The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-04-04
a Champion Bank Robber.

A Champion Bank Robber.
DENVER, COL, March 29.-The bold.
est and most successful bank robbery ever
reported in the West was perpetrated on
the First National Bank at 2 O'Clock this
afternoon. The robber succeeded in
getting away With S21 900. The cashier,
in an interview with an Associated Press
reporter few minutes after the robbery,
gave the following account of the affair:
Yesterday morning Immediately after
the opening of the bank we'll dressed
man with light mustache and complex
ion, and of medium height, walked into
the bank and asked Assistant Cashier
Ross Levin where he could see Mr.. Moi
fat, the president of the bank. Levin
informed him that he could see Mofat,
who is also president of the Denver and
Rio Grande Railroad, at the presidents
Office in the Cheesman block. Nothing
more was seen or heard of the stranger
till this morning about ten o'clock, when
he entered the railroad Offices, and asked
to SEQ Moffat Immediately. He was ad.
mitted to his private room, and briefly
stated that he had discovered conspiracy
whereby the First National Bank was to
be robbed of g large amount of money.
Mof1at told the ma ! that he was very
busy at the moment but would be pleased
to see him at his private oficein the bank
at l 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 ofice-while
remaining standing he asked if Cashier S.
N. Wood was in, and was told that he was
at lunch. He then asked for q blank
check for the purpose of showing how the
robbery was to be perpetrated. The
check was handed him, he laid iG on the
desk in front of Mofat and said : II will
have to do this myself" and pulling
large revolver from his coat, placed it
at Mofat's head, and in decidedly ear
nest, but unexcited manner, said 81
want S21 900, and am going to have it.
I have considered the matter and the
chances I am running, and the conse.
quences if fail and am arrested. I am
a penniless aud desperate man and have
been driven during the past week to that
point where I have considered suicide as
The only means of escape from the power.
erty and misery in which I exist. You
have millions. I am determined to have
what I asked for. If you make noise,
call out or ring bell, will blow your
brains out and then blow up the building
and myself with this bottle of glycerine
| (which he at that moment pulled out of
another pocket.) Now, take your
choice"
Moffat started to argue with the man
but he was stopped with the information
| it was useless and that he had but two
minutes in which to fill out the check
before MIN for $21,0OO if he desired to
live. Mofat. seeing no other alter ative,
| filled out the check and was then ordered
to take it to the paying teller and get it
cashed. Mofat left the Office and with
the man behind him with the revolver
partially concealed under his overcoat
| and with the muzzle almost against Mof
fats back, marched him behind the
counter and up to Paying Teller Kelley
with request that the check be immedi-
ately cashed. They then remarched into
Mohat's Office without attracting the at.
tention of 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
Uniformed Moffat that they we're wasting
time and that he had better step to the
door and motion his teller to come to
him, which he did. Mofat instructed
him to bring the money into his Office,
and as the teller turned to 60 away the
robber told him he wanted 81 900 bills to
the number of twenty and 81 ,C00in gold,
The money was brought in and handed
over to the gentleman, who for few
brief moments had owned the bank, and
waiting until the teller reached his
desk, he backed to the front door, making
Moffat remain standing in his door till be
reached the curbstone. he then raised
his hat and walked around the corner
and has not yet been heard Of. Mofat is
completely prostrated with the shock.
Detectives are out after the man, but no
trace has been found.
The robber, it is learned, introduced
himself to President Moffat as O. j.
Wells. The name, however, is probably
assumed. The moment after the alarm
was given by Motfat the man started
rapidly up 18th street from the bank fol.
lowed by a crowd and several officers.
BE was followed to room Il Halleck and
Howard block, where he and two COM
panions we're arrested and taken to the
station house:
Moffatt arrived at police headquarters
about 4 o'clock, and after glance at the
prisoner said he was not the man and he
was Immediately released. TIE prisoner
proved to be a well.known business man
by the name of Clark. The chief of po.
lice has offered a reward of 81, 500 for the
arrest of the robber.