The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-09-15
STORY OF THE KEwANEE BANK
ROBBERY.

A Kewanee mL) special of the I'd to the Chi
cago Times reports the following among other
evidence given in the preliminary examine
ton of ]. 8. Scott on the charge of completely
In the Kewanee bank robbery. After the con.
clusion of the testimony in this case the parties
accused of and confessins to the robbery were
held for trial in the sum of $1,000:
J. ]. Pratt testified as follows:
81 was engaged as Assistant Cashier in the
First National bank on August IA. Miss Palmer
was assisting me at that time. We closed busi-
ness about five o'clock that afternoon. There
was about $500 in paper, about $500 or &4O0 in
silver, and about 90. 600 in gold in the safe. and
perhaps 500 or $500 in use. 1 took out $1,000
In gold Saturday night. If all the money had
been there 1t would have amounted to about
$4,000 counting ever, thing. Two men came
to the door and raped, and ] asked Miss
Palmer to let them in. Two came in. One
caught her by the throat and carried her to the
vault. The other took me by the shoulder and
put me in the vault. Miss Palmer was there.
They were stufing rags in her mouth. One man
was WEIGH: the other did not know. Saw him
pass on Friday. WEIGH asked me IL ]
wished to see him. I told him 1 didn't. They
put the money in the sachel and bound my
feet, and tied a cloth over my mouth. Soon
after they left released Miss Palmer. and
opened the door with dimes. When 1 got out
Of the vault the gold was all gone and most
all Of the silver. Some of the silver was scat
tered about. gave the alarm. The robbery
was the result of a plan laid long before.
About a year ago last spring Scott and I had
talks of doing something Of this sort. He
talked with me at the gate, one evening, when
he walked home with me. Wished to crack
Miles & Minneck's safe. We talked about
drilling the safe at the bank. Iexperimented
at the bank, and thought it could be done.
Scott said he could take the temper out of the
plates so we could drill them. He went to
Chicago and got some drills made. Had them
sent to Princeton, but l think he never
got them. He sent to WEIGH for drills.
WEIGH sent two drills and q box of
fuse. They were at SCOTS office. This was
about two months before the forgery. Scott
said WEIGH wanted to take o hand with
them. had had no talk with Welch at that
time. We intended to tunnel from the fire
engine-room to the vault. We thought to
come into the room behind the check case and
then drill the safe at our leisure. In case we
tunneled we were to put cigar stubs and
pieces of crackers so IT would be thought
some one bad lived in the tunnel. Scott also
thought we could get noiseless engine to do
the drilling. We afterward thought we could
ing it wrapped up in paper. ] recommended
that WEIGH should come here and represent
himself as a cattle-buyer, and come to the
bank and inquire if money had been sent to
him; that we should have a package sent by
express and he should deposit it in the bank,
and that should take that package and put in
its place this machine, and fix 1t to explode at
any time we thought best. This was before
and after the forgery. This was given up. ]
first met WEIGH at SCOTS Office, some time
in the summer before the forgery. In case
we had blown up the safe we were to have
taken some coin bags and put something in
them and blow them in pieces to leave in the
bank but we concluded to do it sometime in
the daytime. Scott wished to come in the bank
and throw pepper in my eyes when was there
alone, and go through the bank, but would
not consent. Thought it would place too much
responsibility on me. Had talk with WEIGH
al the time of the forgery. When Scott went
to st. Louis he promised to come and help US
when there was favorable time. We ex-
pected him to help us this time. About two
weeks before the robbery WEIGH was in ST.
Louis, and Scott wrote to me that Welch had
no money and asked me to cash a check for
him. refused to do this, as had no money,
Scott wrote me later that he had given Welch
some money and asked me to give him more.
saw Welch at Galva afterward. All the letters
we destroyed. This correspondence with Scott
was few days before the robbery. Iwrote Scott
that WEIGH was ready, and now was the time
to do the business. Scott wrote me to know
what the plan was. wrote and informed him,
and he said he was afraid he would be reco9.
nized, as he was TO take part in the plan we
had arranged. 1wrote him that WEIGH would
furnish DISCUSSES, for which he sent to Boston.
wrote Scott later the plan we finally carried
out. He replied that he could not leave st.
Louis without its being found out and asked
If it could not be managed in some way with
out him. This was the final result of our cor
respondenee. The understanding was that
Scott was to share equally with us If he took
part; If not, we were to give Scott $1,000. Twas
to have $1,000. WEIGH was to give the man
who helped him 81 900. Scott had full knowl
edge of the robbery up to two or three days of
its taking place. 1 had seen WEIGH but five
times before the robbery. saw him at Galva
about two weeks before the robbery. Fur
nished him money as he needed it"
E. N. WEIGH testified as follows:
"Have been acquainted with Scott three or
four years. Met him in Princeton. Saw him
in Chicago last Christmas, and have seen him |
but once since, in st. Louis in June last. He
telegraphed me to come there. Was at Kan |
sas City. We had corresponded before re-
garding the robbipg Of the First National |
Bank. talked with him about the robbery, |
some time before he left Kewanee. 1t was |
settled on the day we made the forgery that |
we would rob the bank, but didn't decide how |
It should be done. One plan was made and |
Scott was to help, but he made one at Chicago, |
in which he would not help. We intended to |
do the work on the Friday preceding, and !
came to Kewanee to help do ii, but it was post |
poned till Monday: Had talked with Scott be-
fore. He first spoke to me about the robbery. |
Said he had talked with Pratt, and gave me |
to understand that Pratt was willing to help. |
This was some three years ago. / told |
him l would help if everything was all |
right and we could succeed. The |
first plan was to put us under the counter, and |
when Wentworth came in Pratt was to give US
q signal, when Scott was to attack Wentworth |
and was to take Pratt. Another plan was to |
blow the safe. We were to receive an express |
package and deposit it in the bank, and were |
to have duplicate containing dynamite to put |
In its place and blow up the safe after TAX
ing the money. This was the third plan. The |
second was to drill and blow the safe with
powder. Saw Pratt at Galva. Had talked with |
Scott about it while in st. Louis. Wrote to
or Milwaukee. We were to gag the
girl. Scott was to help us. He was to gag |
the young lady, and 1 was to attend to
Pratt ScVtt answered my letter, saying he
thought the scheme was q good one and |
would work all right. He wrote me again
ut Peoria. Said he was some afraid to come
here, but did not decline to help us. I
guise himself SO there would be no danger Of |
recognition. heard from him again on the
Wednesday before the robbery. Had known
him several years. He said he would help US