The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-10-29
TIE BANK ROBBERY.
Further Particulars of the Raid
on the Manhattan Institution.
A Slight Clue TO the Perpetrators

New YORK, Oct. 28.-The gigantic robbery
Saturday night has caused most profound
sensation in banking circles From an early
hour this morning crowds of depositors have
surrounded the bank build ny. The police
answered all inquiries by saying that the bank
was closed on account of the burglary, and the
depositors were told that they could not get
any money for 60 days. The fact of the
janitor possessing the combination to the
vault door was severely commented upon. Inc
jlnitor and night watchmsn we're both around
the bank today, helping out. 1t is denied that
either is under arrest, or that any arrests have
been made.
The outside safe was only frs-roof vault
for keeping the bank book and articles OF
minor value 1t is the rule and not the ex-
caption for ianitors of bank buildings to be in
possession of the combination of the outside
vault No expense or pains were spared 10 the
construction of the vault. land was made strong
as possible. Owing to large space between the
door of the vault aud that of the inner safe 1t
was not strange that the burglars could carry
on their operations without being overheard,
as they could close the outer door and have
ample room to work. The solid nature OF the
wDll and foundations would naturally prevent
the sound from being heart any distance. The
directors were in secret session today. 1t is
understood that a large reward will be offered
The morning papers give many interesting
particulars of the robbery which for boduess
and success has rarely been parallelied 10 this
country. The banking rooms are situated in
the Savings Institutions building on the corner
of Broadway and Blocker streets. During
the night the bank is guarded by Waterman.
He goes off duty at a NJ, and then the
anitor, who with his family, consisting OF his
wife and wifes mother lives in the building,
takes charge of the bank. Sunday morning
the Waterman left as usual at o'clock, first
waking up the ianitor. When he went out of
| the building everything was all right and he
| saw nothing suspicious. While the janitor was
| DRESSING according to the latter's story, seven
or eight men eutt red his rood. They all wore
| masks They seized and handcnffed himself
| and wife, and tied his mother in-law IN a
| sheet. The women began to shout, and he
turned and told them to be quiet or the robbers
would kill them. They tbereupon subsidized.
Cue of the men took his bunch of keys, and
ordered him to give 10 the combination. He
said he did not have it. The rebber replied
You lie, you -. You open
the vault every morning. Give it up. or ''Pll
kill you.'' Wercke says he told them that
| even if he should comply it would be of no use
| knob of the doors. "You leave that to US" was
| the reply; "give us the combination" Being
| again threatened be gave it. -Four of the gang
| then went down stairs, leaving three to watch
himself and bis wife and mother-ln-law.
| After long while, during which Werckle says
he heard the pounding below distinctly, one or
| two of the robbers returned up stairs an
| whispered to his guards, and they all quit
| together. A few moments later he went out
| to the Blocker street Size of the building and
looked out of the window, but could see nc
one. He then ran down stairs and gave the
| alarm.
During the time the robbers must have been
in the bank barber was in his shop directly
underneath but heard no sound. Several
persons, including a policeman passed the
bank during the same time but saw no one
within. One man says however that he saw a
man busting the furniture. The robbers left
behind them a full kit Of burglars TOOLS
1t is rumored and with some apparent
foundation that adefnate clue has been OBJ
tanned to the burglars
A consultation this morning resulted in send
ing out number of detectives with specific
orders.