The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1878-11-06
THE GREAT BANK ROBBERY,
The Largest Steal on Record.

4 A4AO A40A 5OOS OOOGAA OAA AAOSOAN Va
NEW YORK. Oct. 23.-Between
six aud nine o'clock Sunday morn
ing burglars entered the Manhattan
Savings Bank building, corner OF
Broadway and Bleeker streets, hand
enffed the janitor and made him. nn.
der threat of instant death, reveal
Che combination of the safe and de-
liver up the keys of the bank. They
then riaed the vault Of an amount of
money, presumed to be large. as
twenty tin boxes, known to have
contained bills. were found on the
floor empty, The building is six
story one, the bank occupying the
ground floor. with entrances on both
Broadway and Bleeker street. Wen
del Kohlman keeps barber shop in
the basement under the bank, AMI
the janitor lives on the second floor.
The barber opened his shop, and
looking al a clock in the bank Office
saw it was three minutes TO 8.
He says there was nothing unusual
in the bank at that time. AT two
minutes past 9 o'clock he was start
led by the appearance at the head OF
the basement stairs ofJanitor Louis
Wertel. white with fright and ex-
element, with his hands handcufed
tightly. and the key of the bank
clutched between them. He was on
ly half dressed, aud gasped:
Thieves. robbers, come and see."
The barber accompanied him into
the bank. and saw the doors OF the
great vault wide open and the floor
Uttered with empty tin boxes. and
burglars tools scattered in every
direction. The barber notified the
police, who were soon on the scene.
Doors. windows and all means of &C.
cess from without were found intact,
and it was evident that the thieves
had entered by means of keys. Dan
Keeley, the night watchman, said
that he left his post at 6 o'clock a.
M. and aroused the janitor. as was
his custom, and left the building.
locking the door after him. 1t is
certain that he left the corner at 6 10
a. m., and then everything was right
and quiet. .sl....5.-5
The janitor, Wertel, created an
unfavorable impression on cross-ex-
animation. He said that while he
was dressing himself seven masked
men suddenly rushed into the room,
handcuffed himself and wife and de-
manded the keys Of the bank. HIS
mother-in-law, an old lady who was
present, screamed, when the bur-
glars drew a pistol and threatened
instant death to any one who made
noise. They then carried him into
an adjoining room and forced him to
deliver up the keys of the street
doors. With these four of the party
went down stairs, leaving three on
guard in his room. Three hours
past and Wertel heard the clock
strike 8, when one one the men from
down stairs returned, and after a
whispered conversation all left. AT
ter he regained courage. he went to
the barber shop as described. Wer.
tel admitted TO Superintendent
Walling that he had given the com
bination for unlocking the doors of
tile vault to the robbers. He gave
it under threats of instant death,
but he failed to state how he got
possession of the combinat ation. His
wife corroborated his story Of the at.
tack, but said there were only five
men in the party. Mr.. Lent, u
Broadway merchant, passed the bank
soon after z q. m, and saw a young
man busting shelves and desks in
side. 1t is supposed that this was
one of the burglars endeavoring to
make things look as natural as pos
sible. Officers Van Norton and Tul-
ly said they looked through the
bank window between 6 and z O'Clock
aud all was quiet. Inside of the main
door of the safe vault the burglars
found shelves upon which were tin
boxes filed with jewelry, silyerware
and valuable papers. These they
They overlooked a box
$4,000 in valuable prop.
erty of Mr.. Edward Schell. President
of the bank. and brother of Augustus
Schell.
The officers of the bank admit that
the janitor possessed the combina-
ton. They formally state that the
loss consists of securities TO the
amount OF 81. 1853, 200. of which 81
5O6.700 were registered in the name
Of the institutions. and are not negoti-
able; S16S. 900 are made payable to
It. $6S.000 are in coupon bonds and
sl1, 900 in cash.
The newest earrings represent a
~eb made OF fac threads of gold,
n which fly in iridescent enamel is