River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-07-19
\ STRANGE BANK ROBBERY.
FsGw the Crime was Traced 10 the Ten
Trita TrayeIers-''
81 ANNIE \. PRESTON.

TrIsa TraveIrrs.'
BY ANNIE \. PRESTON.
One dark rainy night in November,
1853, the Flint Rock Bank. that nestled
beneath the sleepy Gins shading the
principal street ola quiet New England
village. was entered and rOn'ped of large
um of money.
The situation was peculiar a large
remarkably intelligent black mastiff with
white feet, called Silver stocking. made
the bank his home. always sleeping there
at night. Ii "a stranger came around he
would howl like park of artillery; but
he was never known To bark at one with
whom hc was familiar. Everything In
the bank, the morning after the robbery,
was found Just as it had been left the
afternoon previous. The safe was locked;
nothing had been disturbed. Only-the
money was gone.
President Strand and Cashier MOreton,
gentlemen Of unblcmiShed reputation, had
gone in company that evening to attend a
political meeting in an adjacent town.
AMI. on account of the storm. remained
there over night. They drove home the
next morning "a find that the bank,
whose reliability in every respect was the
bride Of their hearts. had been robbed in
their absence, As Is often the case with
country banks, whose business Is not large
or complicated, the president and cashier
alone attended to the clerical duties of
Flint Rock Bank, 10 other person being
employed in it.
Various efforts were vainiy made 10 fer
ret out the thieves. All sorts al rumOrs
we're aiioat concerning suspicious charaC-
tiers that had been seen IN the village
a few DAYS before the robbery and Il was
said that carriage hail been heard driv-
ing through the the streets that SAME
night. Popular opinion finally settled
down to the belief that the money was
taken by gang Of New lurl burglars;
but the rol,ACr7 amt tlIe different Inc as
used to trace the perpetrators formed ttc
CHI 4 topic DI conversation among th- vii
i.gcrs during the entire winter Mis-
Ethel MOrctcl the beautiful Young
daughter Of the cashier hatl bcen made
~ hv the excitement aud by nervous fear
lest her father should be- blamed in some
way for the loss. and had not left her
room since the crime was discovered.
One evening in the following April
Nr. Wihercll owner OF the store in the
village called on Mr.. Strand, the bank
president. at his residence, ana showed
him bank note VIII h both the gentle
uCE agreed WAS the same one that Mr..
Withereil had deposited in the bank on
one afternoon preceding the robbery. The
note had been torn and mended in such q
way that it was quite noticeable, and was
remarked upon by the two gentlemen at
the time. The note was IN one of the
packages of money that had been taken.
Mr. Witherell, ON being asked how it had
again come into his hands, said:
Mrs. Remington gave it 10 M this
afternoon. in paying bill which her hus-
band contracted s"On after they came 10
town last autumn. about a fortnight be-
fore the bank was robbed. They bought
Cashier MOretons Elm street house.
moving into it. you know, when he took
possession of his new huuSe around the
corner"
After some further conversation upon
the subject. the two gentlemen went to-
g,ther To call on Mrs. Remington. They
found that her husband had Just returned
from two weeks business trip. On
maxim. known their GRAND, Mrs. Rem
ir-ton, quiet la,iy-like little woman,
said
When We purchased tins house Mr..
Moreton. the former owner and occupant,
proposed that we should take the furnish
mrs ct the front hall. that had been made
to order to- suit the rather curiOusly -shap-
eel room An antique chair fits the curve
Of the stairway, the mirror hat-raCk Just
suits the niche made BY the chimney fiue,
and the carpet, Of course. was cut to nj
the foOr.
Thinking that We should bc unable tn
suit ourselves better. We bought the arti-
cles. not moving them al all the past win
t.f. This spring. while my husband was
absent ON his recent trip. thought that
I would clean house, and, accordingly
began IN the front hall. I found the hat
rack 10 H. On casters. easily rolled out OF
ITS niche. and began with brush and dust
pan to clean where il had stood. when
Jar back in the corner. with a few au
tumn leaves. covered with dust, | found
that bank-note.
Il had no idea how il came there. anJ
Thought I would not mention the finding
IN any one until my husbands return
when l would advise with him about it
This morning Mr.. WithcTell's bill wa,
sent in. We had promised 70 pay the bill
the first OF April. and. as We are compare
lively strangers here. thought it best Il
nay At once l looked over the content
If my pocket book, and found inst by
using this ten-dOllar note | could max,
out The amount. gave the money 70 Tn
messenger with some misgivings, bu
thought IL had done wrong my husband
would. on his return. which had not ex
p.cted 80 sOon make the matter right.
had lust related the circumstance 70 hin
when you came in.
Although the story seemed yer,
plausible one. and the Remingtons wer'
evidently respectable people, warran
VAS soon issued for their arrest A pre-
lininary hearing before a magistrate va
hat. and they were hound over "a ia
next term of the county court. Mr.. Rem
ington's friends readily furnishing bonds
~ and his wife were rot deprived 2
their liberty
\ supplementary warrant ioI SesIeAiI |
,neir house VA giyeu 70 the officers. aES
.hev proceede. to make thorough seFn
Tins In the bas, mer. and rooms on -
srsf floor When they reached he frnn