Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-01-15
STRANGER THAN FICTION.
The story Of che Robbery OF the Ian
caster Bank at Clinton, Mass,

The story OF che Robbery OF the Ian
caster Bank at Clinton, Mass,
AND THE FINDING OF THE sPoILs AMONG THE
ROCKS ON LONELY MOUNTAIN IN T1NMoUTH
HOW THE BANK VAULT WAS CLEANED OUT
THE ooNsPIRAToBs THE WRECKED MARBLE
COMPANY AT RUTLAND.
A Rutland despatch printed In last weeks
issue told of the finding Of $l65, 900 Of funds
Of the wrecked Lancaster National bank OF
Clinton, Mass, hidden in two valises in
lonely spot in Tinmouth, 10 miles from Rut-
land. The detectives who made this find"
took the valises by the midnight train Thurs
day night TO Boston, where they were lodged
In the office of Chief Of Police Wade. A
hasty examination showed that one Of the
bags, an ordinary hand satchel, was crowded
full of bank bills, done up in packages as is
customary in banks, TO the amount OF Si6,-
lG5. The other and larger bag, made Of alli-
gator leather, was packed with the banks
bonds and securities of various kinds, repre-
senting face value Of $l6j 600. Chief Wade
took this plunder to Clinton Friday morning,
where ii was inventoried by Bank Examiner
Gatchell. Clinton people were overjoyed at
the capture OF McNeil's stealings, but the
stockholders and depositors now understand
that part of this large amount OF securities
was merely held AZ collateral by the bank, as
the stock Of the Rutland marble quarry com
pany, a quasi-fraudulent concern organized
by parties who have had hand in wrecking
the Lancaster bank.
When President Mcneil OF the wrecked
bank absconded on the night Of Dec. 29tb he
took with him all the valuable contents Of the
bank vault, and was accompanied by young
man named Chas H. Veo. This young man
was finally traced by the police to Rutland,
and be wes there arrested on Tuesday OF last
week. When brought TO Clinton he at first
denied all knowledge of McNeils movements
but after long talk with the officers Wednes-
day afternoon, in which the Inconsistencies
of his story we're pointed out to him, he final.
ly realized the peril Of his position.
'lf give up the securities will 1t save me2'
he asked.
"where are they 2" demanded Chief Wade.
MIR. Barnum has them, at Rutland, was
the reply.
"Will he surrender them on your order?'
"Yes, sir"
Write it," directed the chief, and Veo
wrote an order to Il l.. Barnum, bookkeeper
OF the West Rutland marble company, direct.
ing him to deliver to bearer the two sAtchels
that had been left with him for conoeslment
the week previous. The chief sent Detective
Dyson in great haste in search Of the secuTi-
ties, which were recovered as above stated.
The arrest OF DIR. Z N Nelson, president OF
the marble company. was ordered by telegraph
Thursday night, aud took place Friday morn
ing. Nelson went to Rutland about two years
ago, and was reported to be rich man. He
is a son in-law OF Eben Tourjee, the well.
known director Of the New England conser-
vatory Of music at Boston. Flushed with
making about SAC, 600 in telephone stock, he
speculated in the same cattle companies which
it WAS a. frst thought wrecked Mcneil, and
then undertook the marble business, which
he knew but little about. This has resulted
in a complete failure. The managers how
ever, have thrown a cloak over the losing in
vestment by driving fast horses and living eX-
travagantly, aud it Was the wonder among
Rutland marble men how they got the money.
