me to make no
noise. They took me into the entry going into the
moulding house, where they put my hands behind
my back and strapped them. resisted at FIRST;
but they threatened me, and Kept still One OF
ball out OF his POCKET, crammed It in my mouth and
tied 1t with cord behind my neck. They then SET
TIED MY LEGS IN TWO PLACES
and my arms IN two places, tied me TO casting
and lett the entry. After had been alone hve or
SIX minutes one % asSed c me ali right
couldn't say anything. He then reJoneu ms com.
rades. who were IN the once roDping sns sae, aug
man came back cut the strings on my legs ana
ordered me TO stand up, when ne covered my mead
with a coat. asked him as well as couid. what
are Won going to do with me ~ He replied, "You'u
know after q whlle.r He then led me outdoors.
walked me to the ONCE, and opening the safe
vault partly, put me In 1t and smut the door, ieav-
inu lust enough open to give me little air.
When [ entered the vault Rodney Roe. the other
watcnman, was there, and they mad tied and
gagged him the same as they did me- He re-
slsted but being seventy years old, 1t dldn't
amount to much. He told them not TO blow the
sale open; they wouldn't get much. They told
MIN TO shut up or they would Kill hin. We sat IN
.he vault facing each other, and while there we
BREAKING OPEN THE SAFE,
which was on the other side OF the room. We
couldn't see the men from tue vault. The sale was
a Herring pattern, six feet high. The vault was
used ior Keeping books and papers In We heard
the hammerng with heavy hammers, the clnk-
ing OF cold chisels and prying. Suddenly we heard
them open the outer door OF the vault, and they
called to as to Keep back from the door
as "therc was going to be an explosion
which would blow US to hell" Then they
shut the door, and soon afterwards we heard
a slight explosion. Then the vault door was again
opened by them, and we heard one ask the other,
s'Where IL the new luses the old fuse IL good Tor
nothing" They charged the sale . second time,
and a loud explosion occurred. After that we
heard them handling the papers, bonds and money
hall an hour doing It. They then came TO the doors
OF the vault, opened the outer one, and left the
iron or inside door q little open. This they did
because told them felt faint. They took a sledge
hammer and broke one OF the panels OF the outer
door and locked the door. The hole was too small
for us to crawl through, but enough to give US air.
Before TINS the Old man had worked MS hands
loose, but they did not see that ana then nc