Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-03-30
Jesse James Revived
q Single Robber "HoIds Up"
a Bank President,
AND GETS CLEAR WITH $4,000

In Broad Daylight and I'm tae Midst of
the Bank Employes-Startiing Nerve Of
the Perpetrator-He Forces the Presi-
dent to Do His Will at the Muzxle of
the Revolver, Coolly Indicating the
Kind of Money He Wants, and Then
Disappears.
DENVER, March 30 "A robber entered the
First National bank here at I:30 yesterday
afternoon, "held up" the officers and robbed
the paying teller of S2l,O 900 The cashier
gives the following account OF the robbery:
Thursday morning, just after the bank
opened well dressed man with light mus
tache and complexion, and of medium height,
walked into the bank and asked Assistant
Cashier Ross levin where he could see Mr.
Merritt Moffatt, president of The bank.
Mr.. levin informed him that he could
see Mr.. Moffatt, who is also president of
the Denver and Rio Grande railroad, at tho
presidents Office in the CheeseInan block
Nothing more was seen or heard Of the
stranger till yesterday morning about 10
O'Clock, when he entered the railroad office
eAAA e@SANN W oOO -Ai' -i4OiAdlt Ou important
business. He was admitted to Mr.. Moffatt's
private room and briefly stated that he had
discovered a conspiracy whereby the First
National bank was TO be robbed of a large
amount of money. Mr.. Moffatt told the
man that he was very busy at that moment,
but would be pleased to meet him at his pri-
vate 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 stand
ing he inquired il the cashier, s. n, Wood.
was in and was told that he was at lunch.
He then asked for blank check for the pur-
pose OF showing how the robbery was to be
perpetrated. The check was handed to him.
He laid it upon the desk in front of Mr..
Moffatt and said:
Il will have to do this myself aud pulling
large revolver from his coat placed it at
Mr. Mofatt's head, and in decidedly earn
est but uneNcited manner said:
Il want go, 900 and am going 10 have it: I
have considered this matter and the chances
am running and the consequences if fail
and am arrested. am penniless and des-
perate man, and have been driven during
the past week to that point where have
considered suicide as the only means of escape
from the poverty and misery in which ex-
ist You have millions. / am determined
TO have what have asked for. II you make
a noise, call a man or ring bell will blow
your brains out, and then blow up the build
ing and myself with this bottle of nitro
glycerine lpuliing bottle from his pocket
Now take your choice"
Mr.. Moffatt started to argue with the man,
but was stopped with the information that it
was useless, and that be had but two minutes
to fill out the check before him for S2l 900 If
he desired TO live. Mr. Moffatt, seeing no
alternative, filed out the check, and was
then ordered 70 take it to the paying teller
and get 1t cashed Mr. Moffatt left his Office.
and the man behind him with the revolver
partially concealed under his overcoat and
the mu1zle almost against Mr. Motfatt's
back, marched the president behind the
counter and up to Paying Teller Kelley, with
the request that the check be Immediately
cashed. They then remarchcd into Mr.. Mot
fats 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 robbar informed
and that he had better step to the door and
motion the paying teller to come TO him,
which he did Mr.. Moffatt ordered Keeley
to bring the money into his Office and as
Kelley turned 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 curbstone. He then walked around the
corner and disappeared The detectives
have as vet been unable to find any trace
of..the man Mr.. Moffatt is prostrated by
the shock
The robber introduced himself as c. J.
Wells After the alarm was given man
who had been seen walking rapidly from
the vicinity of the bank up Sixteenth street
was followed TO a room in the Hallock &
Howard block, where be was arrested with
two companions, but on seeing him Mr..
Moffatt said that he was not the robber, and
1t was soon learned that the prisoner was a
well known business man named Clark He
and his companions were released
A reward Of 81, 500 has been offered by the
police for the arrest Of the robber, who il de-
scribed as follows: Age, 80 years; height,
feet, inches; complexion, swarthy weight,
40 pounds; heavy brown mustache; badly
sunburned; derby hat; light brown over
coat; long linked, plated watch-chain. There
Il much excitement over the affair.
Up 70 IL p. m yesterday there had been no
developments In the case The robber seems
to have disappeared as If swallowed I'D by
the earth. Cashier Wood and Teller Keeley
can give no very clear description of the
man or of what occurred, as they saw
nothing to particularly attract their atten-
ton. The police have but slight clues to
work on.