The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-10-31
STUPENDOUS BANK ROBBERY.

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The Manhattan Savings Bank, of New York,
Completely Cleaned Out-Three and a
Half Million Dollars in Securities Carried
Away.
From a New York paper we CLEAN the
following particulars of the daring burg
larry committed upon the Manhattan
Savings Bank, Of that city, by which
the robbers Secured about $3,500,000 in
! Government bonds and other securities
The bank building is six stories in
height; the bank is on the first floor.
On the extreme northern side is door
and hallway leading to the upper floors.
This extends but half way down the
building, making the shape of the bank
ing-room irregular on that side Into
the wall of the latter, beneath this stair
case, is an iron safe for unimportant
books and papers. The main entrance
is on Broadway. On Blocker street is
the second entrance, with storm-shed
in front. The building at the eastern
corner is cut off from top to bottom by
wall designed to furnish light and air.
A continuation of the stout brick wall of
this we'll parallel with Bleecker street di-
vides the room, forming a recess on it's
south side, part of which is taken up by
magnificent iron vault about thirteen
feet long, eight feet broad, and eight
feet in height, which cost $4,000. The
vault faces Broadway, and has double
doors opening outward. On it is large
clock, which can be plainly seen from
either street. Behind this vault is a
room for the Directors, and on the north
side of the dividing wall is the P'resi-
dents private office. In the rear of the
Directors room, entirely separate from
the banking office, is hallway and stair
case leading to the upper floors, with
the entrance door on Blocker street.
The st. Charles Hotel TANKS the build
ing on the north, and chop-house on
the east. It is strange that nobody in
these places saw what was being done
in plain sight of either street.
In the room just over the Presidents
room live the janitor, Louis Werckle,
| his wife, and mother-in-law
TO reach these rooms it is necessary
to enter by the rear Blocker street
door. The adjoining room has been oc-
cupied for the past five weeks by a
mysterious Frenchman, supposed to be
manufacturer of artificial flowers,
whose name the police refuse to dis
close, and the inmates of the building,
including the bank officers, pretend
not to know. ".
Louis Werckle, the janitor, is a little
old man of no physical strength, and ap-
parently less courage. He has been
over twenty years in the employ Of the
bank, and was implicitly trusted.
The bank, employs as night Waterman
Daniel Haley, brawny Irishman. He
went ON duty at 6 o'clock Saturday even
ing, locked himself inside the bank, and
remained on watch all night. At 6
o'clock in the morning he went out the
Blocker street entrance, locking the
door behind him, and proceeded up
stairs to Werckle's apartments, shutting
the street door, WHICH closes with a
catch. He raped with his club on
Werckle's sitting-room door to wake
him, and, having heard his response,
passed down stairs and out, shutting the
street door behind him. He walked to
I the corner Of Broadway and stood there
ten minutes He then went home
At that time, so far as he knew, the
bank was all right. He saw no suspi-
cious or other persons about.
Werckle says he was awakened by the
Waterman as usual at o'clock, Haley
rapping on his door, He began to dress,
and, as he was drawing on his panta-
looms, the door of his sitting room
opened suddenly, and seven or eight
masked men walked in. They seized
and handcufed Werckle and his wife,
and tied his mother-in-law in sheet.
The women cried out, but Werckle
told them the robbers would kill them
unless they kept quiet, and they sub
sided. -
One of the men took Werckle's keys
from him, and another put revolver to
his head and told him to give up the
combination. He said he didn't have it.
"You lie, you. You open the vault
every morning. Give it up or I'll blow
your brains out"
Werckle says he urged that if he told
them they could not turn the knob, but
they again threatened him, and he gave
them the combination. Three of the
gang then remained to guard the prison
ers, and the rest went down stairs. After
long while, during which Werckle
heard them pounding, one or two Of the
gang came up and whispered to the
guards, and all left together.
Werckle soon after went out, and, see
ing no one about, gave the alarm.
Mrs. Werckle corroborates this story,
only she saw but five men. They wore
white handkerchiefs below the masks