The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-07-10
THE BARRE BANK BURGLARY.
A Bold Attempt Frustrated-value of Chror
ometer Lock.


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The Barre National Bank is located in
| what is commonly known as the "check-
cred" store. 1t is in the center of the
business part of the village. From this
central part of the village the Williams
town and Washington roads lead to the
southeast and east respectively. On a
cross street connecting these two roads up
| towards "Gospel Village" Mr.. Charles
A. King, the cashier of the bank, lives,
his residence being a quarter of mile or
more from the bank. The officers of the
bank, which is, so far as its location at
Barre is concerned, comparatively new
institution, with commendable foresight,
provided their safe few months ago with
q double chronometer bank lock. This
| lock which 10 made by Sargent & Greenleaf
Of Rochester, N. Y, and which is the
| same as those used by the First National
and Montpelier National bank of this village,
no doubt saved the Barre Bank and its pat
rons many thousand dollars.
Mr.. Kings sleeping room is on the Sec
ond floor of his house. Near midnight he
was awakened and discovered four masked
men in his bedroom. They said "keep
quiet, keep STILL and their leader said to
Mr.. King that he no doubt knew their bust
ness. He acknowledged that he did, where
upon they hand-cuffed him before allowing
him to arise; then helped him to put on
his clothes. They asked for his keys and
he told them it was no use to try the bank
because he could not unlock the safe him
self till morning They took no stock in
his statement and insisted on his going with
them. They took Mrs. King and her little
girl into an unexpected room on the first
floor, where they tied them in chairs. Mrs.
KING was hand-cuGed but they had no
bracelets small enough for the little girl,
so they tied her hands. Holes were then
bored in the floor and heavy picture hooks
screwed in; to the rings of these chairs
were tied with tarred rope. Mrs. King and
the little girl were then gagged, care being
taken to wet the knots that were placed in
their mouths so as not to Inconvenience
them more than possible. In fact the whole
conduct OF the burglars was very quiet and
gentlemanly toward the cashier and his
family-except that one of them, rough
Irishman, spoke harshly to MIR. King,
whereupon the leader told him to keep quiet
and behave himself.
One of the four remained at the house
while the other three started for the bank
with Mr.. King. 1t was raining violently,
and the cashier wanted his waterproof
which they allowed him to take. But his
boots he was not allowed to wear, and had
to content himself with slippers, his I'M
welcome companions being in their stock
ing feet. A pillow case was stripped up
by them and he was gagged with the strips
another pillow case was drawn over his
head. A strap was fastened around Kings
neck and he was led down the street with
one burglar behind holding it, and another
leading. On arriving at the bank they un-
locked the outer door with his key. They
then had him 20 on ahead. One of the
three remained on the platform in front of
the bank, one at the door and one accom-
panied King. The pillow case was taken
off, and blanket thrown on King. They
told him to unlock the combination lock to
the vault which he did, The gag was re-
moved from his mouth and he was told to
unlock the safe. This he could not do and
told the burglar so, but he was not be-
lieved. He then told the fellow to put his
car close to the lock and he would hear the
work of the chronometer lock going. The
burglar listened and the steady ticking con-
WINGED him that the game was up, where
upon he discussed chronometer locks, and
appeared desirous OF knowing more fully
now they worked and whether they were in
general use IN this part OF the world. MIR.
hing gave him what information he had on
the subject
The burglar then took a spatula-a thin
knife used by druggists-and ran it between
the safe door and safe but found that blow
ing the machine up was not feasible. Mean
while IN rummaging around he found the
only plumber OF the night. 1t appears that
on the arrival OF the train yesterday after
noon at hve O'Clock package OF national
Diiis came from the department at wash
ington: Ihere were twenty-hx sheets,
each sheet containing three ten dollar bills
anu one twenty doiiar bill. The sheets
were numbered 'li 10 $50 inclusive and
the DIS III all amounted to $l3OO,-they
were unsigned by the ofhcers OF the bank,
however, ana so the Dank Will lose nothing
Hls hkeiy' as they are so much forged pa
per IN tne hands OF anybody who takes
tnem. Inc Dliis came at nve O'Clock and
the Dank sa1e mad been locked at four o'clock
ana couid not De opened until half past
elght TINS morning. SO MIR. King couldn't
get TINS package OF bills into the safe. and
they were lett IN the vault and there found
| py Inc ROBBERS.
Inc cracksmen now asked the cashier
whether ne wanted to be left at the bank
or at ms house and he signited a prefer
ence for home, sweet home. They re-
formed the procession, took him to his
house, fastened him to chair, tied this
chair down as they had done the others,
obligingly RETAINING from tying Kings feet
as tightly as they at first proposed, he hav-
ing suggested that they were using more
strain on the ropes than was necessary
| They helped themselves to bread and milk
| and departed, King saw his clock whom
| they brought him home and it was by that
ten minutes after one when the return
from the bank was made. In about half
an hour he succeeded in working one foot
loose; overturning his chair and got free
from the floor. He soon got knife and
by his wife's aid was relieved of the chair.
His hands were hand-cuffed yet, and he
made his way to the house of Dr. Braley,
the president of the Bank. with a tail of