Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-11-01
THE LARGEST ROBBERY On
RECORD.

light--The BOldcst and most Success
fui of TheftS.
A New York dispatch of Oct. 9th
gives the following particulars Of the
greatest robbery ever committed: Be
tween and 8 o'clock this morning
masked burglars entered the Manhat-
tan Savings bank building, corner Of
Broadway and Blocker streets, and
after handwriting the janitor, made
him, under threats of instant death, re-
veal the combination of the safe to
them and deliver up the keys to them.
They ritled the vault of presumably
large amount Of money, rs twenty tin
boxes known 10 have contained bills
We're found on the floor quite empty.
The building il 4 six story one, tho bank
occupying the ground floor with en-
frances on both Broadway and Blocker
streets. Wendell HOFFMAN keeps Il
barber-shop i'll the basement under the
bank and the janitor lives on the second
floor The barber opened his shop So
minutes past & O'clock He SAYS there
was nothing unusual in the bank ut
that time. At twenty minutes past
nine o'clock he was startled by the APP
pearance at the head of the basement
stairs Of Janitor Louis Wertel, white
with fright and excitement, with his
hands handcuiied tightly and the KEY
of the bank clutehed between them.
He was only half dressed and gasped:
Thieves, robbers, come and see"
The barber accompanied him
in the bank and saw the door of the
great vault wide open and tile floor
Uttered with tin boxes all emptied Of
then contents. Burglars tools were
scattered III every direction. The
barber notified the police, and Capt.
Walling, inspector Dick, Capt. Byrnes
and Capt Kelly were soon on the
scene. The doors, windows and all
means Of access from without were
found intact, and it was evident The
thieves had entered by means Of keys.
Daniel keely, night Waterman, said he
left his post ut q O'clock a. 81, and
aroused the ianitor rs was his custom,
and left the building, locking the hall
door after him, left the corner mt 6.10
\. NJ, and then every thing was all right
and quiet. A photographer who does
business on an upper floor, says that 1T
& O'Clock he arrived ut the building and
found the entrance open and wondered
at the carelessness Of the Waterman.
lie passed up stairs and met nobody
and heard no noise or disturbance.
The janitor, Wertel, created IN unfayor-
able impression on cross-Cxamination
He said that ut 10 minutes past while
he was dressing seven masked men
suddenly rushed into his room and
hand-cutied himself and his wife and
demanded the keys of the bank. His
mother-in-iaw, an old lady who was
present, screamed when the burglars
drew pistols and threatened instant
death to any who made noise. They
then carried him into an adjoining
room and forced him to deliver up the
keys of the secret doors. With
these four of the party went down stairs
leaving three on guard in his room.
Three hours passed and Wertel heard
a clock strike nine. just then one Of
the men from down stairs returned and
after whispered consultation they all
left. After he regained his courage lie
went down to the barber shop as des-
cribed. Wcrtel admitted to Supt. Wal
ling that he had given the combination
Of unlocking the doors Of the vault to
the robbers. lie gave it under threats
Of instant death, but he failed TO state
how he got possession of the combina-
ton His wife corroborated His story
Of attack but said there were
only five men in the party Mr..
Lent, Broadway merchant,
passed soon after A. NJ. and saw II
young man busting the shelves and
desks inside. 1t il supposed that this
was one of the burglars endeavoring to
make things look as natural as possible.
Officers Van Norton and FULLY said they
looked through the bank windows be-
tween SIX and seven o'clock and all was
quiet. The vault can be seen from the
street Inside the main uoors of the
safe vault the burglars found a space
with shelves, upon which were tin boxes
filled with jewellery, silverware and
valuable papers. These they emptied
They overlooked one box on the back
shelf containing $4,000 dollars in val
tables, the property Of Edward Schell,
president of the bank The open space
of six feet between the main door of the
vault and the doors Of the inner safe
gave the burglars ample space to work
N. They pried open one compartment
obtaining $1,000 in small bills. They
next forced the bottom drawer but got
nothing of value therefrom. The wedges
were found in the upper compartments
which they were trying to force when
they were evidently disturbed. A dozen
diills, sledge hammer, three sectional
jimmies aud other tools were found
scattered around. The officers Of
the bank admit that the iani-
tor possessed the combination
10 the hank il Mas oiNen him mnnths