Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-02-25
DEXTER SAVINGS BANK ROBBERY.
Further Details of the Afsir,-The MUIR
der of sir. Barron.-Thc Funds of the
Bank safe.

probable murder of the Cashier The Lewiston
I Journal Of Saturday evening has the following
full particulars:
A bold attempts rob the Dexter Savings Bank
Friday night eliminated IN the murder oil Mr..
j. w. Barron, the treasurer oil that institution.
The attempt was probably made between the
hours of 5 and Friday evening. The bank
block in which the savings bank aud also the ma
tional bank Is located, is three-stoiy brick build
ing, with a MaLsard root located on the north
side of Main street in the business portion of the
village The post-Ofice occupies One-hali Of the
lower floor, and drug store the other part. In
the second story over the pJst-otce are the rooms
OF the savings bank, and over the drug store IN
the east side are the rooms Of the national bank.
In the centre of the building, between the
stores, broad stairway leads to the second floor
| and then up at the rear from the landing to the
| Masonic hall and ball rooms in the third story
| The vaults of the banks occupy place between
the two offices and directly over the stairway at
| the front of the building. The vaults were con-
nected 50 that when the safe doors were closed
| person OF medlwn size could pass through from
one to the other
Nh Barron vas left alone in the savings bank
Office at about arter to D Friday night Mr..
Parsons an Insurance agent. who has his place
| Of business there, says nothing unusual had &C.
CURED at that time, although MI. Parsons now
| says he remembers hearing noises overhead as Of
some walking, during the afternoon. lie
thought nothing OF II, because 1t was not unusual
Mr.. Barron did not return to his residence as
usual which alarmed his family and 50 led to in-
vestg alton. This was commenced abont halt past
| I in the evening. The cashier OF the national
bank, Mr.. Curtis was sought, and with others at
once went TO the SAVINGS bank once. lie door
was found locked.
| As MIR. Barron had been troubled with heart
disease, It thought perhaps he had fallen i'll
| hi, when response came 10 the repeated call.
Then Mr.. Curtis opened the vault of the national
ha, Il ttft IN m tbrpngb int tha
savings bsuk. This done, they found the outer
| door of the savings bank safe swung back, block
| ing up the passage. Tncy could tear Mr.. Barron
| groa1ng aud discovered that he was lying IN the
vault and aust the safe door, so 1t could not be
moved. They then broke open the door OF the
| savings bank rooms. There they found another
| barrier, the ooor to the inner oifce separated
| from the main office by cUunteis and aigh iron
| iailngs), locked.
The raj lug was scaled, when they found the
| vault door closed aud locked. The keys were not
thee. Then the desperate purpose OF the attempt
| to rob the bank tHUy 1ppeated, because II Mr..
| Barron had received no bodily injuries the per-
| son, who locked him in the vault knew, of a
| surety that he must soon die ior want OF air. IL
wa. deliberate murder. The roscuers bad no
/ means OF opening the door Of the vault. aud the
only remaining recourse was to get to the lmpris-
oued maO through the passage from the national
| bank vault. Between the safe door, which was
swung back, and the top OF the vault, was a small
/
| passed
lie found Mr.. Baron lying the floor of the
! vault ia an lLscislbe Cond,l N, and by moving
I the wounded man the safe door was swung to.
| when they were able to take him through into the
| Offices + the nat oual bank. lie found gag
| ged, piece OF wood IN size and shape like those
used in The ais Of pail, through which was run
a stout cod line. being n ms mouth, securely tied.
| lie was haudcuiled Nth his hands behind him,
! non bracelets of the most approved construction
| being used. a cord Of about thec-eighlh of an
inch in dls uetei and six feet II lengl was around
| his neck.
