The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-18
THE CRIMINAL CALENDAR.
Cool and Daring Robbery of a New
Orleans Bank.
Scheller Observation-Disclosures Murder ID
Confession of Condemned
Murderer-Other Grimes.
A COOL BANK ROBBERY.
Waterman Gagged, Lunch Eaten. and Big
Booty Carried Off

New ORLEANS, April 1.-THE Associated
Press yesterday morning gave the bare -act
that robbery had been committed on the
Metropolitan Savings Bank of this city.
Later disclosures show it to have been of the
coolest and most daring character. The
burglars began their operations in a vacant
building on Charities street, adjoining the
bank. They cut off two sections of the pulley
rope of the matches of the vacant store and
procuring some ropes of lighter texture,
manufactured strong rope ladder. This
they fastened in a window vi the second
story, and threw the other end over the roof
of the closet until it reached the yard of the
bank. Prior to descending, by means OF
the rope ladder, however, the thieves made
preparations for hasty and unlmpeded
retreat in case of necessity.
The thieves then descended into the yard
OF the bank and began drilling whole into
the rusty iron door which led into the bed
room OF the private Waterman. They soon
had drilled a hole large enough to pass
through, and they stood inside the bank.
How long the burglars had been in the bank
when Private Waterman Contino went on
duty at 9 o'clock is matter of conjecture.
Contlno became aware of their presence in
most unwelcome way. He entered the bank
through the Canal-street door, and proceeded
to his bedroom in search of his pistol As
he entered the room he was set upon by
three men, and after desperate struggle was
overpowered and gagged. After being bound
and gagged, Contino says he was blinded and
wrapped in blanket to prevent him from
making any noise. He attempted to give
the alarm, but pistol was placed against his
head and stern whisper, Keep quiet" ad-
monished him to desist and thereafter he re-
manned quiet and listened to the movements
of the burglars The three who assaulted
him were joined by two Others; one was left
as guard over the Waterman and the others
moved toward the vault.
About 2 o'clock the inner door of the safe
was blown open with loud report, and the
burglars entered. Contino heard them break
ing open the bank boxes and rattling the sill
yer coin for at least two hours. Shortly
after o'clock, the cracksmen, evidently sat
ished with the booty they had secured, left
the bank one by one. Contino managed to
get his feet free after some effort and dragged
himself to the Chartres street door of the
bank, where he was seen by private watch
man, who came to his assistance and I'M
bound his hands and removed the gag. An
alarm was given at once but thus far no
trace has been found of the burglars Con-
tino says they were all powerful men, with
their faces concealed by silk masks An in
spection of the bank showed that they
worked with great deliberation and with
sense of the utmost security. The remains
of a lunch spread and eaten by them in the
presidents room was sufficient evidence that
they were in no hurry. The condition
OF the bank vault developed the same fact
They paid little attention to the heaps
of silver on the Shelves but devoted them
selves to the private bank boxes, some of
them containing articles of great value.
About fifty of these were forced open ana
rihed of their contents. The burglars made
no attempt to open the banks burglar-proof
safe, apparently being satisfied with the
booty they had secured. They scooped up
several thousand dollars in loose silver, but
evidently regarded this of comparatively lit
tie value, as over 81, 900 that they had pre-
pared to take away was left behind. This
morning a bag containing $500 more was
found under "a street-crossing short distance
from the bank, where it had been thrown.
The amount of loss has not been ascertaned.
The bank officers are extremely retcent.
They admit that the burglars got away with
50, 500 in silver and intimate that this is the
sum total of the banks 10 S. The amount
taken from the private boxes is also mat
ter of conjecture, as owners have not yet an
opportunity to examine them Some very
heavy losses are reported. The sum total is
variously estimated at from $4,000 to
som 0OO