The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-11-01
STUPENDOUS BANK ROBBERY.

The Manhattan Savings Bank of New York.
Completely Cleaned Out-Three and
Half Million Dollars i'm Securities Carried
Away.
From New York paper we CLEAN the
following particulars of the daring burg
larry committed upon the Manhattan
Savings Bank, of that city, by which
the robbers secured about $3,5OOOOO i'll
Government bonds and other securities:
The bank building is six stories in
height; the bank is on the first floor.
On the extreme northern side is door
and hallway leading to the upper floors.
This extends but half way down the
building, making the shape of the bank
ing-room irregular on that side. Into
the wall of the latter, beneath this stair
case, is an iron safe for unimportant
books and papers. The main entrance
is on Broadway. On Blocker street is
the second entrance, with storm-shed
in front The building at the eastern
corner is cut off from top to bottom by
a wall designed to furnish light and air.
A continuation of the stout brick wall of
this well parallel with Blocker street di-
vides the room, forming n recess on its
south side, part of which is taken up by
n magnificent iron vault about thirteen
feet long, eight feet broad, and eight
feet in height, which cost $4,000. The
vault faces Broadway, and has double
doors opening outward. On it is large
clock, which can be plainly seen from
either street Behind this vault is n
room for the Directors, and on the north
side of the dividing wall is the Presi-
dents private office. In the rear of the
Directors room, entirely separate from
the banking office, is hallway and stair
case leading to the upper floors, with
the entrance door on Blocker street.
The ST. Charles Hotel tanks the build
ing on the north, and chop-house on
the east. 1t is strange that nobody III
these places saw what was being done
in plain sight of either street.
In the room just over the Presidents
room live the janitor, Louis Werclle,
his wife, and mother-in-law.
To reach these rooms it is necessary
to enter by the rear Bleecker street
door. The adjoining room has been oc-
cupied for the past five weeks by
mysterious Frenchman, supposed to be
manufacturer of artificial flowers,
whose name the police refuse to dis
close, and the inmates of the building,
including the bank officers, pretend
not to know.
Louis Werckle, the janitor, is little
old man of no physical strength, and APP
! parently less courage. He has been
over twenty years in the employ of the
bank, and was implicitly trusted.
/ L. "a al.
Daniel Haley, brawny Irishman. He
went on duty at 6 o'clock Saturday even
ing, locked himself inside the bank, and
remained on watch all night. At 6
o'clock in the morning he went out the
Blocker street entrance, locking the
door behind him, and proceeded up
stairs to Werckle's apartments, shutting
the street door, which closes with
catch He raped with his club on
Werckles sitting-room door to wake
him, and, having heard his response,
passed down stairs and out, shutting the
street door behind him. He walked to
the corner of Broadway and stood there
/ ten minutes. He then went home.
At that time, so far as he knew, the
bank was all right. He saw no suspi-
cious or other persons about.
Werckle says he was awakened by the
Waterman as usual mt 6 o'clock, Haley
rapping on his door. He began to dress,
and, as he was drawing on his panta-
looms, the door of his sitting-room
opened suddenly, and seven or eight
masked men walked in. They seized
and handcuffed Werckle and his wife,
and tied his mother-in-law in sheet.
The women cried out, but Werckle
told them the robbers would kill them
unless they kept quiet, and they sub
sided.
One of the men took Werckle's keys
from him, and another put revolver to
his head and told him to give up the
combination He said he didn't have it.
you lie, you. You open the vault
every morning. Give it up or I'll blow
your brains out"
Werckle says he urged that if he told
them they could not turn the knob, but
they again threatened him, and he gave
them the combination. Three of the
gang then remained to guard the prison
ers, and the rest went down stairs. After
long while, during which Werckle
heard them pounding, one or two of the
gang came up and whispered to the
guards, and all left together.
Werckle soon after went out, and, see
ing no one about, gave the alarm.
Mrs Werckle corroborates this story, |
only she saw but five men. They wore |
white handkercbiefs below the masks
Those who guarded her told her not to