Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1878-12-19
How the Bainbridge Banks were
to be Robbed.

We take the following account of the
plan to rob the Bainbridge banks. which
was concluded upon between McKimie
and New York Charley, from the Hills
boro Gazette of Thursday. The Gazette
probably obtained its information from
Norris, who got it from Messmer. The
paper says:
The proposed robbery of the Balm
bridge bank was discussed at Grandstaff's
between McKimie, New York Charlie.
Grandstaff, Messmer and Cleggett. Cleg-
gett wanted Jones to take hand in if,
but, as he was in the HillsborO Jail, that
was out of the question. Mckimie re-.
mained at Grandstaff's while New York
Charlie and Messmer went to Balm bridge
and examined the banks. Then they re-
turned to Grandstaffs, and Charlie and
McKimie had fuss, as Nc. wanted to
boss the job, Charlie insisting that there
was nothing in it and he would have
nothing to do with the job, and said that
if Bob wanted to ''bOsS'' it he might do
so without him, and he would go home.
which he did, as stated in Messmer's con-
fession.
The plan, as proposed, was for McKim-
lie and New York Charlie to ride into
Bainbridge, tie their horses in front of
Rockhold, Cook d Co.'s Bank, which is
in western part oftOwn, having previous
ly cut their hitch straps through. Mess
mer and Grandstaff were to tie their hors-
es in front of a saloon near Spargur, Hu-
lit & Co.'s bank, in the eastern part of
town. Mckimie and Charlie were to 90
into Rockhold's bank, where Charlie
would present draft Iand ask to have it
cashed, and while the bank clerk was en-
gagged. in doing this, McKimie was to
draw his two big navy revolYers on the
clerk, while Charlie should leap over the
counter, seize all the money in sight and
in the vault, which of course would be
open. When McKimia should draw his
reVolVers he was to announce his name,
and this, together with the "guns," it
was expected would strike terror to the
heart of the surprised bank clerk, and
prevent him from giving any alarm.
Having secured the money, they were
to dash out, leap on their horses and
gallOp away, the hitch straps easily snap
ping off. Should the citizens attempt
their capture they would shoot right and
left, and in the excitement make their
escape westward. While this was going
on, it was supposed that the alarmed cit
izens would all rush down the street to-
ward Rockhold & Cooks bank, the Spar
CUR bank being left unprotected, except
perhaps by one of the clerks. Then Mess
mer and Grandstaff were to dash into
that bank and rob it, and then escape on
their ahorses eastWardly before the crowd
returned from the chase at the other end
of town, or recovered from the conster-
nation caused by the bold and dastardly
raid.
This, it must be borne in mind, was all
to occur in broad daylight, and when the
plans and details are considered, it Ger
tainly would have been one of the most
daring robberies ever conceived. The
probabilities are that they would have
been successful, but Charlie decided that
there was not enough money in it to run
such big risk. He was also afraid that
Messmer and Grandstaff wouln't have the
nerve to carry out their part of the pro-
gramme, and thus the raid was abandon
ed.