He was irsenille, breathing slowly aud with
| great difficulty. There VA. one considerable
wound upon b., forehead and another upon the
| side of his face. Pol ious Ct hi body wti, con
sldel ably biulsed. All Il az loving hand- aLd
| sklifu medical and could do ior hin done, bal
without avail. lie remained unc n,cious until
about half past O'Clock saturday morning, when
| be expired.
| An examination of the scene Of the ira !edy
! Leads to tie conclusion that the murier.rs con
| cea ed themselves in the rooms OF the Masonic
| Hail. over the bark, during FRIDAY at least The
| anitor of the nail found the doors aiding 10 the
hall stairway unlocked some time duliug the
| afternoon of Friday. lie thought ta'h1r : range
of tins, as no one but Nh. Baron aad himself
| were supposed TO have keys to this part OF the
| building He locked these doors securely at that
time but after the robbery they we're again found
| unlocked 1t a-o appeals a. II the attack on VI
| Barron was made III the coal room, which Is a
tloset opening from the directors room at the
| back side Of the building.
| To explain the situation better, we viii say the
savings tank occupied Two rooms proper. covering
| the westerly halt of the second Dor OF the hui d
| ing The room at the font was the business room
| into which was the entrance from the staitway.
| From this door opened INTO room IN the rear
| called the directors room, and out OF this opened
| the coal closet This closet door was found open
| and the coal nod which had been par tly filed was
tipped over on the floor. From here he wa.
| probably taken to the safc and Comu auded to
open 1t. There is time lock on the safe, but il
had been tuned to close al o'clock. that by di-
| vulgug the combination of the LEX he would
have let the thieves into possession OF the tuuds
| he was entrusted TO protect.
| They probably made their attack expecting to
| find the vault and safe open, when, having made
way with Mr. Barron, they would have easy sc-
ce.s to the FUNDS. But the safe was closed aud
| their plans thwarted, though at the cost OF lie
which the community viii ever hold in affection
ate remembrance. Tins i. an unfortunate sequel
Ito the express robbery which occurred short
| time since. Undoubtedly the two robOeiies were
perpetraed by the same bands as the earmatks
| in the two cases are much the same
He was OF slight stature and little fitted for ply
| sira combat with -uch men now probably
| cou mandng him to bctIsy his Trust at the peril III
| Lis lie. But his Was that Iesolute and inI hiul
| soul which stood forth aud refused and defed
| them to their worst and gave his ic as the sacrl-
| fee. Fortunately Mr.. Curtis, cashier Of the pa
| H.
opened II saturday morning IN the presence of the
| trustees, when they found tne funds OF the bank
| were undistufbrd The thieves secured about
| sixty dollars a reward Tor their fearful deed
| They evidently planned their attack this day,
as ii being a holiday the bank woUl be CLOSED tJI
| business while the treasurer would be likely to
| be alone IN the office.
| The obbcr, in this instance as in that must
| have prov del themselves with keys 10 tue prem.
| ises which they operated, and had "blded then
| time" ii does not seem possible that the perpe-
| traitors OF this deed can escape detec ion, and we
ante pate when the veil lifts from this 1t will dis
| close the authors Of the other also.
1t is with great pleasure that we refer to the en-
tertainment given by the "Dorcs" of Bowdoin
| College, at Granite HA Saturday evening
| bringing out the grand comedy of "Our Boys
scarcelya public entertsiumSVt for the winter
| (sud there have been many has been so entirely
successful aud faultess. In tue first place, the
| comedy it-elf is rich in inciloDt and lively and
| humorous in it, conversation, and loses not par
ticle OF the authors meaning and splrl ia the
| hanis OF the young men from l5evdoIn. Mr. III
| Is. Wilson, the retired Butter Man, has we'll been
| placed br.i N the cast of characters. lie has the
qu,litIts OF true az Or his facial expression i.
| wOAdefiu', aud every movement and gesture Is in
keelin with the au'hor's thought. he piece
| appears to have been written for Wilson's speCil
| thaIaciei ization. Nh. II. W. Ring appeared a,
his commou-scnsc, cul IVA ell ami ind, penden son