The daily gazette., 1878-10-28
SECOND EDITION
DARING BANK Robbery.
THE MANHATTAN SAVINGS BANK PLUH.
DERED By MASKED BURGLARS
NEARLY $3,OO0,O00 sk-
r| f|.. .urDIrIEo arpIpN
CURITIEe STOLEN.

DERED By MASKED BURGLARS
NEARLY $3,O00,O0O sh-
-T, UURITIEs STOLEN.
NEW YORK, Oct. 2S between six
and niHe O'Clock this morning masked
burglars entt red the Manhattan Savings
Bank building, corner OF Broadway and
Bleecker street, and afer handcufflng
the janitor made him, under threats of
instant death, reveal the combination OF
the safe to them and deliver up the keys
oftLe bank. They rified the vault OF
large amount OF money, as
twenty tin boxes known TO have contain-
ed bills were found on the floor quite
empty. The building is slx-story one,
the bank occupying the ground floor,
with entrances on both Broadway aud
Bleecker street. Wendell Kohlman
keeps barber shop in the basement
under the baDk, and the janitor lives on
the second floor. The barDer opened bis
snop and looking at clock in tie bank
office, Jaw 1t was thirty-tive minutes past
six O'CLOCK. He says there was nothing
unusual in the banS at that time. A,
twenty minutes past nine o'clock he was
staltIed by the appearance at the head
ot. the basement stairs of the janitor,
LOUIS Weltei, white with frigut aud
excitement, with his hands handcutfed
tightly, anu the key of the bank clutch
ed between them. He was only half
dressed, and gaspad, Thieves, robbers,
come and see." The barber accompan-
/ hun in the bank aud saw the doors
OF the great vault wide open aud the
floor Uttered with tin boxes, all emptied
of their coutents. Burglars tools were
scattered in every direction. The bar
Der notified the police, and SuperiDten-
dent Walling, Inspector Dllks, Capt.
ByInes and Capt. Kealy were soon on the
scene. The doors, windows and all
means of access from without were
found intact, and it was evident the
thieves entered by means OF keys. DAD.
keely, the night watchman, said he left
his post at 9 o'c ock A. M. and a,oused
the janitOr, as was the cvsLOm aud lett
the building; Licking the hall door afLer
him certaiuly. He lett the cor, er at
6.10 A. NJ, and then everything was
right and quiet.
A litographer, who does business on
the upper floors, says that at q o'clock he
arrived at the building and he found the
entrance open, and wondered at the care
lessness of the watchman. He passed up
stairs and met nobody, aud heard no noise
or disturbance. The janitor, Wertel,
created an unfavorable impression on
cross examination. He said that at Ten
minutes past six, while he was dressing
himself, seven masked men suddenly
rushed into his room and handcutied him
self and his wife, and demanded the keys
of the bank. His mother-in-law, an old
lady, who was present, screamed, when
the burglars drew pistols and threatened
instant death to anyone who make a
noise. They then carried him into an
adjoining room and forced him to deliver
up the keys of the street door; with these
four Of the party went down stairs, leav-
ing 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 a
whispered consultation, they all left.
After he regained his courage he went
down TO the barber shop, as described.
Wertel admitted to Superintendent Wal
ling that he had given the combination
unlocking the doors of the vault to the
robbers. He gave it under threats of in
slant death, but he failedto state how he
got possession of the combination. His
wife corroborated his story of the attack
but said there were only five men of the
party. Mr.. Lent, Broadway merchant,
passed the bank soon after 7 A. NJ, and
saw young man dusting shelves and
desks inside. 1t is supposed this was one
of the burglars endeayoring to make
til ings look as natural as possible. Officar
VIM. Norton and Tully said they looked
through the bank window between and
7 o'clock, and all was quiet. The vault
can be seen from the street. Inside the
main doors of the safe vault the burglars
found an open space with shelves, upon
which were tin boxes filed with jewelry,
silverware and valuable papers. These
they emptied.
They overlooked one box on back
shelf containing $4,000 In valuables, the
property of MIR. Edward Schell, president
of the bank and brother of Augu, tus
Schell. Tho open space was six feet
between the main door of the vault and
the doors of the inner safe, so that the
burglars had ample space to work in
They pried open one compartment con-
tanning S1l 900 in small bills. They next
forced the bottom. drawer, but < OF moth
ing therefrom. The wedges were found
in the upper compartmen IS which they
were trying to force when they were EVIL
dently disturbed. A dozen drills, sledge
hammer, three sec ional jimmies and
other tools were found scattered around.
The officers of the bank admit that the
.janitor possessed the combination to the
vault. 1t was given him months ago so
that he could take out the books and
make ready for business. The officers of
the bank are Edward Schell, president
and treasurer, and O. F. Alvord, secre-
tary.
The folio wing is the bank officers state
ment: "The Manhattan Savings lnstitu-
ton was on the morning of Sunday, 9th
of October, 1878, robbrd of securities to
the amount of S2,757 200, of which So ,507,-
700 were registered in the name of the
institution and are not negotiable, and
S168, 900 are made payable to It, and S13,-
O0e are in coupon bonds, and Sll 900 in
cash. For the purpose of preventing
loss to depositors it is deemed advisable
that no payment be made without sixty
days notice, as provided by the bylaws
of the institution. ,..,
"EDwARD ScHELL, President.
UCHARLEs f. AWARD, Secretary.