The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-05-02

loss might have been heavier had Tho
thiet taken one Of the other piles Of money
as the Others, although not so large IN
appearance, were far more valuable. Tho
pile taken contained only the 81 and s:
notes, while the other piles contained the
notes OF larger denomination, and each
pile was worth two or three times more
than the other
Thepolice were notified and directed Il
use every effort TO capture the thieves. Mr.
Walter says that the man who got oyei
the counter was about twenty.six year.
otage, smooth face, sallow complexion, haG
on sack coat and cap. The other man
who came into the bank, was, perhaps, {
little older and littlelarger than the first
he could give no description OF the third
man, who stood outside the door. He
gave Chief Wilson the revolver he had
taken from the thief. The market basket
dropped by the boy is still at the bank.
ONE RELtEvED TO BE WOUNDED.
Search was made for the two bullets
from the second and third shots fired BY
Mr.. Walter, but no trace OF them could be
found. The hole and long crack made In
the plate glass window by the first shot
could easily be seen, aud the hole in the
wall from the shot fired by the thieves as
they were running out OF the door, but no
other marks could DO found anywhere.
MIR. Walter Is pretty good shot with the
revolver, land he confidently believes that he
lodged the two missing bullets in the man
who stole the money. This belief IA
strengthened by parties who saw the man
running who say he appeared very much
iaugued, and when near the river was
running very slowly. No blood marks,
however, could be found in the bank or
on the pavement, but he may not have
bled very profusely. AS the bullets can
not be found anywhere, II is most likely
that they struck the thief.
THE PLucKY CASHIER.
Mr.. George L. Walter, the Cashier, is a
young gentleman, and has been connected
with the bank for some years, first as book
Keeper, but during the last three or four
years as cashier, 1t was owing 10 his
quickness and bravery that the bank did
not sustain heavy loss, as there were
from Sl2, 900 To SIT, 900 on the table, with.
in the reach Of the thieves. He is desery-
ing OF great praise for the courage dis
played under such circumstances, when
his life was at the mercy OF the ruffians,
who would have scrupled at nothing to
accomplish their aims.
ABSURD STORIES.
As is usual in such cases the widest and
most absurd stories soon gained currency
in the cities. In Pittsburgh II was stated
on the street as early as one o'clock that
the amount stolen reached from $1,000 TO
SO, 1000. 1t was also said the bank which
had suffered was the Diamond National
Bank OF this city, that the cashier had
shot one Of the thieves, and that one Of
the latter had shot an officer, Such stories
o. course, lose nothing in the telling, and
II they had gone on until night there is
no knowing what extent they would have
News that bank had been robbed
somewhere Of something or other was con-
veyed to the Mayors office in Pittsburgh,
and the detectives started out to look after
the matter. With such meagre informa-
ton they could do nothing effective, or
literally nothing. Detectives Harrison
and Moessner in their search for some
thing definite ran across Jerry Smith, Of
Allegheny. When he said he couldn't
tell what bank had been robbed, how
much had been taken, or what the thieves
looked like, the Pittsburgh detectives
were inclined to give up the matter in
disgust. Later in the afternoon when
description OF the men was obtained, the
officers were placed on the alert, but no
trace Of the thieves had been discovered
up to the time OF going to press.
.El ADAD LOCALITY.
II may seem strange to some persons
that an affair like this could be perpetrat.
ed at midday, when there are hundreds Of
persons on the street, and still all the
thieves escape. Yet 1t is not in reality so
singular after all, In en- affair OF such
magnitudeit may be taken as a fact that
the thieves have made every ara nge-
ment for escape, and have their plans well
laid. Persons on the street, too, not
knowing what is the matter, ifthey see
the thieves running will not make much
effort to intercept them.
The escape OF the man who reached the
Pittsburgh side, however, might possibly
have been prevented, II proper efforts had
been taken beforehand to remedy what Is
a standing evil. Decatur alley, and that
locality seems to be favorite place for
thieves. Along Fourth avenue, as is well
known, are numerous houses OF ill-repute,
the rear portions Of which are on Decatur
alley. The thieves all know this, and
more, and arc acquainted with all the turns
and windings OF the places. And as it is
not unreasonable to suppose that such
houses have no scruples against harboring
and concealing law breakers, 1t is not sur
prising that thieves find 1t a favored local
ity, and invariably break for It whenever
it Is at all possible. The police should
take some action thai would put a stop
to It.
The large plate glass window Of the
bank which was shattered by the first ball
fired by Mr.. Walter, was worth $500. The
loss will not fall on the bank, however, as
the glass was insured.