The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-05-20
A Bank Presidents Peril

The deep mystery which has so long
enveloped the methods employed IN re-
covering the securities stolen from
the SOuhegan bank, in Milford, n. H.,
last October, is at last unraveled, and
the story would pass for genuine
romance were not the full details of the
plot so well authenticated. The rob-
berry, it will be remembered, was one OF
the bOldest ever perpetrated. On the
18th of October ten or twelve masked
men forced their way into the priva' e
residence of Mr.. T. A. Sawyer, the
cashier, and, having gagged ald tied all
the members of the household, forced
the cashier to produce the keys, with
which the bank vaults were opened and
about $120. 600 in securities and So, 600
In currency was secured. The president
of the bank, Hon. William =. Towne,
business, lost no time in return
ing to Milford. Detectives were
employed in the scar h for the
robbers and the securities, but all
to no purpose. Advertisements Of
fering rewards for the restoration of the
securities were published, and at length
anonymous notes reached Mr.. TOwne.
The writer's desired to know how much
ne would pay. His invariable answer
vas ga reasonable amount" a letter
was received from a small town not lar
from Boston. Mr.. Towne was informed
that the bonds should be returned if
liberal sum was paid for them. The
sender of the letter re 1uested an inter
view with him, and Mr.. Towne resolved
to visit the man, and did so. The bank
president was coolly received by the
stranger, who met him in q hotel, and
then led him to a large building far
away. The stranger eyed Mr.. TOwne
suspiciously as Hhe led him through
long hallway into. commodious room,
and the banker felt i'll at ease in his
presence. The stranger talked business
at once. Mr.. Towne told him that the
negotiation of the securities had been
interfered with by publication, but that
the bank was willing to pay a sum not
extravagant for the bonds. The stranger
named sum, and said that he would
give Mr.. Towne time to think over 1t.
Before going from the building In which
the conference was had the stranger
abused Mr.. Towne, and accused him of
not acting in good faith. The banker
was afraid to say much then, but in the
hotel he satisfied the str niger, whom
Mr.. Towne afterward discovered was
detective, that no one was aware of his
(Mr. Towne's) object in visiting the
town. Then the president went back to
Milford, and talked with the directors
of the bank. Further correspondence
followed, and at length Mr.. TOwne
consented to pay the sum demanded.
He drew the money in bank notes of
large denomination, and putting them
into an inside pocket of his vest, started
to see the detective. He was again led
oh, hn hul1 inf u "a
big room. The door was fastened by the
detective. Mr.. Towne was thoroughly
frightened. care you prepared to
negotiate % gruf1y asked the detective.
''I think I am, was the answer, given
with much dehberatiOn. Think you
are, sneered the detective. care you
fixed ?" The bank president hesitated,
but answered in the affirmative. "Wel,
produce" was the command of the de-
tective. Mr.. Towne drew a roll of
bank notes from his pocket, and placed
them on the table. The detective went
to a door opening into another room
and knocked. The door was slightly
opened, and hand grasping a bundle
wrapped in silk paper of foreign manu-
facture appeared. The detective took
the package and put it on the table.
"Now, sir" said he to Mr.. ToWne,
shave you got any more money ?"
" Yes. sir," was the reply, and Mr..
ToWne took another roll of bank notes
from his pocket. The detective again
tapped on the door, and another pack
age was handed in. Then, more money
having been obtained from Mr.. Towne,
a third and last package was given him.
He quickly examined the securities.
They were the ones wanted. Some
were missing, and likewise valuable
papers were not there. Mr.. Towne tied
the three packages together, and was
ready to go. He trembled as he APP
preached the door, and asked the de-
tective to show him out 1t was then
about o'clock at night, and the long
hallway was very dark, but he finally
succeeded in reaching the hotel in
safety. The next day he was in Mil
ford. The valuable papers and some
of the securities are still wanted. One
of the missing bonds was recently found
in Dickenson's wood, near Jerome Park,
in a bottle lying by the side of a man
who had evidently been murdered.
Twelve stabs were found in his breast,
and the theory now entertained here is
that the nan was one of the bank rob-
bers, and that he and some of his &C
completes alighted from the train near
the wood, and that soon afterward In
struggle he was killed. From the APP
pearance of the ground few feet from
the body it was inferred that other bot
ties had therein been buried and then
hastily taken up, and it was thought
likely that In the hurry the bottle con-
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