The Portland daily press., 1874-12-31
DARING ROBBERY.
County Treasurer Penmeii Assault
ed and Robbed of $4,000.
THE THIEVES STILL AT LARGE.
Dangerous Situation of Mr.. Pencil.

Thomas Pennell, engaged him in conversation,
| knocked him senseless, robbed the open safe OF
$4,000, took pocket book containing con-
siderable sum of money, from Mr.. PennelPs
person, raised the back window of the Office,
jumped out, made their way to Chestnut street,
and thence to parts unknown. The assault and
robbery were adroitly planned and boldly exc
cuted 1t was the affair of but few minutes.
in his room. At twenty minutes past six he
was found senseess on the floor of his Office,
At twenty minutes past six a newsboy, who
was on his rounds with the evening paper, call
ed at the County Treasurer's Office, and there
saw Mr.. Pennell stretched senseless upon the
floor He at once ran for assistance, and met
in the corridor Mr.. George Libby, clerk in the
City Treasurer's Office, and Mr.. Edward Will
son, Deputy United States Marshal. These
| gentlemen FASTENED to Mr.. Pencils Office and
| fonnd him in an unconscious condition with a
large bruise on his head. At first glance they
thought he had fallen in fit, but look about
the room showed papers scattered about the
floor, the safe opened and apparently robbed,
and the back window open. By this time gen
eral alarm had been given, and messengers were
at once despatched for the City Marshal and
| for physician. City Marshal Parker and DR..
| C. A. Ring were soon on the spot BY this
| time Mr. Pencil had recovered consciousness,
| though his mind was still in confused state.
| The statement which he made is substantially
| as follows:
Shortly before six o'clock last evening he
went to the Advertiser office for copy of the
evening paper, turning out all the lights in his
| Office except one, before he left. On his return
| he noticed man who walked closely behind
| him and whose face was muffled. On entering
the office he turned up the light and fell to
reading the paper. A few minutes after six
o'clock a man entered the room, stepped up to
| the railing in front of the desk and asked him
if he could cash check. Mr.. Pennell, who at
once felt suspicious of the man and his motive,
replied that he could not at that hour in the
day. Just then tap on the window behind
him arrested his attention, and he turned to
look A slight movement of the man before
him caused him to turn quickly around. He
saw another man entering the door, and that
was the last he knew until he found himself
upon the floor, with his neighbors about him,
though he has an indistiuct recollection of feel
ing grip about his throat
Mr.. Pencil describes the man who asked
him to cash the check as small sized, with dark
full beard, short moustache, spare frame, thin
face, about five feet and eight inches high,
wearing dark snug fitting suit, and Astra-
chan cap. He thinks he saw the man at the
Office about year and half ago, on a similar
errand. The other man, he who came into the
room at the time of the tap on the window, re-
sembled in personal appearance the notorious
''Scotty,'' and must if the resemblance is mark
ed, he most insignificant looking scoundrel.
He saw no man at the window when he turned
to look.
A hasty examination of the safe revealed the
fact that it had been robbed and that about
$4,000 in bank notes and bonds had been talk
en-. Most of the bills were in packages of $1,000
each. There was considerable amount on hand,
much money being required to settle many bills
coming due at the end of the year. A portion
of the stolen funds was the personal property
of Mr. Pennell. In their haste the thieves
overlooked box containing several thousand
dollars in government bonds, the property Of
Sewall Barker of Windham, a ward of Mr..
Pennell. A wallet containing considerable
money, was taken from the breast pocket of
Mr.. Pencils coat. Mr.. Pencil was much
confused from the effects of the blow, and
could give but little account of the amount or
denomination of the money AT first he could
recolect of seeing but one man in the Office,
but after a time he bethought himself of the
man who stepped in at the tap on the window
pane. 1t is possible that the tap may have
been on the stained glass in the door, and in.
tended as a signal from the confederate in the
corridor that the way was clear.
Mr.. Pennell was soon removed to his home
on Smith street. where he was attended by Dr.
Ring A mark was found on the side of his
head, apparently made by a slung- shot, and
cut over the right eyebrow, which may have
been caused by the fall. There were also marks
of strangulation about the throat The Sung
shot caused conclusion of the brain, and there
is great danger of inflammation. The gravest
consequences are apprehended. and strict quiet
is enjoined on Mr.. Pencil.
After the robbery the thieves opened the back
window, jumped out and made their way to
Chestnut street, leaving the tracks of very big
feet in the snow. No further trace Of them
has been found, though the police have been on
the search ever since. 1t is possible that they
lelt ny tuC uOdt, tlOuSu thO SChOiat opiuioh 10
that they are secreted somewhere about the
city. From the GOODNESS, skill and audacity
displayed in the affair, it is surmised that it
was managed by professionals Boston detec-
tives who have been in the city report that they
have traced the robbers of Dearborns jewelry
store in Boston to this city, and it is possible
that the expert thieves amused their leisure by
cracking a safe and lead at the same time.
Mr. w. G. Beckett says that man answering
the description given by Pencil came into his
shop yesterday aud asked to have a check CASH
ed.
The robbery must have been the work of a
very few minutes. Mr.. Hersey, the City Treas
urer, passed Mr. Pencils Office at five min
utes after six, and heard no sound and saw no
men in the corridor. When the sherff's Office
was closed, at six o'clock. all was quiet. Young
Hall, the news-boy, says it was ten minutes
past six when he discovered Mr.. Pennell There
were evidently two, and probably three, men
concerned in the robbery. If the tap heard by
Mr. Pennell was ON the outer window, it must
have been made by a confederate stationed to
see that the way for escape was clear. 1t may
have been made by the man in the corridor to
give notice that no disturbance was to be fear
ed. The men, Mr.. Pencil thinks, first robbed
him of his pocketbook and then rifled the SAFE
In the course of the afternoon he saw an I'M
known man lowering about the corridors, and
once or twice strangers opened the door and
hastily glanced into the office. There was
large amount of money on hand because it was
near the close of court, and there were many
Jurors and witnesses to be paid.
Personal.
The many friends of Mr.. Frederick Davis and
wife will be pleased to learn of their safe arriv
al at their home in this city. Mr. d. has spent
most of the past two years in Colorado, where
at one time he was SO seriously i'll that but
slight hopes were entertained of his recovery
We are glad to see him looking so comfortable.
Mr.. E. f. Atkinson. who was elected Mayor