Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1876-02-04
THE GREAT BANK ROBBERY.
HOW THE BURGLARS OPERATED.


BosToN, Jan. 27.-The robbery of the
Northampton Bank, at Northampton,
Mass, on Tuesday night, was accomplish.
ed by seven men who had been hanging
about the town for at least a month.
1t would seem that they entered the
house Of Cashier Whittlesey and bound,
gagged and guarded for hours seven peo-
pie. They compelled him 10 give them
the combination of the safe vault, waited
until they knew the night watchnan had
gone home, and then, getting into the
vault and safe with only one of the four
keys needed, took a large amount of the
securities
Whence they came and whittier they
went up TO date is a riddle. An expert
had to be summoned from New York, and
the lock was not opened until an early
hour this morning. Cashier Whittlesey,
when asked to give the three combinations
to the yaIlt for the outer, inner and chest
doors, gave them wrong twice and thrice,
but the burglars wrote them down and
made him repeat them of course they
caught him in the attempt TO misead
them, and the exhibition of pistol com.
PEELED him to tell the truth, though he told
them that four KEYS were necessary to
open the patent lock, three of which
were all at the houses of the other
bank officers.
At four O'Clock, A. NJ. Whittlesey was
taken to down stairs bed room. The
whole family were gagged, and four of the
burglars withdrew to operate on the bank.
Three hours after Mrs. Whittlesey sue
ceeded in freeing herself and giving the
alarm from a window. The whole party
were speedily liberated, and the cashier,
still wearing the handouts, went to the
bank. a workman soon after fitted kew
and all the persons handcufied were releas-
ed.
An examination of the bank showed
that the thieves had unlocked the outer
door, but were apparently baked by the
safe lock, lacking three of the requisite four
keys. They tried the metal of the doc.
with bars, and wreDcbed off two dials
which served as an idex for working the
hoping thus TO tamper with
The lock. They were entirely unmoIest-
I'd the watchman having gone home.
There is every indication that six or |
perhaps all of them left on the six O'Clock |
rain. Five of them had tickets previous |
y bought and one paid his fare. Many |
'f their appliances, it was remarked were |
home made" The gags were chlldren's
'ubber balls, pierced with stiff wire
The masks were drawers legs, some with
'ne hole and some with two for the eyes.
When the robbers noticed that Whittle- |
ey was watching them carefully for some
marks of Identification they oindfolded
lin. But he observed that one of them
vas OF very commanding stature
The two or three robbers left to guard
he premises at the house took their depar-
ure in season to catch the Springfield train.
AT the latest advicee no information had
'een received of the robbers. Dispatches
ave been sent to all the cities.
TIE Loss.
The total amount stolen from the North
mpton National Bank is $4,000. Of
his amount s 900 falls on the bank.
OF A wILLIAMsPoET LADY
WITH THE BURGLARS.
The Williamsport Gazette and Bulletin
{ Saturday contains the following further
articulars
The great bank robbery at NoIthamp-
on, Massachusetts,, on Tuesday EVENING" is
robably one OF the most daring on record.
young lady of this city, Miss Matte G.
White, who was visiting in the family of
ir John Whittlesey, the cashier, writes
D her brother, Mr.. K. l.. White, an ac-
cunt Of her experience with the burglars
he says:
APPEARANCE OF THE BURGLARS
About twelve O'Clock, or little after, I
We burglars entered our peaceful home &
ith all the violence that we have often
adj pictured to us through the papers, i
I'D such as is hard to believe, and can
My be realized through experience. such t
, we have now had. The first intimation $
aura had of what was going on was that t
man was entering their room, over the 4
ting room, and he had q dark lantern in Il