Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-10-30
the Daily xress aud 9atd1tas
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Wednesday Evening, October 20, 1879
THE nAnaArrAM aossgRy.
Burglars Ysrcs . Bank A.s- aud 0-s
Away VITA $4,000 O Worth
- vAlHsbles.
New York, Oct. 27.-Between 6 and 0
o'clock this morning marked burglara On.
tered the Manhattan savings bank building,
corner Broadway and Blocker street, and,
etter Handwriting the ~jaaitor, made him, On.
der threats OF instant death, reveal the COM
bin.tion Of the safe TO them, and deliver up
the keys Of the bank. They rihed the vault
twenty tin boxea known 10 have contained
bills were found on the floor quite empty.
occupying 4. ground sn1' fcor oU Wi;h ' entrances uan.
on both Broadway and Blocker streets.
Wendell Kohlman keeps . barber shop in
the basement under the bank, and the jani-
tor lives on the second floor. The barber
opened his shop at 6:35 o'clock. He says
there was nothing unusual in the bank 1t
that time. At 9:20 he was startled BY the
appearance at the head basement stairs Of
the %janitor, Louis Wertel, white with fright
and excitement, with his hands handcufed
tightly and the key of the bank clutched
tightly. between them. He was only half
dressed, and gasped, thieves, robbers.
Come and sec.n 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 emptied Of their con.
tents. Burglats' tools were scattered in
every direction. The barber notified
the police, and Superintendent WallinR,
inspector Dix, Captain Byrnes, and Cap
tain kiely were soon on the scene. The
doors, windows, and all means of &C
cess from without were found intact, and it
was evident that the thieves bad entered
by means of keys, Dan Kelly, the night
watchman, said he left his post at 6 O'Clock
.. M. aud aroused the %janitor, as was his
custom. and left the building, locking the
ball door after him. Left corner at $40 a.
%. ana then everything was right and quiet.
a lthoRrapher who does business on the
upper door says that Ut Q O'Clock. he arrived
At the b~ui!dtng.And found the entrance
open. and wondered at the carelessness Of
Inc Watchman. he passed mp stairs and
mel nobody. and heard no noise or disturb.
ance. The %jsnttor, Wertei, created an IN
favorable impression. On c~roes-exsmtna-
tior he said that at $40 while he "a,
dresstng, seven masked men suddenly rush.
ed into bic room and h~andcuffed him And
his wife. q demanded the keys of thu
o His mother .in-law, an old lady
who wss present, screamed, when thu
burglars drew pistols and threatened instant
death to any one who made noise, The,
then carried him into an adjoining room
and forced him to deliver up the keys O
the street doors. With these four Of th,
party went down stairs. leaving three OF
guard In his room. Three hours passef
and Wertel heard q clock strike 8; Jus
then one Of the men from down stairs re
turned. and. after q whispered consultation
they all left. After be regained his course
he went down to the barber shop as describ
ed. Wertel admitted to Superintendent
Walltng that he had given the combination
OF the unlocking of the doors of the vaul
to the robbers. He gave it under threats q
instant death, but he failed to state how b
got possession OF the combination. His VIII
corro6orated his story of the attack, bu
said there were only five men in the party
Mr. Lent, q Broadway merchant. passed til
oank soon after Z q. M, and saw q youn
man dusting the shelves and desks insid,
1t is supposed this was ono of the burels,
endesvoring 10 make things look az naiur,
as possible. Officers Van Norton aud Tuli
said they looked through the bank windoy
between 6 and Z o'clock and all was ouie
The vault can be seen from the street. In
. size The main doors of the safe vault III
burglars found the space with shelves, upo
which were tin boxes filled with ieweir,
stlverware. and valuable papers. Thei
they enptied. They overlooked one bo
on Q baek shelf, containing $4,000 in Val
uables. the property Of Edward Schell. pr
stdent of the bank. The opeup space. 81
teet between the main door of the vault an
The doors Of the inner safe, gave the burg
lars ample space to work in. They prie
open one compartment containing ell. OC
10 small bills. They next forced the bo
tom drawer, but got nothing of value Their
from. The wedges were found in the ur
per compartments which they were irwin
70 force when they were evidently dis,urI
cd. Adozen drills, q sledge- hammer, ,hre
sectional Jimmies, and other tools wei
found scattered around. The officers
the . o admit that the janitor possesse
the combination to the vault. 1t was give
bin months ago, SO that be could take O,
the books and make ready for bushes
The officers of the bank are Edward Sche]
president and treasurer; G. F. Alvor,
secretary. The following is the Office,
statement:
The Manhattan savings institution v,
on the morning of Sunday, Oct. 81, 1877
robbed OF securities to the amount
t2757.700, of which $2.505. 700 were reei.
tered In the name Of the Institution, and n
not negotiable, and $685. 900 are made pa,
able to it, and ga. 900 are in coupon bont
and $1,000 in cash, For the purpose
preventing loss to depositore. it is deeme
advisable that no payment be made wit
out 6O days notice, as provided by the by
laws ofthe Institution.
EDWARD ScHELL, President.
CHARLES F. Afford. Secretary.