The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-03-10
The Northampton Mass Bank Robbers
Arrested.

SCiA pilNl0J III tAC IODUCly VI tut
Northampton Mass National Bank on
the 26th of January, 1876. He was ar
raigned at the Tombs Police Court, and
held to await the requisition of the Gov
ernor of Massachusetts.
1t will be remembered that seven
masked men entered the house of the
Cashier of the bank, John Whittlesey,
on the night of the robbery, found their
way to the sleeping apartments of the
family by the aid of dark lanterns and
bound the Cashier and the other occu-
pants. They then got the key of the
safe vault, and, placing revolver at the
Cashiers head, threatened to make an
end of him if he did not furnish them
with the information necessary to open
ing the door of the safe. He did so, but
incorrectly. They wrote them down and
then made him repeat them, and on his
contradicting himself expressed their
intention not only to blow his brains out,
| but also those Of his wife and children.
Having obtained what they wanted, they
left one man to guard the Cashiers
house, while the others proceeded to the
bank. There was no difficulty in open
! ing the vault door, but to get at the con-
tents of the safe four combinations had
to be gone through. The Cashier only
knew one of these, the knowledge of the
other three resting with the President,
the Teller, and Director respectively;
all of these were left undisturbed and
how the robbers succeeded in opening the
door remains mystery to this day.
The property secured amounted to about
100000, 100000 of which was in
United States bonds.
After the robbers had left and the
guard withdrawn from Whittlesey's res
idence, Mrs. Whittlesey succeeded in
| liberating herself first and gave the
alarm. The other officers of the bank
were summoned, and with the Cashier
they went to the bank. Here they found
the safe-vault door open, but the safe, to
all appearances, had baff1ed the burglars.
| Upon trial it was found, however, that
the lock would not work The conclu-
sion arrived at was, nevertheless, that
the contents were intact. In the mean
time man was telegraphed for from
New York to open the safe. He arrived
late on the 9th of January, and when he,
after some difficulty, forced the doors
ajar and the various chests and drawers
were examined, the truth that one of the
largest robberies on record had been
successfully accomplished was realized.
1t was at once surmised that IA party
of men who had for several weeks occu-
pied rooms in one of the public school
buildings of the town, and who were
missing now, were the perpetrators. No
trace of them could be found, however,
| of "a fi,,,n A hnrt Hy,a h..
detective to whom the case had been in
trusted thought he had hit upon a clew
when he noticed several notorious
" cracksmen" hold frequent interviews
with the members of firm of Broadway
lawyers who have been known for some
years to be in the compromise" bust
ness. BY following up the thread he
soon became convinced that he was after
the right men, and notified the officers
of the Northampton institution to that
effect. The Broadway lawyers still had
many meetings with the suspected par
ties, and the detective was requested to
take no. active steps for time. The
thieves, however, wanted too high a
price, and negotiations were dropped.
The hunting up of evidence was be-
gun afresh, and a few days ago itswas
supposed enough had been gathered to
warrant the mems arrest. Preliminary
proceedings were begun quietly. At
least three notorious characters were
known to be within easy reach, one of
them being Connors, the other two being
Jim" Dunlap, the presumptive leader
of the gang and bob" Scott, alias
Hurstling Bob" The two last left the
city early yesterday morning, having
purchased tickets for Richmond, Va,
but were arrested at Philadelphia in the
forenoon with new kit of burglars
tools in their possession, so that APP
parently fresh robbery has been frus-
trated. They, like Connors in this city,
await Gov. Rice's requisition to GO to
Massachusetts.
These three-Connors, Dunlap and
Scott-are well known, and more than
suspected of being concerned in about
half dozen other large bank robberies,
among them being that of the First Ma
tional Bank of Elmira, where the gang
effected an entrance into the safe vault
by cutting through the floor above the
banking room. This floor was occupied
as hall for meetings, etc, by the Young
/ Men NuTlStldn hSSOC1dJlOn, anu, dller
getting through with their nights labor,
they hid their tools under the floor, care
fully covering up everything with the
carpet. On this occasion about $780,
600 were secured One man, Jim"
Berry, was convicted for it, and is now
serving a term of five years in Sing Sing.
Another was that of the First National
Bank of Quincy, H., where they got
away with about $500, 900, $4,000 of it
being in currency. For his connection
with this, Scott served snort term in
the Joliet Qll.) Pententiary. The Falls
City Bank, of Louisville, Ky, also suf
fered from their skill to the extent of
some $4,000 A reward of $50, 600
was offered for their apprehension, but
the crime could never be traced accu-
rately to them. The gang is also identi-
fed with the robbery of the First Ma
tional Bank of Pittston, Pa, which lost
in November, 1875, some 100000, one
third of which was subsequently re-
turned through the Broadway lawyers
previously referred to.
Connors had been living in grand style
in this city lately. He was dressed in
| the height of fashion when arrested He