The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-03-15

4 BANK ROBBERY.
Hsw a BANK wns Robbed Ten Years Ago.
Daring Burglary.
The burglary at the national bank OF
Northampton, Mass, and the successful
fight OF the thieves with nearly 81 ,0OO,-
600 worth Of plunder, recalls to mind
the robbing OF the Concord national
bank, of Concord, Mass, some ten years
ago. In some particulars the work OF
the thieves was similar, but the annals Of
crime will be searched in vain for amore
skillful or daring robbery than that OF
the Concord bank, an outline Of which
is given below. On the twenty-ffth Of
September, 1866, the Concord bank,
was entered in broad daylight, during
the absence of the cashier at dinner, and
robbed OF $4,000 in United States
bonds, notes and securities, being the
entire funds Of the institution. The
manner in which the robbery was COM
mitted for a long time remained mys-
tery, so adroitly WAS it contrived, the
skill Of the thieves being only equaled
by that of the detectives in tracking
them and finally recovering the greater
portion Of the money. It subsequently
transpired that the thieves had watched
to "set" the bank for long time, max
inc occasional triHing inquiries so that
they could noto the habits Of the cashier,
the location OF the vault and other items
Necessary for the accomplishment OF
their nefarious plans. They then turned
their attention to the street door, and
after working fifteen days and nights, of
and on, succeeded in fitting key which
gave them access to the interior Of the
building. This, however, was the easi-
est part of their labor, as, after getting
into the banking room, which was up
stairs, they had seven more locks before
they could reach the strong box or safe,
in the inner recess of the. vault. It
seems almost incredible, but it is never
theless onrecord that eighty nights were
spent in the bank, and as an instance OF
their daring and the way they worked
together, each took his turn sleeping on
the floor, while the others. worked.
They were inside the main vault twenty
or thirty times before they got into the
safe which held the prize they: were, la.
boring for, the lock being Of combina.
ton pattern and the slightest turn OF
the index after the removal of the key
prevented the thieves from setting the
new key, and as this could only happen
by accident, the chances Of Ultimate
success we're next to nothing. Bafned
on the very verge Of success, it was de-
termined to use gunpowder; but there
was man who slept in an adjoining
house, not twenty yards from the safe,
SO it was arranged to choose a buster
ing night when the equinoctial gales
were blowing. The safe was to be
wrapped in wet blanketsand everything
done to smother the noise. But the
gale did not blow, so it was determined
to carry the safe bodily away in broad
daylight. .,*,
With this end in view the habits OF
the cashier were studied, and it was
found that he was absent from the bank
about two hours each day. According
" on the twenty-ffth of September,
1855, everything being il readiness,
after the cashier had locked the bank
and gone home one Of the gang boldly
walked up to the front door aud, un'
locking it, walked in. AS he did so O
little girl came up and asked for Mr..
Cheney, the cashier. He told her coolly
that he would not be back until two
O'Clock. He then went up stairs and
shortly after man came to the door and
knocked for some time. His accomplices,
postcdin sight with the horse and wagon,
became frightened, thinking the plan
had been detected. The one in the
building found the key of the safe in the
vault, but the cashier had omitted te
move the index, which left the lock o,
the mercy of the thief. Had the index
been set even the key would have beer
useless. The work Of plunder ther
commenced, tho daring thief remaining
within the vault nearly half an hour
during which time he actually
gathered together everything Of value
in the keeping Of the bank. . He ther
took his departure, locking all the door
behind him except the street door. III
was met on the road few miles away
out by his confederates, and they al
drove off, leaving absolutely no trace be
hind them. As soon as the loss was dis
covered the chief of police of Bostor
sent several detectives to Concord, who
after making thorough examination
reported what little they had been ablt
to gather to Superintendent Of Polic'
Kennedy, of New York. 1t was the I'M
preston at first, so cleanly had the worl
been done, that the thieves were in col
lusion with some official or employ O
the bank. The case was then put in th'
hands of Chief Detective John YOUNG
and Captain Jourdan, of New York:
Captain Jourdan, whose experience
with criminals was very extensive, came
to the. conclusion that the robbery hat
been committed by some one known to-
long time to the police, and that tn
thieves must have an agent to negotiat'
the stolen bonds. Captain Jourdal
caused the arrest of known criminal
There was proof upon which he coul:
L. have been convicted of ,counterfeltlng
BE offered, if he should not be prose
cuted, to do anything in his power TO
Jourdan. he was set at work on tn
Concord case, and soon found mai
who agreed to furnish him with 500,
600 in bonds at seventy-fve per cent. o
their par value on the following Satur
day. Careful watching Of and skillfu
diplomacy with this man with o pruden
use of threats, induced him at length t.
divulge the name and the hiding plac
of the robber the police wanted. H
was taken in little cottage on tn
banks of the Delaware river near Gam
den. Having arrested him the detec
tives nearly tore the house and barn t.
pieces in the vain endeavor to find tn
lost securities. Finally Captain Jourdal
by digging found glass jar containing
SlOO, 900 in United States bonds and i
the sandy bank of the river q box wit
5000 in bonds, etc. The Who'll
amount of s199, 331 was thus recovered
t q triumph of detective genius such
} has rarely been equaled.-Ne'0 for
Herald.
The White House.
The debate on the proposed constltu
tional amendment limiting the Unite
States Presidential term was closed D.
MIR. Knott, chairman OF the ]ud1clar: