Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-09-14
STORY OF THE KEWANEE BANK
ROBBERY. ~ 6

| ton of ]. S. Scott on the charge of complicity
| in the Kewanee bank robbery. After the con-
clusion of the testimony in this case the parties
accused Of and confessing to the robbery were
| held for trial in the sum of $4,000:
j. 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 BUSH
ness about five o'clock that afternoon. There
was about $1,000 in paper, about $500 or 800 in
silver, and about Sc, coo in gold in the safe and
| perhaps $500 or $500 in use. took out 600
| in gold Saturday night IF all the money had
been there 1t would have amounted to about
| $4,000, counting everything. 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.
I4ey were stpfHng rag in hermouth. One man
was WEIGH; the other did not know. Saw him
pass on Friday. WeIchf asked me- If 1
swished tGseehim HI Sosd,him didn't They
put the money in the sachel and bound my
feet, andtied cloth over my mouth Soon
after they. left released Miss Palmer, and
opened the door WITH dinesa When got out
of the vault the gold was. all gone and most
air OF the sf1ver. Some Of the silver was scat
tered about gave the alarm. The robbery
was thesrosdlt Of a plan laid long before.
About q year ago last spring Scott and had
talks Of .doinh soqset thing Of this sort. He
talked with me at the gare, Intervening, when
he walk ed home with me. Wished to crack
Miles & ,Mnneck's safe. We talked sbout
drifting the safe at the bank. II perimented
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. them
sent to Princeton, but I think he never
got them. He sent to Wesch for drills.
WEIGH sent two drills and a box of
fuse. They were at SCOTS Office This was
about two months before the forger1 Scott
said WEIGH wanted Ito take hand with
them. had had no talk with WEIGH at that
time. We intended to tunnel from the fire
eHgine-rooms 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 had lived in the tunnel. Scott also
thought we could get noiseiess engine to do,
the drilling. We afterward thought we could
get an internal machine into the bank by hav-
ing it wrappeduP in paper. ]. recommended
that WEIGH should come here and represent
himself as q cattle-buyer, and core to the
. bank and inquire If money had been sent to
him; that we should have package sent by
: express and he should deposit 1t in the bank,
and that should take that package and put in
its place this machine, and fix it to explode at
any time we thought best. This was before
and after the forgery. This was given up. I
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 tolcome 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
at 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 WEIGH had
no money and asked me to cash a check for
him. refused to do this, as L had no money.
Scott wrote me later that he had given Welch
some money and askei me to give him more
saw WEIGH at Galva afterward. All the letters
we destroyed. This correspondence with Scott
was few days before the robbery. Iwrote Scott
that W eich 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 recoe-
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
outs 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 himiN This was the final result of our cor
respondenee. The Understanding was that
Scott was to share equally with us if he took
part; ii not, We were to give Scott 5000. Iwhs
to have $4,000. Welch was to give the man !
who helped him 1000. Scott had full knowE
it's taking place. had seen WEIGH but FIVE I
times before the robbery. saw him at Galta /
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 Hell
teIegraphed me to come there. Was at Kan /
sas City. We had correspondent before re-i
gareiing the robbipg of the First National
Bank. talked with him about the robbery.
some time before he left Kewanee. 1t WAS i
we Would rob the bank, but didn't decide how
it should be done. One plan was made and
Which, he Mea t.
do the work on the Friday preceding, and I
came to Kewanee to help do it, butt was post
fore He first spoke to m about the robbery.
Said he had ia ked with Pratt, and gave me
20 understand IndL fraCI WAS Wiling TO neIp. 1
This was some three years ago. told !
him / 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 & We US
a signal. when Scott was to attack Wentworth 4
and was to take Pratt. Anoth,r plan was to-
blow the safe. We were to receive an express i
package and deposit it in the bank, and we're !
TO have duplicate containing dynamite to put !
in Its place and blow UP the safe after talc- /
ing the money This was the third plan. The |
second was to drill and blow the safe with |
powd, r. Saw Pratt at Galva. Had talked with |
Scott about It while in St. Louis. Wrote 10 I
SCOTT few days after either from Chicago !
or Milwaukee. We were to gag the |
girl Scott was to help us. He was to gag |
the young lady, and l was to attend to |
Pratt. tt answt red my letter saying he I
Thought the scheme was q good one and /
would work all right. He wrote me again /
ut Peoria. SAID he wss some afraid to come /
here, but did not decline to help us. I
wrote again tell ng him thought he couid dis
guise himself 80 there would b. no danger Of |
recognition. heard from him again OF the /
Wednesday before the robbery. Had known
him several years. He said he would help us.
and wrote to Pratt that afternoon that we.j
would be down there on Friday. Saw Pratt in /
the bank the day arrived in Kewanee. He
said he was not prepared, as he.had nut got the !
money mt away back in the bank, and b0r- h
roWed 800 of him. Went to Galva on the next Il