The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-04-08
THE BANKrNG BUSINESS.

HOW SEVERAL SCIENTISTS TRIED ~ H-No@AoH
INIT AT CONVICTION.
A brilliant attempt at getting into the
banking business on small capital is thus
described by the Cincinnati special to the
: Chicago Tribune under date of April L; A
daring attempt at tremendous bank ROD
berry was made last night in Covington, KY,
opposite this city. The conception OF the
thing. the plan of operations adopted by
the burglars, and the superior Tools USED,
all go to indicate that they are men o.
high position in their business. 1t was tne
First National Bank that was attempted.
The third story Is used every night during
the week EXCEPT Sunday for the meetlng OF
various lodges which would, OF course,
afford an easy means of access TO any poItloh
of tie building. The main nail Is useu 10.
store rooms, fronting Madison street; that
on the corner of Madison and State streets
is used by the bank. The craftsmen, enter
ing the main hall, sawed out sectlon OF
the flooring and one of the sleepers
Immediately over the roof OF the bank vault
beneath, and dug their way thf0usn tIe
:. brick-work down the ceiling OF the vault,
which is constructed of heavy boiler iron.
Here the rivets were removed, and piece
of iron two feet square displaced having
thus effected an entrance, work was COM
menced upon the strong Hall burglar
proof safe which contained the coveted
treasure,
WITH SLEDGEs AND "JIMnEs."
A seam was opened sufficiently TO allow
powder to be blown into the safe, which 1t
is supposed was done by india rubber tubes
connected with an air force pump. AT any
rate the powder was introduced and the
charge exploded with such violence that the
safe was considerably wrenched, and por-
ton of the back displaced to such an extent
fhot 2 iz that with q little more
steady work the men would have obtained
their booty, The jar must have been tre-
mendous, as II or ii square yards OF the
ceiling of the banking room fell to the floor,
and the heavy iron door at the front OF the
vault was bulged out very percepubly. In
the morning the fact of the burglary was
: discovered only about $50 O'Clock, when
the officers came as usual to make prepare
tions for the days work. The janitor saw
the floor OF the room covered with the fallen
clustering, but supposed that 1t had been
done by dancing onthe floor above. When
an attempt was made to op9n the door OF
: the vault the key would not work in the
lock, and one of the officers went to the
upper part of the building, when it was
plainly evident what had taken place. In a
little while the door was opened, and there
stood the safe, battered and twisted, but
\ still with its contents unlnJured. rive
hours of hard labor ensued, and, when at
last the back of the safe was severed, the
sparkled with delight as the bundles Of
green backs and other
vALUABLEs WE'RE DISCOVERED, A LITTLE
sINGED,
it is true, but not materially. A large num-
Der of private special deposits in tin boxe;
were in the safe, and they showed plainly
the damaging effects of the explosion, being
bent and battered, but still secure. Nothing
has been missed nom the vault, although
books containing S45, 900 worth of tax-pai6
stamps belonging to the United States Col
lector's officers were in plain view. 1t Is
supposed that the rosy tints of dawn alone
caused the disappointed burglars to leave.
There is nothing to indicate that they were
in any way interfered with and it sequally
plain that, when they did go, they left in a
hurry. A full set of first-claSs tools re-
\ NAMED, comprising everything necessary
to the burglars art. Among them is very
/ fine jackskrew; a splendid ratchet drill o.
the most perfect construction, with twelve
of the very best twist-drill bits, varying in
size from an inch down to quarter of an
inch, and manufactured by The Moose Twist
Drilling Machine Company, of New Bedford
Mass; three saws ofdifferent szss and kinds
made by Disstin; large and elegantly nm
ished air-forcs pump, worked by power
full lever, which must alone have cost 500
about fifty feet of small rubber hose; jim
mics, cold chisels, hammers, braces and bits
an endless quantity of screws, hooks, iron
rings, ETC.; large pot of putty; some tir
ARTICLES, semi-cyndricalin shape, with curved
tubes attached to each end; dark lantern
half dozen cans of Dupont's finest rifle
powder; three or four black carpet-sacks
aud other articles too numerous to mention
A pair of kid gloves some overalls a cap an(
pair of boots were also left behind. 1t i
supposed that Frank Rivers, a well known
burglar, and his party did this work, a
they are known to have been around thi
city lately.