The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-12-05
A BANK BROKEN
OPEN BY sxILIFUI BURGLARS
And NOarly Fifteen rhOu.Apd Dollar. TAkon
as the swAE of the Robbsrs-How the
"Job" was workSd-Ths Safe Almost
Blown to Atoms-No Clue.


about four o'clock daring and successful
bank robbery was perpetrated at Freedom
Beaver county, o station on the Pitts
burgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad
by either three or::four professional bank
burglars. The bank was Rutted OF many
valuables, the loss amounting to between
81, 900 and $l5,OOO The particulars Of the
affair, as cleaned from resident Of the
village, are as follows: Bsntel & Co.'s
bank is the only bank in Freedom, and
has done for several years a considerable
business, the proprietors enjoying the
confidence Of the entire business commu-
nifty. The village, being small, does not
employ night-watchmRn, point proba.
bly, known TO the burglars. The bank
building was substautialtwo-story brick,
and 1t was fitted up with q very fine sale.
A family who reside in the upper story
OF the bank wero awakened at O'Clock
this morning BY a deafening crash be-
meath them, but were too terrified TO give
any alarm, thus allowing the burglars
good chance to make clean sweep OF the
contents OF the safe, which had been
blown up with giant powder, as an empty
powder bag lying among the debris this
morning proved. The ordinary shutters
OF the building were pried open with the
usual implements atfording easy ingress to
the interior. The contents Of the safe,
amounting to between twelve and fifteen
thousand dollars, were removed, not so
much as q postage stamp being left. A
quantity OF valuable papers are also said
10 have been taken.
THE ROBBERS ESCAPE.
The frightened family above, peering
ont Of the windows, saw the men in the
half light Of the early morning, emerge
from the banking room and run down the
street. A house dog barked loudly at
them, but it was sllenGsa by pistol shot
from one Of the men. The inhabitants
came out Of their houses but by The time
any plan OF pursuit. could be arranged, the
burglars had entirely disappeared. Several
rough.looking men who claimed to be
stock purchasers were seen around the
tavern OF the village and at Rochester, but
whether or not they were the burglars is
q matter OF mcclure. The building pre-.
sents this morning a badly shattered ap-
pearanca, the shutters being forced of
their hinges, and Rindows broken, etc.
Not tho slightest clue to the burglars could
be obtained. The robbery was skilliully
planned and well executed and must have
been the work OF expert Crooks"
When reporter visited Freedom to.
day, where the bank robbery occurred, as
reported above, the whole town was
in ferment. Business seemed suspended.
Groups OF people stood about the streets
discussing the bold robbery. At the
bank was found Mr.. Bentel, who gave tho
details OF the loss, but was at sea as 10 the
perpetrators, as he lives some distance
from the bank and was not summoned
until some time after the robbery had
been discovered. Mr.. Bsntel said from
the hasty examination made, that he had
found $1,000 in cash, gold, silver and
notes, and s., ,l50 in Government bonds
missing. A pouch containing about $500
in silver was also gone. Scattered oyer
the floor were fragments Of hills, which |
had been burned and mutilated by the
explosion in blowing open the safe, To-
ward the front OF the bank was found q
bag containing $500 in gold and silver
coin, which the thieves had dropped in
their flight.