The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-11-10
Rank burglary,

About Tour O'Clock yesterday morning q
terrific explosion emahsting from Adams &
LeonRrd's bank, at the corner of Austin
and Elm streets, told that burglars had been
at work. The report was very loud and
awoke those sleeping in that neighborhood.
Policeman Clapp ard Special Officer RAM
sey were soon on the scene vigorously blow
ing their whistles to give the alarm, and the
sound of the report had hardly died away
before one was stationed in front and the
other in the rear of the building. But few
minutes elapsed before large crowd nsd
gathered and an inspection OF the building
was at once began.
The glass in the large front windows was all
blown out, and portions OF that IN the side
windows facing on Austin street, Heavy
clouds of dense smoke and dust poured out
through these openings, and the pavemen.
was covered with shattered glass. On enter.
ing the building and lighting the gas the
work of the burglars was brought to view,
the smoke having by this time sufficiently
cleared away to render things discernsble.
The door of the vault was wide open, and
directly in front Of it lay a shattered
anvil, and beyond smaller safe,
which had stood in the vault, with
its front battered in. Imperfect holes
had been drilled in it, and the explosion
had blown the knob of and dissrranged the
combination, besides breaking the anvil into
several pieces The discharge WAS so loud
and of such force that it leads to tho belief
that dynamite was used, besides the smell of
powder failed to be detected. Another thing
that goes to show that some other explosive
than powder wSs used is that
mono of the papers or books were
burned, and they were in no ways injured.
On arriving at the bank, Captain Leonard
found that they were out 81, 700 in one
dollar silver pieces, which had been received
fresh from the mint. IL was in two boxes in
the vault Besides this amount the burglars
took 81 200 in currency, money order funds,
special deposit by Postmaster Cochran, for
which the bank is not responsible. In addi-
ton to this they carried away lot of jew
elry and slyerware, special deposits, the
value of which is not known rs it WAS merely
placed 10 the vault to accommodate the
owners. How the burglars effected an en-
trance into the building is what puzzles the
officers az we'll as those who have viewed the
situation, but the solving of how they got
the vault open is more difficult. The most
reasonable theory appears to be that one Of
burglars, for there must have been several to
have lifted the safe onto the anvil, had slipped
into the vault and had been locked up una.
wares by one of the clerks. This is pretty
evident, as the lock of the inner door Of the
vault was taken of uninjured, and
that the drppings of sperm candle
were discovered on the door, which the
burglar had used in throwing light upon his
dark work. 1t is supposed that after secur-
ing the booty in the vault they had blown
up the safe with the hope of making a
greater haul, but that the explosion was so
loud they had not dared to return to see the
result of their work. They had mixed
something in glass use for drinking
purposes in the bank, and the mixture was
of dirty brown color. The only other
damage sustained was the bait red safe and
the loss of the window-glass. The safe WAS,
after being worked on all day, opened
about o'clock last night aud its contents,
consisting,of S67, 056 81, in moneys, 100000,
in bonds and $4,000 in notes, etc, intact.
Throughout yesterday the bank conducted
its regular business, paying all checks pre-
sented. 1t will continue its regular business
this morning as usual.
The following named parties we're among
those present when the safe was opened, snd
as the contents were handed out all unframed,
congratulated the bankers on their remark
ably good fortune in sustaining such slight
damage as only Sl,700, when by better luck
the burglars might have been enabled to
rob 80 much more r. Z. Cowart, DIN.
Wellborn, George W. Alre, ge, Mr.. thinner
man, Dick Flanagan, Kirk Levi, +. 9. Col
ler, Charles Baskerville, W. w. Fee, Mr..
Thompson, Of Thompson Bros, and one
dozen others.