The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-03
The Northampton Bank Robbery.

The progress OF the World DrlnRs new
experiences. Mankind has been thought
to be growing vIrtuous because highway
robbery IL seldom heard OF, and because
the finger of scorn points to Greece as the
last soandalous refuge of the historic brig
and. Highway robbery consists In re-
lieving the passing traveller of his watch
aud his purse, and the fainting maiden of
her jewels: while brigandage, which
affrights mankind with its atrocious viii
lainy, Is only the capture OF venturesome
tourists and holding them a while for a
ransom from their friends. These are
crimes which the civilized world has uni
ted in stamping as execrable and society
has succeeded in roofing them out But
contrast them with the system of bank
robbery now coming into vogue, and how
trivial they appear.
What Is the taxing OF purse containing
the money for a mans travelling expenses,
aud his timekeeper; or robbing a woman
OF her finger rings and bracelets, compared
to stripping community Of the fortune on
which they subsist, the savings, il NAV be,
OF generations of anxious thrift and frueali-
tyr What does a million dollars repre- ent
to rural town on the Connecticut river?
What but ease and comfort and freedom
to an extended circle of well-to-do people,
who have toiled through the weary years
with sober faithfulness, carefully earning
and carefully saving their little boards for
a rainy day. Our highway robbers come,
and these people are scooped clean In n
night. They not only lose purse and jew
els, easily replace ed. butthey are reduced to
poverty between supper and breakfast.
They go to bed in comfort and aflluence,
they rise in the morning penniless as the
beggar at their gate. Here are results in
comparison with which highway robbery
aud brigandage are but child's play.
The man who puts a pistol to your head
and demands your money or your life is
| trivial villain contrasted with these des-
perate gangs of armed robbers who
seize at one grasp the concentrated accu-
mutations OF a whole community.
In what is tins gigantic style of rob
berry TO endi We see at Northampton
| what seven armed villains can do in
an hour. They can carry off . mil
lion; and this is but the beginning of com
binations that may readily be formed-and
which, from the success which has attend
ed various similar efforts thus far, we may
conclude Will be formed-that will endan-
ger the safety OF all deposited accumula-
tons Of money and securities in every viii
lage town, and city in the country,
30 far IA the banks in our interior towns
are concerned, they are, in the light of
this Northampton enterprise, nothing but
signal lanterns to burglars, planning their
schemes of robbery. IL is seen that iron
| holfg and hara and 0nnnipo lnpka raDuir-
ing numerous keys, and every last patented
contrivance Of the treasure holders to de-
fend themselves, are one and all as
worthless as q paper partition against
the burglars. 1t is evident that there
is not a country bank in any town in
New England that cannot be served just
as the Northampton Bank has been. OF
course, IL will not do 10 rob them all at
once, or too fast This would incte to
constant watchfulness with armed patrols.
| Therefore, we may expect these institu-
tons to be gently treated, with now and
then spice of unexpected audacity. The
banks make known their wares, and the
burglars have only 20 choose their own
time to go and take them.
If we are taught anything by this North
ampton transaction, it is that there is moi
bank IN any of our interior towns that is
any more of safeguard against the AS
saults of professional burglars than straw
fence would be an obstruction 10 man
with a lighted torch. We call attention Il
this fact, now, while this Northampton
robbery is yet fresh 10 the public mind. The
most unsafe place in the world in which
money or securities can be lodged is coun
try bank. II is light set upon IA hi
which cannot be hid. II is an announce
ment where treasure Is to be found. 1t Il
an advertisement to professional thieves
"Here are our accumulated possessions
come and take them"
The always too conddng public must no
be lulled into false security. This is m
exceptional occurrence, so that we shall
never hear OF another like II. On the con
, | trary, This haul OF q million is likoly t
-ss'-s-s