Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-09-05
Preliminary Examination at Ke-
vance, Illinois.
How the Job Was Done-The Subject First
Broached Nearly Three Years Ago
Testimony of the Self
Confessed Thief.
BONDS OF EACH PLACED AT $4,000.

DeIy dt Ills nOue. went W tAc oaiih ahN
made an examination, and found nearly al
the cash had been taken away. Left the
bank at $50 P. NJ. The bank was closed
Left Miss Palmer and Pratt. Do not know
how much money was there at the time
Think about Sls,70o.
Miss Palmer was sworn: was in the
First National bank ON august Ii. Was
there when the bank was closed. Mr.. Pratt
was with me. | was working on the books
after the bank closed, and Pratt was count.
ing the cash, when some one raped, and
Pratt told me to 60 TO the door. went,
and some one came in, and
Caught Me by the Throat
and threw me on the floor. heard them
landing the msney while was lying on
the floor. l don't know the amount of
money there. Shorldsuppose from my ex-
perience that there was 5000 in paper cur
rency. l suppose there was gold and silver
there. When | recovered was in the vault
with Mr.. Pratt. ! followed him out as he
(Pratt) tried the door and it was locked and
he got out of the window. knew one OF the
men. Had seen HIM before. His name was
Welch.
Cross-examination-l recognized the man
who came in when opened the door as the
man who left the satchel in the afternoon.
Knew him to be Welch.' Had seen him be-
fore. The short man put his hand over my
mouth. was gagged. | supposed Pratt was
knocked down. He fell. / was insensible
part of the time. | was in the vault when
/ came to my senses. Isupposed Pratt was
hurt, as his shoulder was bloody. My head
was bleeding: | saw no one strike Pratt.
Saw no marks on Pratt until aftcrward.
in ha ~ hnnr |
not identify any of the money in the bank.
III Pratt
was sworn and testiged as follows: 81 was
engaged as assistant cashier in the First
National Bank on August l4th. Miss Pal
mer was assisting me at that time. We
closed business at about 5 o'clock in the af.
ternoon. There was about 81, 300 in paper,
about $500 or $i00 in silver, and about
$1,000 in gold in the safe, and perhaps $500
or $500 in use. / took out $1,000 in gold
Saturday night. If all the money had been
there ii would have amounted to about
$50, 600, counting erything. The 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 shol-
der and put me in the vault. Miss Palmer
was there. They were stuting rags in her
IL. L
did not know. Saw him pass on Friday.
Welch asked me if wanted to see him. /
told him didn't. They put the money in
q saChel, and
Bound MY Feet.
and tied a cloth over my mouth. Soon after
they left l released Miss Palmer, and open
scattered about. | gave the alarm. The
robbery' was the result Of plan laid long
before. About year ago last spring Scott
and had talks of doing something OF TINS
sort. He talked with me at the gate one
evening when he walked home with me.
Wished to crack Miles x Minnecks sale'
we talked of drilling the safe at this Dank.
I experimented at the bank and thoughtll IL
conld be done Scott said he could taKe
the temper out of the plates so we couia
drill them. He went to Chicago ana got
some drills made. Had them sent 10
Princeton, but think he never got them:
He sent to Welch for drills. Welch sent
two drills and box Of fuse: they were AZ
Scott's office. Scott said Welch wanted 10
take bank then. had haa no 'a'A Will
Welch at that time.
We Intended 10 Tunnel
from the fire engine.room to the vault; we
thought to- come into the room behlnu tue
cneck case and then drill the safe at our
leisure In case we tunncled we were 10
put cigar stubs and pieces OF crackers 50 IL
would be thought some one had lived III
the tunnel. Scott also thought we could
GET noiseless engine TO do the drilling.
we afterward thought we could get an IN
ferpal machine into the bank by having 1t
wrsrred in paper. ! recommended that
WEIGH should come here and represent
himself as a cattlebuyer, and come TO the
hank and inGuire il money had been sent
N him. that we should have package
scnt him by express and he should deposit
il IN the banb, and that shoul take that
packsge and put in its place this machine,
and ,-.r
at any time we thought best. This was be-
fore and after the forgery. This was gwen
m. first met WclCh at Scotts once
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 some
thing in them and blow them in pieces to
leave in the bank, but we concluded to do
il sometime in the daytime. Scott wished
10 come in the bank and throw pepper IN
nv ewes when was there alone, and go
through the bank, but would not consent
Thought it would place too much responsi,
bility on me: Had talk with Welsh at
tlo ';-,,c - a. ,, s,r .,; ',,,-,. Scott went
to st. Louis he promised to come and help
Us when there was favorable time, We
expected him to help us this time. ABOUT
two weeks before the robbery Welch was
in st. Louis. and Scott wrote to me that
Welsh bad 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 Welsh some money and asked
me TO give him more. j saw Welsh at
Galva afferward. All the letters we DE.
stroyed. This correspondence with Scott
was a few days before the robbery. l wrote
Scott Welsh was ready and now was the
time to do the business. Scott wrote 70
know
I wrote and informed him, and he said he
was afraid he would be recognized, as he
was 10 take part in. the plan We had ar.
ranged. wrote him that Welch would
furnish disguises, for which he sent 20
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 il II could not be
managed in some way without him. This
was TIE final resultgof our correspondence.
| The understanding was that Scott was 70
share equally with us IL he took part; II
not. we we're to give Scott 1900. was 70
| have sf 900. Welch was 20 give the man
who helped him 5000. Scott had full
knowledge of the robbery up 20 two OF
| three days of its taking place. l had seen
| Welch bat five times before the robbery:
| saw him at GaIva about two weeks before
| the robbery. Furnished him money as he
| needed it.
EN-. Welch was sworn and teshhed q
| follows: Have heen acquainted with Scott
three or four years. Met him in Princeton
| Saw him in Chicsgo last Christmas. and
| have seen him but once since, in st. Louis
| in June las. He telegraphed me 10 come
| there Was at Kansas City. We had cor
responded before
Regarding the Rssbing
| OF the First National bank. 1 talked witt
| him STOUT the robbery, some time befor'
\ he left Kewsnee. 1t was settled on the ds!
we made the forgery that we would 70!
! the bank. but didn't decide how II shoui'
be done. One plan was made and Scott wa
TO help. but be made one at Chicago. IL
which be,vould not help. We intended 3
! do the work ON the Friday preceding. and
came to Kewapee to help do 10 bat il wa
postponed till Monday. Had talked Wit
Scott before. He first spoke 10 me abou
the robbery. Said be had talked with Pratt
snd gave me TO understand that Pratt "a