The Benton weekly record., 1882-08-31
ROBBERS CAPTURE 4 BANK.
Remarkable Adventures Of Two
Illinois Cashiers.
Almost $4,000 StOIcn-TAe Clerks
shuG i'm tho VTauIts Utascrovg the
LOck WIRE d GHiEae-T21e
Thieves Walk away
wish 81 sag

DEwAKEE, ILL.,, Aug. l5.--The robbery
Of the First National Bank Of this place
on Monday evening ia the one subject Of
interest in this entire section. The bank
is favorably situated for the work accom-
plished there. On one side and at tie rear
rhere is no occupied building for aon1e dis
lance, while 1T the front and on the other
side it Is separated from other business
h0Usca by the street. When the bank
closes for the day the curtains OF the doors
and windows are drawn down. The men
who committed the robbery have been
around town at different times for several
DAYS, and, II is believed, could be positive
ly identified by score or more Of the clti-
gems. One Of them came In on the even
ing train on Monday, and, stepping into
the bank on his way from the depot, asked
TO leave yQlisH in the office until next
day. He received permission to 10 so.
During the remainder Of the day the men
were seen by different persons, sometimes
together aud at other times separately, III
different parts Of the town. One Is q tall,
slim, bearlless man about Elk feet high,
with u consNuptjYe look, low, square
laws, and rather prominent features. The
other il somewhat shorter. thick set. with
red. snnburnel face. and a light tnt1gtaChe.
The former was dressed In u dark suit, Wit;i
4 linen dugter. and the latter IN a dark
blue suit. with glass or pearl bu1tonz.
Toward evening they visited the liverv
stables to hire teams, but did not 60 &C.
petbor.
AS harpcned, they were unable to ger
what they wanted. / ft=W Dlfnntes before
6O'clock they went into The 1anl1 together.
The cashier Of the bank, Nr. c. s. Went
worth, ig on q vacation, anl the bank was
In charge CT the assistant caslIier, Nj, j. j.
Pratt, who, with Il Gccon'l &a5i8tant, Miss
Carrie Palmcr, was b&jancjng the cash
preparatory TO locking it up, They mad
about finished when they heard quite q
loud rap ut the door, and Mr, Pratt, think
ing SGrne one had arrivod late With de-
post, told Miss Palmer to open the door.
Miss Palmer recognized the man who had
left the valise, and, supposing that was
what he was after, unlocked the door. She
was Immediately seized by tie shorter Of
the men, who placed bis hand Oh her
mouth and showed her around through the
back Office to the vault. The other hastily !.
preceded them, and a3 Mr.. Pratt, Who Was
In the vault at the time, opened the door
and started to come out, the Scutj3ing noise !
arouslng his suspicious, lie was dealt
stunning blow with the butt Of q revolver
which lett him unconscious until the VIII
lalns had accomplished their work.
Miss Palmer Jared worse. She WAS
treated III Il most shocking manner. Ihe .
burglars at first stuffed her ni0"tll with /
linen and her own hair, and then beat her
head upon the floor, bruistng and cutting /
her outrageou8ly. She remained COnsci- |
ous until nearly the last, but says She does
not remember hearing the men 90 away.
Both were bound and laid in the vault,
and after the robbers had secured their
plumber the vault door va8 locked.
The men then walked ccoIly ont OF the
house with $18,76905, nbont $l2, 900 Of
which WAS in gold, and made their way
out OF town toward the northeast. They
had been seen to 60 into the bank by sew
eral persons. Others saw them when they
came out with their heavy load Of plumber
In the yallse.
Shortly after they left the bank both the
inmates Of the vault recovered conscious
ness and began pounding and calling for
help. Mr.. Pratt, with silver dime fer 4
screw driver, after Il time aueceeded In re-
moving the combination lock and released
III
t''"'S''' al" ll'i'@"ioiI Alou1 '''E'1 :"