Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-03-30
1e|egTaphic Tidings
DAVID WAS DONE UP.
Banker Mofratt Forced to Sign Check
for $4,000 by Denver
Hold-up.
An Affahle Man with Nerve and Nitro.
Glycerine-A Most Remark
able Crime.

| cesstul robbery, in many respects the
| most remarkable in the criminal annals
of the west, was perpetrated upon the
! First National bank in this city at 2
O'Clock yesterday afternoon. David X.
Mofatt, the president of the bank, WAS
the victim, and the robber succeeded in
getting away with cash to the amount Of
$2l 900.
Cashier Wood, OF the bank, gives the
Associated Press reporter the following
statement of the affair:
On Thursday morning Immediately
after the opening Of the bank we'll
dressed man, with light mustache and
complexion and of medium height,
walked into the bank and asked the as.
sistant cashier, Ross levin, where he
could see Mr.. Motl,at, the president of the
bank. Ross Levin informed him that he
could see Mr.. Moilat, who is also presi-
dent OF the Denver & Rio Grande
railway, at the presidents Office in the
Cheeseman block. Nothing more was
seen or heard of the stranger until
Friday morning about 10o'clock, when he
entered the railway office and asked to
see Mr.. Mofatt on important business
He was admitted to his private room and
briefly stated that he had discoved a
conspiracy whereby the First National
was to be robbed of large amount OF
money. Mr.. Molfatt told the man he was
very busy at that moment but would be
pleased to meet him at his private Office
in the bank at O'Clock. With this the
man left the building. A few minutes
after the hour appointed he called at the
bank and was shown into the presidents
office. While remaining standing he in
quired for Cashier S. n. Wood and was
told that he was at luncheon. He then
asked for a blank check for the
purpose of showing how the robbery
was to be perpetrated. The check was
handed to him. He laid it upon the desk
before Mr.. Motfatt and said, " will have
to do this myself" and pulling n large
revolver from his coat and placed it at
Mr.. Motfutt's head and in decidedly
earnest but unexcited manner said: 81
want S2l 900 and am going to have it. |
have considered this matter and the
chances | am running and the conse-
quences il fail and am arrested. am
penniless and desperate man and have
been driven during the past week to that
point where have considered suicide as
the only means of escape from the power
ty and misery in which | exist. You have
millions and am determined to have
what | asked for or your life. ii you
make noise, call q man, or ring bell I
will blow your brains out and then blow
up the building and myself with this bot
tie of nitro glycerne (Which he at that
moment pulled out of another pocket.
Now take your choice"
Mofiat started to argue with the man.
but was stopped with the information
that it was useless, and he had but two
minutes in which to fill out the check be-
fore him for $2l 900 if he desired to live.
Mofiatt seeing no other alternative, filled
out the check, and was then ordered to
take it to the paying teller and get it
cashed. Moffatt left his office, and with
the man behind him with the revolver
partially concealed under his oyercoat,
and with the muzzle almost against Moi
fatt's back, he marched behind the
counter and up to Paying Teller Kelley,
with the request that it be Immediately
cashed They then remarched into
Mofiatts Office without attracting the at
tention of one 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
wasting time and that he had better step
to the door and motion his teller to come
to him, which he did. Moffatt instructed
him to bring the money into his office,
and as the teller turned to 60 away the
.robber told him that he wanted twenty
81 900 bills and 81 900 in gold The mo-
ney was brought in and handed over to
the gentleman who for few brief mo-
ments had owned the bank, and waiting
until the teller had reached his desk, he
backed out to the front door, making Mr.
MoiIatt remain standing in his door until
he had reached the curbstone. He then
raised his hat and walked around the
corner, and has not yet been heard Of.
Mr.. Motfatt is completely Frustrated with
the shock. Detectives are out after the
man, but as yet there is no trace of him.