The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-10-28
NEW YORK.
Gigantic nank Robbery.

Gigantic Bank Robbery.
NEW YORK, Oct. 27.--Between six and
nine o clock this morning, masked burg
lars entered the Manhattan Savings Bank
building on the corner ct Broadway and
Bleecker streets, and, after Handwriting
the jauitor, made him under threats of
instant death reveal the combination of
the safe to them and deliver up the keys of
the bank. They rifed the safe of pre-
sumably large amount Of money, as twenty
tin poxes known to have contained bills
were found on the floor quite empty The
bQilding is six story one. the bank occu-
pying the ground floor with entrances on
both Broadway and -Bleecker streets.
Wendell Kohlman keeps q barber shop 10
the basement under the bank, aud the
janitor lives on the second floor. The
barber opened his shop at 80 minutes past
65o'clock. He says there was nothing un
usual ID the bank at that time. Alto
minutes past o'clock he was startled by
the appearance at the head OF the base
ment stars Of the janitor Louis Wer-
tel, white With fright aud excitement,
With his hands handcuffedg tightly, apd
AGC hSY VI ttlc UEbh CtUtSuSu' bctNCS1
them. He was only bal! dressed, and
Gasped: 'Fhievesi robbers! come and
see! The barber accompanied him into
tue back and saw the doors OF the great
vault wide open, and the floor Uttered with
the boxes all emptled of their contents.
Burglars tools were scattered in every
direction The barber notified the
police and Supt. Willing, Inspec-
tor Dylk, Captain Byrnes and captain
keely were soon on the scene. Toe doors,
windows and all means of access from
without were found intact. and it was evil
dent the thieves had entered by means of
keys. Dan Kelley, tie night watchmaD,
said he left his post at 6 o'clock A. NJ. and
aroused the ianiter as was his custom, and
left the building, locking the hall door
after him, The vault can be seen from
the street. Inside the main doors OF the
safe vault the burglars found space with
shelves upon which were the tin boxes,
illed with jewelry, silyerware, and valua-
bic papers. These they emptied 10
their hurry they overlooked one box on a
back shelf containing $50. 600 in valuables,
the property Of Edward Schell, president
OF the bank. An open space of six feet
between the main door and the vault and
doors of the inner safe gave the burglars
ample space to go to work in. They prled
open one compartment containing $ll,0 ,0OO
in small bills. They next forced the bot
tom drawer, but got nothing Of value there
from. Wedges were found in the upper
com mpagtments, which they were trying tG
| force when they were evidently distUred.
A dozen drills ard sledge hammers, three
| -A
found scattered around. The officers ii
the bank admit that the janitor possessed
the combination to the vault. 1t wa:
| given him months ago SO that he could
take out the books and make ready fol
business. The officers of the bank are
Edward Scheli, president aud treasurer
To. f. Alvord, secretary.
! The following is the bank officers state
meDt The Manhattan Savings Instltu
ton was on the morning of Sunday, th'
l27th of October, 1878. robbed of securities
to the amount OF $2,757, 700. of which 81,
505,60O were registered in the name of th'
institution and are not negotiable, ,$l65,G0t
are made payable TO it, and $73 900 are il
coupon bonds aud $1,000 in cash. Fo
the purpose of preventing loss to deposit
ors, it is deemed advisable that no pay
ment be made without sixty days notice
as provided by the bylaws OF the institu
tion. EDWARD SCHELL, President.
4 CHAs, II. ALvoRD. Secretary.
All OF the bonds, etc, are registered ex
cept $48O00 in $40 bonds of j ulg, 1865
and $25, 900 Of Brooklyn city water loa
coupon bonds.s
New York, ct.28.-The gigantic rob
berry of the Manhattan Savings lnstitutio
lis the sensation in banking circles. notic
has been posted in the lbank sayin
no payments will be made without 60 day
q notice; the surplus of the bank is moi
than sufficient to cover any probable Eoi
that may be sustained by reason Of II
/. robbery. A great number OF depositol
!, lhave given the necessary notice. tt
directors were in secret session to-daI
lit is said to be the rule for jaDitors of bar
buildings in this city TO have the combin
!. ton of the vaults; every available detechN
lin town has been assigned to thecase. III
: Evening Post says so far as can be sasee
}, tanned DO arrests have been made We
Supt. Wallng said this morning be cou
give no new information about the cas-
and denied that he professed last hight
. have clue to the robbers and If he BIZ
one he would not admit it. The jauit
and night watchman are at the bank
,e day helping to straighten out matters.
ye A brother of the president says Il
&c bank will have surplus. of $500. 900 If ;
ye the coupon bonds stolen were counted
se lost. Great crowds continued all tt
&c morning. The robbers left behind sks
se etou key, also three pair of hand cuffs.
se forty or fifty boxes stored away, abo
e twenty had been osened and their co
IS tents rihed; the possible amount tax
v may be more than 5000. GOO since Z
= !, contents OF a pnmber of tin boxes eontai
ID ing gold coin and government bonds wi
n which the sides of the vault we're iin
n have disappeared.
= 1ouIsIA1TA.
New ORLEANS, Oct. 2S. In shooti
ARRAY Friday ut PIaquemine. betwe
= Chas. a. Brule and State Senator Geor
! B. Waites, the. former received "a fe
II wound 10 the arm, the latter seriously b.
I'D in his side and is 10 critical conditit
Cause. politics.