Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1876-02-11
A Woman's Experience in the Great
Bank Robbery.

The Williamsport, Penn, Gazette
publishes an account of the Northamp-
ton bank robbery, written by Miss Mat
tie G. White, who was visiting Mr.. Whit
tlesey's family at the time of the North
ampton Bank robbery She says:
About II o'clock, or little after
five burglars entered our peaceful home
with all the violence we have often pic
tured to us through the papers, and such
as is hard to believe and can only be
realized through experience, such as we
have now had. The first intimation
Laura had of what was going on was
that a man was entering their room,
over the sitting-room, and had dark
lantern in his hand, and Immediately
sprang to their bed, while both screamed.
They were then held by their throats,
two men then being there, and at once
handcuffed and held down. / had not
been asleep over ten minutes, for / heard
the town clock strike II, and at 124 we
were all under their entire subsection.
there being man or two men in my
chamber at once. The first | knew a
man entered my room, and the dark Ian
tern awakened me, suppose. Iscream-
ed, thinking it was John, and that the
house was on fire, and sprang out of bed.
He put me back and choked me, and
told me he would treat me kindly if
would keep perfectly quiet He said
was caught You are all caught. and
you may as well give up He told me
l must get up. | begged him to let me
lie there, but he said No. and pulled
me up and led me into the hall and then
handcuffed me. He then took me into
Lauras room-no, not quite yet. After
getting me into the hall he said would
take cold without more clothing, and
told him | would take my death of cold
that way, and he led me back into nv
room, when | obtained more clothes. and
he took me with them. Very shortly
after, Maria, Aunt Hattie and her hus.
band walked in the same room, and the
girl was brought in with us. After they
had got us all in that room they made
us all get up separately and dress. Of
course we were rugged in each others
clothing, and some were half dressed. |
was very calm and acted accordingly.
They opened LIS bureau drawer, and
took out her handsome violet cloak and
handed it to her, saying, Il guess this is
what you want She put that on with
her balmoral skirt, and then was fixed
up, ana they fell short of handouts
Then Laura and | were Joined by one
handcuf, and they took us off into the
front room and put us in the bed and
then tied our hands and feet with leather
straps, buckled as tight as possible.
Then they took heavy ropes and slipped
through these, and brought the rope un-
der the bed, and fastened it with extra
ropes besides. They served us all this
way. They treated John cruelty; also
Aunt Hattie. The operation was to gag
us with rubber gags. John was blind.
folded and tied in another position. They
then dragged him in the lower bedroom,
and he was almost dead when found.
Laura and | extricated ourselves first
by the greatest effort, and we dragged
ourselves, bed and all, to the window
about Z o'clock in the morning, and with
one free hand opened the window and
alarmed the neighborhood. We had to
have our handouts filed apart, and it was
about 8 o'clock when Laura and we're
separated. We are alive and well, only
that we are scratched and bruised, and
Johns chest is black and blue. They
held pistol at his head after they got
him in the Led-room, when they demand
ed the keys and combination. They did
not touch the silver, but took Johns
watch and chain. Laura grabbed hers
and flung it under the bureau, and they
missed il"