The Indiana State sentinel., 1875-07-29
BLOWING UP A BANK.
PERSUASIVE POWERS OF NITRO
GLYCERINE


THE PLUNDERERs.
A special dispatch from Winthrop, Me-,
to the Boston Post gives the following ac-
count of the bank robbery at that place:
This little place was thrown into fever of
excitement, this morning, by the repor
that the nstional and the savings banks
which are located in the same building,
were entered by burglars and robbed OF
upwards OF $4,000. The news spread
with electric speed, and in a very
short time nearly every man, woman and
child in the village and adjoining places
were made aware OF the facts. Both iDsti-
tutions we're visited by the burglars and the
safes blown open, and relieved OF all avail
able funds placed therein on the previous
evening. TIE building in which the banks
are located is of brick, about two and one
halt stories high, and is on the main street
OF the village, IN the very business centre of
the place. The capital stock of the national
bank is Sl00. 600, and the entire amount of
deposits then in the safe of the savings bank
will not exceed the amount
above stated Soon after three
O'Clock this morning those persons re-
siding in the vicinity Of the bank were
startled from their slumbers by loud ex-
plOsiOn resembling the discharge Of a can
non. Among others who heard the 0etona-
ton was Mr.. Henry Woodard, who, after a
C.
came to the conclusion that something was
wrong at the bank. Having before his mind
the "gagging" Of cashiers, which has so fre-
quently occurred in New England, Mr..
Woodland fastened to procure the assistance
of some neighbors and then started tor the
residence of Mr.. j. NJ. BeDj jamin. cashier Of
the National Bank. Arriving there, happily
TO state, the cashier was found to be ali
right, but OF course
GREATLY SURPRISED
TO see his friends and neighbors at taat early
hour OF the morning. From the home of
the cashier the party started for the bank
building, apon reaching with the true cause
of the explosion was learned. The doors of
90 safes were found open the locks and
bolts having boon blown black by powder.
confusion, bills, notes and other
papers being strewn around the floor.
while both windows were entirely
demolished by the explosion. The "iob"
must have been an exceedingly quick one, ,aud
the means used by the robkers desperate
aud powerful. rba holes in the doors of
the sales were drilled widely, and in all
probability a large charge of powder poured
into each. The burglars left behind them
two ',jimmies," sledge hammer. two steel
wedges one punch, steel pointed hammer,
a small coil of fuse and broken dark lam
JSTHs III oil J06 GHl0N6S 0dU
other instruments, such as drills and other
burglarious implements, hich they were
10th to leave behind. When
the explosion occurred, a large amount
of bank notes of various denominations
and Douds were sent flying with the debris,
and were scattered about the room. The
fragments OF money and valuable pap rs
there gathered up by the officers this morn
ing, filled good sized basket The officers
of the National Bank claim that the solv-
ency Oh that institution will not be seri.
ously affected by the burglary, but the
officials at the Savings Bank are reticeht
regarding whetheror not
THEIR DEPosIToRs WILL SUFFER
to any great extent. There hardly car be
any question as to the latter matter, as the
bulk of the money stolen was found in the
safe of this bank. This afternoon quite a
number of people who had funds deposited
in the institution, and who reside at some
distance from Winthrop, visited the bank to
consult with the officers regarding their in
dividual losses. rhs autho rites are OF
the opinion that the robbery was planned
by some one well acquainted hereaboutS,
and executed by professionals either from
New York or Montreal. Mr.. WoOdard
states that shortly after hearpg The
ex plosion ne looked out of his window and
saw three men passing his house at
that the robbers arrived here Wednesday af-
ternoon, as three strangers were seen near
the depot just before dark. All of the men
carried travelling bags and walked leisurely
along the road, as il well acquainted with
the LEGALITY. Between 9 and 10 o'clock in
the evening the men were met bv lady on
Green street, who is of the opinion that
there we're four in the party. After the ex-
plosion one or the residents mere states that
he saw, perhaps, three men going quickly
in the direction of q shed adjoining the
Methodist Church, where they mad team,
which they entered and then drove rapidly
away. A whip was picked up on the road
which
THE SUPPOSED ROBBERS
were seen to take, and there is possibility
that it may lead to where the team was pro
cured. Tne conductor on the train which
left Portland for the East at ii 10 Wednes-
day forenoon states that three men got on
board his train at Portland, each having
tickets for st. Johns, y. B. After leaving
Portland, one Of the trio, who the con-
ductor states was man about five feet ten
inches high, of dark complexion, wearing
black mOustache and weighing perhaps two
hundred pounds, inquired if he could
take the cars from Yarmouth junction to
Montreal. Being informed in ths negative
he next asked when the train would reach
Waterville, and how Tar that was
from Augusta. This person, the conductor
states, was dressed in light
check suit. his coat being such as worn by
business men. The others were rather be-
low the medium height, one being quite
slight in build with a sallow complexion
and dark eyes. The other was of more firmer
physique, rather forid complexion, blue
eyes. Neither of these men, the conductor
is of the opinion, wore whiskers or NOUS
tache. When Waterville was reached the
men were found standing on the platform
OF the car, and before it came TO full stop
they jumped off and disappeared. Water
vile is not more than 25 miles from Win
throp, and with good team the men could
have reached here about the time they were
seen in the evening by the lady heretofore
mentioned. telegram has been received
here by the bank officers that four men have
been arrested in Bethel on suspicion OF be-
ing the robbers, and the bank officers lett
here tor that place this afternoon.