Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1876-02-04
The Northampton Bank Robbery.
ALARGE AMOUNT STOLEN.

For twenty-four hours after the burg.
larry at Northampton, Mass, mentioned
last week, it was not known that they
entered the bank vault, as it could not
be opened, and the belief prevailed that
they had failed in their attempt The
bank had to send to New York for the
manufacturers to come on to open the
vault, and when opened, to the special
dismay of all concerned, it was found
that the burglars had been in there and
fastened it when they came out, and that
they had stolen money, bonds and Sc
curities to the amount of over $780,
000l
1t does not appear that the bank itself
loses very largely, the stolen property
mostly belonging to those who had de
posted it there for safe keeping.
AT THE CASHIERS HOUSE.
The work was done by band of seven
men, who had been hanging about the
town for month.
The band are supposed to have entered
the house of Mr.. Whittlesey on Elm St
about half a mile from the bank, through
a second story window. He and his wife
were aroused about A. NJ. and ordered
by two of the burglars to dress. The
other occupants of the house-T. b. Cut.
Ter, Gazette printer, and wife, Miss
Matte G. White of Williamsport, Pa,
Maria Benton, an invalid boarder, and
the servant girl-had been similarly
awakened, and were filed into the Whit.
tlesey bedroom. All were bound and
gagged, the burglars running short Of
rope and dispatching the servant for the
clothes line. The men were rather iol
ly set, inclined to pay some attention tc
the comfort of their victims they ad
vised the women to put on three pairs o.
stockings, so that the binding ropes
would not cut them.
One of them casually remarked that
he had noticed Mr.. Whittlesey's fine
watch at Watch Hill, r. l., two year:
ago, and tried to claim acquaintance with
him from that time This watch they
took, but Mrs. Whittlesey slyly pitched
hers under the bureau and saved it they
picked her fine cloak out of the bureau
and she said, "Give me that old thing
I'm cold" and gained that. One of the
ladies said she was sick and needed med
icine, whereupon an attentive burglar
offered her spoonful of brandy. Con
versation was carried on, more or les
briskly, but always pleasantly, up to
A. NJ. The burglars, who wore kid gloves
were well disguised by masks made from
the legs of satinet drawers, with place
cut for the eyes, long linen busters an,
blue overalls. They took, besides tn,
watch, sl5 from Mr. Whittlesey's pocket
GETTING THE COMBINATIONS.
Mr.. Whittlesey, when asked to Civ
the three combinations to the vault, 70
the outer, inner and chest doors, CAV
them wrong twice and thrice, but tn
burglars wrote them down and mad
him repeat. OF course they caught hin
and pistol compelled the truth, thong
he told them that four keys were necel
sary to open the patent lock, three
which were at the houses of the othe
bank officers. At 4, a. m, Mr.. Viii
tlesey was taken to a down stairs be,
room, the whole family gagged, an
four of the burglars withdrew to ope
ate on the bank. Three hours afte
Mrs. Whittlesey succeeded in freein
herself and giving the alarm from
window. The whole party were speedil
liberated, and the cashier. still wearin
the handouts, went to the bank.
clever workman soon after fitted K.
and all the handcufed were released.