The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1889-02-14
A GUARD HOUSE
Erected 10 Frustrate the Plans
Of Bank Robbers,
An Old oantonian Writes Inter-
estingly on tho First Night
Waterman In This City,

The other night | passed Jacob Bach
tel, special night Waterman ~ the
Fable Square, and ! was reminded OF
tho irRt WatGhman employed IN Can,
ton, That was sixty years ago, and
theae were tho circumstances which
led 10 the employment OF a Waterman
NJ that early day.
The town had a bank, tho second or
ganized Ia the town known ~ tho
FARMERS hank Of Canton" II was q
reCuaGitatiOn OF the first, and did bual
neaA IA u one story brick building ~
the Northwest corner OF tho Fable
Square, The officers were Orlando
Metealf, q prominent lawyer president,
aud William Fogle srp retired mer'
chant cashier
This WIS before the day Of burglar
proof safes, The substitute ~ THIS
bank was a walled room ton feet square
built OF cut stone, The door was made
OF heavy oak plank covered with plate
iron with an enormous wooden lock
that had 4 Key hole large enough 10 ad
init four ingerb 40 ono tine, The Key
WAS like what IN imagination We TO-
gard q Haatile koy, although too large
and heavy ~ carry 0u your person
without discomfort,
The clerk or teller Of the bank was
William f0gle Jrr and ono morning
while opening up for business he de-
teGted biA Of putty sticking afOunQ the
key hole OF The safe lock, suspicion
being excited by the appearance Of
this putty, a council OF the officers ana
directors Of the bank we're called 20
gcth6r Being satisfied that there %as
q movement on foot " rob tho bauk, "
was decided 10 erect u guard house aud
employ q Waterman,
A wooden structure Of 0GtagOnal
form about live feet la diameter was
put up on the corner Of tho pavement
Immediately In front OF the bank, A
paue VI glass was Inserted aa u lookout
on each side A cannon stove OcGu'
pied ono side, by which II was made
quite comfortable In cold weather
The Waterman employed was Valen
tine Bockiua, u man passed middle
age, who was with Napoleon NJ
MOrC0n and Waterloo Az that
day u mar who had served through the
Revolutionary war or with Napoleon
was considered inyinclblo, OF unQuCa'
toned courage and daring, NJ least by
the boys. BOChlua was u halter by
trade, but W the business was not re-
m%uneratlye he accepted the position OF
bank Waterman, aa u was looked upon
~ one of responsibility aud trust Ills
armOfy or meanaO Of offence aud defence
consisted of u illntl0Ck muaket, g0ner,
.IIU ullk UWad huUnuaI IA HnYHn uiatul
and q heavy cavalry sword, Much OF
his time while on duty he employed In
picking or cardlng wool
Tho boys living near tho public
square, and who were wont 70 COngre'
gate around the old court house 10 play
ohlde and go seek "w0lf" aad such
like Juvenile sports, would often linRer
around the watch house aud drink In
the wonderful stories the old man
would tell "Of moving accidents by
flood and Held, OF hair breadth 'acapca'
aud the like, He would frequently
from the court house pavement cry The
hour OF the night and tho character of
weather. This could DO distinctly
heard several squares distant His cal
for instance was: "rwelye o'clock, ana
u starlight night or Two o'clock ana
all's we'll" II Is needless 10 add that
while this watch was kept up, TO The
time of the removal OF the bank 10 the
corner Of Tuacarawas and Poplar no
attempt NJ robbery was made,
There are but few citizens of Canton
left who did business with the Farmers
Bank NJ the time OF which | write,
q, 4, Browning, John Laird and DAME!
Dewalt are the only persons left who
have not had their last check discount
ed. Banks and currency was much
more of u disturbing element then than
now. The country was full OF all s0rte
OF what was then designated "Wlld
Cat aud "lied Dog" currency aud you
were NJ Il loss 10 know whether what
you received at par to-day would not
be quoted NJ u heavy discount or an
nOunC0l broke tomorrow, Every bus
mess man took u Bank Note Reporter,
which he was Obliged 10 consult daily
Schemers were starting banks In every
nook and corner of the country The
MormOna had Il bank Of issue NJ kltt'
land, on the Reserve, aud u syndicate
started "fh0 Orphans Institute bank
NJ Fulton, and the "Owl Creek and
numerous other swindling concerns
that played sad havoc with the farming
community In the purchase of produce,
N Is 10 be hoped, the country will
never again be subjected to such u