Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-07-16
From the Montpelier Watchmsn. July :.
The RafIIed Rank Burglary nj Barre.

\ BOLD ATTEMPT TO ROB the BANK-THF
CASHIER GAGGED AND BoUND-A CHRoN0AE-
TER LOCK TOO MUCH FOR THE BURGLARS.
A bold, but unsuccessful attempt was
made, last night. to rob the National Bank
at Barre, by the oft-tried device of gagging
the cashier, and thus forcing him to aid
them in carrying out their designs. Hap
| PLY, a chronometer lock made it beyond
even the cashier power to open the safe !:
and the villains are now SO closely pursued
that their arrest may be hourly looked for.
MIDNIGHT SURPRISE PARTY.
The cashier of the bank is Mr.. Charles A.
King, young Englishman. of some thirty
years. who has occupied the position about
a year and half, having come to the di-
rectors highly recommended by the bank of
Montreal, in whose employ he had been.
He has wife and daughter, with whom
be occupies little two-storv house upon
the cross-road which runs from Gospel vii
lage to the South Barre road near the trot-
ting park. Last night, himself. wife and
child slept together in chamber in the
second story. Soon after midnight Mr..
King awoke and saw four masked men
standing by the bedside. - Hush. hush,
said the leader - YOU probably can guess
our business we want you to 90 to the
bank with US and ,et US into the SAFE" lie
was sitting up by this time, and placing his
hands behind hun they put handouts upon
them. lie was next told to arise, and the
burglars kindly assisted him to put on his
pants.
They then took possession OF his KEYS.
set him in a chair, and stripping one of the
piliOw-cases, wet the pieces in the wash
basin and Herewith gagged him. Another
pillow-case was drawn over his head to
blindtold him. His wife ard child were
told to get up, and the entire party went
down to an uncarpeted room on the lower
floor. The object of this move was soon
made apparent. Mrs. King was hand-cuif-
cd, and Il pair were tried upon her daugh-
Ter, but her wrists proved to be too small.
One OF the party placed two common kitch-
en- chairs near each other. screwed four pic
ture screws into the door. one behind and
one in front of each chair. and the women,
sitting down, were fastened firmly TO the
chairs with tarre1 rope and straps. Mr..
King hand-cutfs were temporarily remOv
ed. and his coat put upon hun. ana "a il
was raining very hard, he asked for his
waterproof oyer-cOat this was procured.
and his hands being again shacsled behind
his back. a strap was put around his neck.
and start taken for the bank.
Mr.. King, by the way, was not allowed
to put on hi- boots. and wore nothing but
his slippers The men themselves were in
their stocklng-ieet One man was left in
the house to guard the women. On reach
ing the street. one OF the burglars went in
front Of Mr.. King. another behind, and an
other, clutching hold OF the strap around
hls neck. walked beside him. IL i, about
quarter OF mile from Mr.. Kings house to
me bank, whicn l. situated On the lower
n in hp hrr i'm nf hpr
end OF the square. where Mr.. +. f. French
has had hi- office for several years.
Upon reaching the spot, Mr.. King con-
ductor led hun to an adjacent tree, for the
double purpose Of escaping observation and
the rain. The other two opened the front
door with one vi the keys. While going
down. Mr.. King and the burglars had
little conversation. the gag having become
somewhat loosened. Tney asked him in re-
gard to the lock. and he told them 1t was a
ChropOmeter lock. " It. lie said they
- there are no such locks round here"
" Well. said King. " you will find out its
true, when You get there
Sometime was passed IN getting the front
door open. during which Mr.. King and his
conductor stood under the tree In the ponr
Jog rain. Having affected an entrance. Mr..
King WIS unbllnded, and while one OF them
stood guard at the door. the other two com
manded him To work the combination lock
with which the outer door was fastened.
There are two thick iron doors the outer
one furnished with a combination lock, and
the inner one with an old-fashiored key
lock. Inside this l. placed kershaw weld
cd iron and steel sale. weighing five thou
sand three hundred pounds. Last spring
the directors put into this safe a Sargent X
Greenleaf ehronometer lock. at a cost OF
$500. The safe i locked at hali-psst i've
IN the afternoon, and the ehronOmeter i
set 80 that ii cannot be opened till hali-past
eight the next morning. There Is no key
hole. and the door i - constructed that
powder cannot be introduced at the edges.
A. soon as the inner door had been open
ed, Mr.. King said. " Ii you don't believe
there Is 4 chronometer lock there. Just put
YOUR ear to the door and hear the ticking
The leader did 50, and was apparently salts
fed 4, at least he remarked that II was no
20. lie then took a tain-5laded knife such
as i used IN spreading plasters. and called
i spatula by druggists. and run 1t along
the rim Of the door. but finding there was
no chance OF introducing pow 1e-, he then
threw the knife away. and the bank officers
now have it. In the vault. but not in the
safe, were ) 200 in unsigned bank bulls,
which had been received from Washington
yesterday afternoon subsequent to the lock
ing OF the sale. Tney are tens and TWEEN
ties. and the Plumbers run from 9ll TO y30.
They stole these.