Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-05-03
AGrea. Robbery in Pennsylvania.

startled the people in Western Pennsyl-
vania, Ex-Chief of Police Hague said.
You say old John Benninghof has died in
Greenville, and left $500, 900 to his heirs
l recollect he moved there shortly after
the robbery, and continued to make |
money. 1t was in what after became Pc |
troleum Center that Bennington owned
small farm and eked out a precarious ex |
lstence by the sweat of his brow, at times
only having sufficient to keep the wolf
from the door. When oil was struck on
his premises the old man suddenly found
himself becoming rapidly wealthy. lie
leased Lis entire farm to enthusiastic
dril,ers, and only saved 10 himself The
house he lived IN and sufficient ground TO
move about. Benninghof, by nature,
was very close and calculating, and when
wealth began to pour in on him his natu-
raj distrust of every one compelled him to
buy a small safe and keep his money al
home, as he considered bank institutions
of benefit to no one but themselves. His
wealth increased SO rapidly that the safe
was not large enough to hold it, and al
length be was persuaded TO convert 50, ,0OO
into L. S. bonds, as they took up less
room. Still the cash came In until the
safe contained at times as high as $500, 900.
He was always troubled with the fear that
some one would rob him, and 50 employed
d man named Dugger to do nothing but
watch the safe. Dugger made his home
with the family, and soon became &C.
quainted with their secrets. The people
in the neighborhood knew that Benning
hof carried considerable money IN the
tA1 hat VI
amount was as great as pugger found it 10
be. The secret of the wealth was too
great for Dugger's mind, SO he impaired it
10 q cousin named Weldy. who lived near
Meadville, who told the story to jim Sager,
a hard character, who lived near by. A
lo5 was put up, and two professional
burglars, named Miller and White, of
Philadelphia, were let into the secret. as
well as Jake Shsrpe., with the under
standing that Dugger, Weldy, Sager,
Miller, White and oharpet were each to
receive an equal proportion.
One night in January, while the wind
howled through the forest of derricks on
the farm, and old John and his wife sat
taking by the kitchen fire, and Dugger
was seated at the usual post. loud knock
was heard at the door. Dugger opened il,
admitting the five men. The kew of the
safe was demanded of the old man. and
when he refused to give it up he and his
wife were bound and gagged, the old mans
boot taken off, and IN the toe was found
the key to the safe. A pretence at bind
ing Dugger was also made, but he was
left in condition to direct them in opening
the safe door. Two hundred thousand
dollars in cash and the $50. 900 in United
States bonds were taken, and the next
morning the old couple and Dugger were
found bound and helpless.
The excitement this robbery made at
the time | never saw equalled. The
adrolt pan adopted, and the audacious
manner IN which it was executed, attracted
the attention of detectives all over the
country; and the large rewards offered by
Joe Berninghoif, Isis son, were sufficient
10 induce many detectives 10 attend TO the
case. / did nothing in the matter until
Joe Benninghof offered me five per cent
of all moneys recovered, and g certain
price for each offender convicted and SEN
fenced.
l then went to work on the case, and
almost Immediately struck the correct clue
while in Meady,lie saloon among lot of
Germans. i could not understand the
language, but from person in the room
learned that they were discussing The Ben
ninghof robbery. One of them, who
kept q saloon on the banks of the canal at
Sagertown, said that the day after the
robbery five men entered his place and
adjourned to The back room, locking the
door after them. This proceeding seemed
80 strange he followed. and through a
window saw them counting and dividing
large sums of money. Through descrp-
tiops furnished me | was able TO trace
every man, and caught Jack Sharpet in
Colorado on his way to Denver, and
brought him back to Pittsburgh, where
lodged him in Jail. On the way back
took the sbackles off his wrists and he con-
fessed the entire robbery. White went to
Montreal, where he was arrested, but We
were not abb TO exiradite HIM, and be vas
released. Weliy l arrested at Akron.
OHIO, where he had purchased brewery
and was living an honest hfe. Miller was
arrested at Sagertown, and while | was
attending to other business Joe Benning-
hcff compromised with Weldy, Miller and
Dugger, obtaining from them SIG 600
each and allowing their release. l had
Weliy arrested again, ami of the entire
six he and Sharpet were the only ones
tried, but they both got long terms in the
penlIenilary. In connection with this case
q curiors incident occurred. When | ar
rested Sharpet in Denver, l found in his
clothes a letter from Sager, dated from
Newfoundland saying that he was ON hIl
orptaph tho xunrlI ltrfa h.s
reached Texas be would give him the rest
of the money due him from the robbery.
l got very pretty correct picture OF Siger
and left it with General Cook, of the Rocky
Mountain Detective Association in Den
yer, with the distraction to keep lCok
out for him. One day Cook was sitting
in a saloon on Laramie avenue, in Denver,
when q man stopped before the door,
leaped from his horse and entered the
house. TIE woman in charge, who hap
pened to be from Meadville, exclaimed.
Why, Sager, where did you come from?'
Cook al once arrested him and telegraphed
TO me for Instructions. | would not attend
TO the matter because OF some difficulty
had with Bennington regarding the five
per cent. was TO nave received, SO | no.
tilted Joe Benninghof and be went at
once TO Denver. He was merely a1xIous
to secure the money, and did not care
about the conviction OF the robher, and SO
approached him in jail, offering to take
50 much cash aud not prosecute him, but
he did not know his man. Sager imme-
dlately sent for his attorney, had warrant
issued for Benuinghoff's arres: for attempt
ing 10 compound felony, and Joe was
compelled TO leave the town the next day
to escape arrest, and Sager Was liberated
about the same time, when he returned to
his family and his cattle, which he was
driving to California, and continued his
journey, ard nothing has been heard OF
hun since.
Fishing for the BaIolo.
Only on two days In the whole year do