The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1878-10-31
STUPEN DoUS ROBBERY.
The Robbers Obtain S3.OOO,OOo il
Securities and 81 r,OOO in cash,

DotS ssOkS
The Robbers Obtain s3.O0O,OOo il
Securities and 81 1900 in Cash.
and nine O'Clock tiiis norning masked
burglars entered the Manhattan SAY
ings Bank building, corner of Broad
way and BECKER street, and after
Handwriting the janitor, made him,
under threats of instant death, reveal
the combination of the safe 10 them
and deliver up the keys OF the bsnk.
They rifled the vault OF presumably &.
largo amount OF money, as twenty tin
boxes, known TO have contained bills,
were found on The floor quite empty.
The building is q six-st0ry one, the
bank occupying the ground floor, with
entrances on both Broadway aud
BECKER street. Wendell Kohlman
keeps barber shop in the basement
under the bank and the jauitor lives
on the second floor. Tue barber OPEN
was nothing unusual i'll the bank at
the time. AT 30 he was startled by
the appearance at the head OF the base
ment stairs OF the janitor. Lonis Wer-
tel, white with fright and excitement,
Ath itohNtS
the key of the bank clutched between
them. He was only half dressed, and
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 tin boxes. all emp
tied of their contents. Burglars tools
were scattered in every direction. The
barber notified the police, and Super
intendent Walling, Inspector Dixie,
Captain Byrnes and Captain Kiely
were soon on the scene. The doors.
windows, and all means of accees from
without were found intact, and it was
evident the thieves had entered by
means of keys.
Dan Kelly, night watchman, said he
left his post at 6 o'clock a. M, and
aroused the janitor, as was his custom
and left the building, locking the hall
door after him. He lett the corner at
6 10 q. H., and then everything was
right and quiet. a photographer, W no
does business Oh the upper floor, says
that at 8 o'clock he arrived at the
building and found the entrance open
and wondered at the carelessncss of
the watchnan. He passed up stairs
and met nobody, and heard no noise
Or disturbance.
The janitor Wertel created an un-
favorable impression on the cross ex-
animation. He says that at ten min
utes past six O'Clock while he was
dressing, seven masked meu suddenly
rushed into his room and handcutfed
himself and his wife, and demanded
the keys of the bank. His mother-in-
law, an old lady who was present,
screamed, when the burglars drew a
pistol aud threatened instant death to
any one who made a noise. Then
they carried him into an adjoining
room and forced him 10 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 passed away, and Wertel
heard clock strike nine. just then
one of the men from down stairs re-
turned and after q whispered consulta-
ton they all left. After he regained
his courage, he went down to the bar
ber shop, as described. Wentel ad-
mitted TO Superintendent Walliug that
he had given the combination OF the
unlocking of the doors of the vault to
the robbers. He gave it under threats
Of instant death, but he failed 10 state
how he got possession of the combi-
nation. His wife corroborated bis
statement of the attack, but said there
were only five men III The party.
Mr.. Lent, q Broadway merchant,
passed the bank soon after a. fn., and
saw young man dusting the shelves
and desks Inside. Ii Is supposed this
was one of the burglars enicavoring
10 make things look % natural as pos
sibte. Officers van Norton and FULLY
said they looked through the bank
window between six and seven o'clock
and ali was quiet. The vault can be
seen from the street. Inside the main
doors of the safe vault the burglars
found space with shelves upon which
were tin6oXes filledwith jew elry silver
ware and valuable papers. This they
empiied. They overlooked one box
on the back shelf containing $4,000
in valuabies, The property of Edward
Schell, President OF the bank. The
open space, six feet, between the main
door OF the vault and the doors of the
inner safe, gave the burglars ample
space TO work in. They pried open
in small bills. They next forced the
co''Shi pi"V Oub Sol Vi
value therefrOm. The wedges were
found in the upper compartments,
which they were trying to force when
they were evidently disturbed. A
dozen drills, q s!edgc hammer, three
sectional jiInsnies and other tools were
found scattered about. The officers of
the bank admit that the janitor pos
scssed the combination of the vault.
1t was given him months ago, so that
he could take out the books and make
ready for business.
The officers OF the bank are: Ed
ward Schell, President and Treasurer !;
&. f. Alvord, Secretary. The follow
ing is the bank officers statement ::
The Manhattan Savings Institution
was on the morning OF Sunday, the
9Th of October, robbed of securities
to the amount OF S2,757, 700, of which
81, 2,5u3. 700 were registered in the name
OF the institution and are not negotia-
bic, and $lGS coo are made payable to
it, and S!3 O00 are i'm coupon bonds
aud SIl,C00 il cash. For the purpose
OF pre- venting loss to depositors it is
deemed advisable that no payments be
made without sixty days notice, as
provided by the bylaws Of the instl-
tuition.
EDWARD SCHELL, President.
CHARLES i. ALyoRD, Secretary.
ian.