They say that nearly $4,000 must have
been sunk in the quarry by eItrAvagant man
agement. The company's affairs are now in
bad shape, and several attachments have bee n
made upon its property by creditors
DR.. Nelson was first known in Lowell, Mass,
as a streetcar conductor. Then he studied
dentistry, threw out shiDgle in the most
pretentious block in Lowell, hired two assist
ants, aid carried on good business. Final
ly he got into good society, lived rather fast,
aud soon developed rs a wildcat specuator
OF the approved sort as many Lowell citizens
know to their cost He came 20 be regarded
a. a dangerous man to deal with and an &C.
complished liar. Charles II. Veo, upon whose
confession the detectives got their clue to the
N ssDg funds, is fine-looking fellow of %,
who studied in DR. Nelson's office at Lowell,
and finally entered the Harvard dental school
He was quick at figures, and after DR.. Nelson
took charge OF his marble interests at Rut-
land, he put him in as expert book-keeper"
to look over the oompany's finances and see
il there was any deficiency in the accounts.
l. l.. .has ~ ~ H.,
made a tool of him, and hoped to retrieve
their losses in quarrying marble by robbing
the Lancaster bank.
How the Bank was Robbed and the
SECURITIES Hidden and Recovered.
veos story TO the officers of his connection
with Nelson and Mcneil, and of the way the
bank was deliberately cleaned out, was As fol-
lows:
II have been studying dentistry in Lowell
with DIR. Z. N Nelson. When DR.. Nelson
became interested in the West Rutland marble
company he gave me employment examining
the compsny's books early in December. /
first met Mcneil at the Adams House in Bos.
ton about Dec. IS A meeting of the marble
| company directors was held there that day. /
| made partial report upon the condition Of
the books, stating that they were not in salts
factory shape. 1t was voted to declare the
office of treasurer vacant, thereby deposing
| w. w. Clark. Mr.. Mcneil was chosen to fill
| the vacancy. He wrote a letter to Clark, no.
tifying him Of the action Of the directors, and
then declared that he could not attend to the
duties Of the office, resigned, and few min
utes later was chosen treasurer. On the
following Wednesday Mr.. Mcneil was injured
in the Billerica railroad accident, and / was
sent for to go to him at Lowell. Visited him
| there at the house OF Mr.. Batchelder on Sat
urday, the 2Gth. The following Monday l
learned from him OF the critical condition OF
affairs and OF the plan 10 rob the bank. l
| allowed him to direct me, but did not receive
| de finite promise about any share in the bust
ness On Monday evening he said he must
| raise some money for immediate use, and ask
ed me to request DIR. Chadbourne OF Lowell
| to make six months note for $4,000, which
l should endorse. Iprocured the note OF DR..
Chadbourne endorsed it, and delivered it TO
Mr.. Mcneil. That gentleman said he must
at once get some securities from the bank on
which to raise money. He asked me to drive
to Clinton that night with a note TO the cash
| ier, and get the securities. | agreed, and left
Lowell about midnight, reaching Clinton ct
| 6:30 Tuesday morning. / found Forester
the cashier, at the bank, and on giving him
McNei's note be made up package of papers
and delivered them to me. / drove to Nc
Neils house, and girl came to the door and
| nhuutu u bhlCuclt ar mCINell bhlu buo NOulu
do. Then l took train to Boston, and met
Mcneil at Mr.. Bacalls Office He spent the
greater part of the day trying to raise money
on the securities, but said he did not succeed
as well as he expected. We left Boston at 3
O'Clock, and reached Clinton about 6. Nc
Neil and went at once to the bank. No one
was there. Mcneil unlocked the door, and
we went in. He went to the vault and open
ed it, telling me to pull down the curtains
which did. looked on while he cleaned
out the safe and stuffed the money and secur-
ties into two satchels which we had. We left
the building at once, and hired hack. driver
to take US to Fltchburg, where we arrived in
time to take the night train north. Mcneil
told me he was going to Canada. We met
Dr. Nelson, and got of at Rutland with the
satches, and with DR.. Nelson sought BArnum,
the bookkeeper of the marble company. Hs
took the bags, after making some obj jsctions,
and agreed to conceal them in a lonely spot. "
When Detective Dyson reached Rutland on
Thursday morning he found Barnum at the
Office of the marble company. He was very
much worried over the two mysterious satch-
els that had been left in his care, as he more
than suspected that they contained some of
the property stolen from the Lancaster bank.