Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-04-04
A COOL ROBBEE,

Piece of Audacity Which Puts the Ro-
nance of Claude Duval In the Shade-A
Denver Bank President Gives Up Sal.
900 Under the Most Dramatic Circum-
stances. While Surrounded by Fifteen OF
Twenty Clerks.
DENVER, Col, March 30.-The cashier of
the First National Bank gives the fol.
lowing account of the robbery Of that in
stitution yesterday. Thursday morning,
just after the bank opened, a weli-dressed
| man with light moustache and COM
plexion and Of medium height, walked
into the bank and asked Assistant Cashier
Ross levin where he could see Mr.. Mer-
rift Moffatt, president OF the bank. Mr..
Levin informed him that he could see
Mr.. Moffatt, who is also president OF the
Denver & Rio Grande railroad, at the
presidents Office in the Cheseman Block
Nothing more was seen or heard of tho
stranger till yesterday morning about
ten O'Clock, when he entered the railroad
office and asked to see Mr.. Moffatt on inn
portant business. He was admitted to
Mr.. Moffatt's private room and briefly
stated that he had discovered a conspir-
acy whereby the First National Bank was
to be robbed of large amount OF money.
Mr.. Moffatt told the man hat he was very
busy at that moment. but would be
pleased to meet him 9i mis- private Office
in the bank at one o'clock. With this the
man left the building.
few minutes after the hour appointed,
he called at the bank and was shown into
the presidents Office. While remaining
standing he inquired if the cashier, S. n.
Wood, was in, and vas told that he was
out at lunch. He then asked for blank
check for the purpose of showing how the
robbery was to be perpe trated. The
check was handed him. He laid it upon
the desk in front OF Mr.. Moffatt, and said:
81 will have to do this myself" And
pulling a large revolver from his coat,
placed it at Mr.. Moffatt's head and in a
decidedly earnest but unexcited manner
ssaid: 81 want twenty-one thousand dol
lars, and am going to have it. I have
considered this manner and the chances I
am running and the consequences if I
fail and am arrested. l am a penniless
and desperate man, and have been
driven during the past week to that point
where l have considered suicide as the
only means of escape from the poverty
and misery in which I exist. You have
millions. l am determined to have what
have asked for. If you make noise,
call man, or ring a bell, will blow
your brains out and then blow up the
building and myself with this bottle of
nitro glycerine quilting a bottle from his
pocket). Now take your choice"
Mr.. MOffatt started to argue with the
man, but was stopped with the informa-
ton that it was useless, and that he had
but two minutes in which to fill out the
check before him for 81 900 if he desired
to live. Mr.. Moffatt, seeing no alterna-
tive, filled out the check, and was then or
dered to take it to the paying teller and
get il cashed. Mr.. Moffatt left his Office,
and the man behind him, with the revolv-
er partially concealed under his overcoat
and the muzzle almost against Mr.. Mof-
fats back, marched the president behind
the counter and up to Paying-Teller
Kelley, with the request that the check be
immediately cashed. They then re-
marched into Mr.. Moffatt's Office without
attracting the attention of the fifteen or
twenty clerks who were busy at work
within two feet of where they passed.
After they had remained in the private
Office three or four minutes, the robber
Informed Mr.. Moffatt that they were vast
ing time and that he had better step to
the door and motion the paying teller to
come to him, which he did. Mr.. Moffatt
ordered Kelley to bring the money into
his office, and as Kelley turned to go
away, the robber told him he wanted
twenty 81 900 bills and 81 900 in gold. The
money was brought in and handed to the
robber, who backed out OF the room door,
raising his hat as he reached the curb
stone. He then walked around the corr
ner and disappeared. The detectives have
as vet been unable to find any trace of
the man.
Mr.. Moffatt is Frustrated with the shock.