The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-09-21
The Wapskonetta Robbery

The story of the Wapakonetta rob-
berry was told with suci: appearance of
truth that il ar first was received as
such, but the disappearance of the so
called robbers, without ary trace
whatever, gave the affair az appear
ancp Of mystery that startled conjec-
tuTz. Then it was remembered that
some twenty years ago, Treasury
Robbery occurred in Cashocton coun
ty. another Democratic stronghold,
which in its main features resemble
this. The treasurer there had been a
man OF uublemished reputation, with
/ hosts of friends. The circumstances
as told appealed to their sympathy and
they soon succeeded in having Dem
ocratic Legislature pass an act releas
1 ing lin from responsibility. If sus-
Piciou of the integrity of the treasurer
wa limited, the person so doing was
put under the bap, aud threatened
with prosecution. Little Joe Droyer,
then editor of the Coshocton Age,
could not believe the stories told, and
denounced il as piar TO cover up lie
falcation. He established an alibi for
those arrested for the robbery, and I
then came suits against him and the
Columbus Journal for defamation of .
character, by the Treasurer. So mt /
ters continued for ten years, when The /
Treasurer and the ring had 2 quarrel !
and Brown, the Coshocton Banker,
ani ketchum, the Coshocion Tregsur-
er, both landed in the peritentiary, in
consequence of the Treasurer telling
truth after ten years of silence. The
pub.ics ton of this story, as we'll as the
fact i!Iat everything ia the family ar
rangsIneats of the Wapako1etta Treas
urer. for that night, seemed TO have
been arranged with a view 10 the rob
berry, begot suspicion. The large re-
ward offered by the Commissioners
and by Mr.. Myers himself brought
troupe of detectives who. after looking
the ground over left "waggiDg their
heads"-all save one J. r. Morris. of
Springfield, who thought he saw q
''nigger III the woodpile." He followed
his clue, laid his evidence before the
Commissioners and placed the facts in
possession Of the Prosecuting Attor- 1
ney. The Cincinnati Commercial, re
counting the matter adds:
Friday evening a warrant was s.ued
and placed in the hands of Detective
Norris, who. about 9 o'clock, proceed /
ed TO the residence of Mr.. Myers, whom ,
he found in bed. He was awakened, |
and the warrant served, when Norris
proceeded TO the Mayors Office with
bis prisoner, followed by a crowd of {
men, several of whom are suspected of 5
being as deep in the mire as Myers {
Tie party stopped at j. ii. Ra!nIpy's
saloon, just below tie Mayors Office, to .,
wait until the doc: was opeued and !
office lit up. Here trouble was antici {
pGteG. and with cause While the r
party was standing around the bar
talking excitedly, Mr. Myers started
toward the door, but was stopped by 4
Norris. Then it was that w. V. u.
Layton, attorney for the defendant. I
showed what he was by cursing and
the detective and
violence. e
Mr.. Norris merely remarked that he J
was not scared, but thought Layton
was mo-e of a gentleman.
|hoy finally got up in the Office. but
WORD was soon b ought tia he Wav"r :
was sick, and tie pri-or.r r",'ii nav.
10 be taken TO Lis resiiencp. 's!ii.-;i Va 4
forthwith done. Z
Layton. Myers attorney, asked thar 1
.he case might be continued unit! Tues Z
Jay, September %, which vas granted,
md he ycas bound over TO appear on
hat day in the sum of Si0 900. Samuel
Sntler, l.. y. Blume, o L. Dicker. and y
2. GuRther becoming hisbondsmen. I
Il is eSident from the testimony in
possession of she authOri les that ihisi
1ecUlati"n has been going on for sev- c
-rai years, even before the late Treas I
lrer's term commenced, and that some {
perso2ages are implicated.
1t any rate. some astounding develop
nents will be mace public in a few
lays. {
On Friday the bonGsiaen of the late {
Treasurer offered an additional reward
# 50 600, which makes tii- reward
s.. coo in all.
The Commissioners received an
letter a few hours before e
he arrest of Myers assuring them that s
Flyers knew more about the robbery .
han be would make public.