The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-08-31
BANK ROBBERS.
Late Details of the Arrest of
Scott.
The Cashiers Arrest aud
Money Discovered.

Some so, 600 stolen from the Kewanee
bank a few weeks ago has been recovered,
of which amount SO, 900 was buried in a
yard at Kewanee. In noting the subse
quent arrest of Pratt and Scott, the Chic
ago Times has the following:
The arrests establishes the certainty of
suggestions made at the time of the rob-
berry that it was not the work of profes
SIGNALS. Certain circumstances which were
commented on at the time as indicating
that the robbers had accomplices familiar
with the inner workings of the bank are
also established. The arrests made during
the afterno, n were DIR. J. S. Scott, of st.
Louis, and A. III. Pratt, of Kewanee, the
assistant
CASHIER OF THE BANK.
Scott was formerly dentist practicing in
Kewanee and of some local note as a po-
ker player. Before any sign had been re-
ceiVed from WEIGH the agency had OBJ
tanned clew which resulted in sending
couple of detectives.to St. Louis to watch
Scott. and the arrest was made within an
hour after word was telegraphed from
Chicago The circumstance which led TO
placing a watch on Scott was information
furnished by the wife of WEIGH. Last
week letter, addressed to him at Peoria,
was opened by his wife. 1t was from
Scott, and the cautious wording, when the
letter was placed in the hands of Pinker
toms men, at once excited suspicion. 1t
was learned that Scott and Welch were
friends, and the manner in which the let
ter was written overshot its mark. 1t was
entirely too free from any circumstance
which might lead to suspicion. When
in
his intimacy with young Pratt was discov
cred, little doubt remained of his compile
ity in the robbery, which was speedily con-
firmed by Welch's statement.
He seems to have remained at st.
Louis while the other men ran the risks.
Pratt's arrest is no occasion for surprise.
All the circumstances pointed so strongly
to completely that it has been delayed only
till the web of circumstances was fully wo-
ven by corroborative testimony.
Another fact of significance, as later de-
velopments have shown, was also men
toned. 1t was stated that some months
ago the bank. was a sufferer through some
bogus checks, and that these were accepted
through the inexperience of the assistant
cashier. 1t has now been ascertained that
the checks were passed by Welch. At the
time of the robbery the bank officials main
have loose in the bank. The facts show
that they were mistaken. How the men
CARRIED OFF GOLD
equal in weight to keg of nails was an
other mystery No suspicion of Pratt's
completely seems to have entered the minds
of the villagers. and the detectives took
care that no such impression went out.
Pratt has been watched closely, and any
attempts on his part to escape would have
been foiled, but no definite proof has been
gained from any of his actions. He has
continued at his post in the bank up till
the time of his arrest.
The statements made by WEIGH to the
detectives fill in the details of what was
from the start tolerably complete story.
According to him the robbery had been
planned months before favorable oppor-
tunity was presented to carry it out. The
presence of the cashier Mr.. Wentworth,
was one of the apparently insuperable OBJ
stacles. The lack of sufficient sum avail
able to compensate for the risk was anoth-
er circumstance which caused delay All
this time Pratt was in CON munication with
WEIGH, Scott and the other robber and
ready to notify them at once if favorable
opportunity presented itself. The absence
of Mr.. Wentworth on his vacation
REMOVED ONE OBSTACLE
As his vacation drew to close is was de-
cided to make the attempt. the sum which
Pratt reported being considered sufficient.
The further history of the case. the manner
in which Pratt attended to the details, and
the recognition of WEIGH by the citizens
of Kewanee, are already familiar 81 the
public. WEIGH states that he was first in
troduced to Pratt by DIR. Scott, and to
that gentleman he ascribes the planning of
the robbery. Concerning the identity of
the fourth character, WEIGH has thus far
positively refused to reveal anything.
A DISPATCH
from Kewanee states that Detective
William A. Pinkerton arrived at O'Clock
Tuesday in charge of Ed WEIGH, the bank
robber. That night Pinkerton went to
the barn yard of prominent house, where
was dug up from under the walk, buried
about three feet deep SO. 600 in gold, which
was acknowledged a part of the stolen
money. This viii be great surprise to
the many friends of the party, all of
whom were very indignant at the detec-
tiyes for what they call the arrest of an
honest and reputable young man.