Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-04-05
A PRINCE OF ROBBERS.
FOR AUDACITY THIS ONE BEATS
THE RECORD.

COMPELLING A BANK PRESIDENT
TO HAND OVER TWENTY THOU
SAND DOLLARS-A PISTOL AND
4 BOTTLE OF EXPLOSIVE AS
PERsUADERs.
DENVER, Coll, March 9.-The
boldest and most successful bank
robbery eyer reported IN the West
was perpetrated upon the First
National Bank at two o'clock fins
afternoon.
The rObber succeeded in getting
away with $4,000.
The cashier of the bank, in an
interview few minutes after the
robbery, gave the following account
of the affair:
Yesterday morning, Immediately
after the opening of the bank,
well.dressed man, with light mus.
tache and complexion and Of me
dunn height, walked into the bank
and asked Assistant Cashier Ross
Levin where he could see Mr..
Moifat, president of the bank. Mr..
Levin informed him that he could
see Mr.. MOfiat, who is also presl-
dent of the Denver and Rio Grande
Railway, at the presidents Office in
the Cheesman Block. Nothing more
was seen or heard of the stranger
until this morning abOnt ten o'clock
when he entered the rail ay office
and asked to see Mr.. MOiiat on i'm.
portant business. He was admit
ted to his private room, and briefly
stated that he had discovered a
conspiracy whereby the First
National Bank was to be robbed Of
large amount OF money.
Mr.. Moflat told the man he was
very busy at that moment, but
would be pleased to see him at his
private Office in the bank at one
o'clock. With this the man LETT
the building. A few minutes after
the hour appointed he called at the
bank and was SHOWN INTO the pres.
ident's office. While remaining
standing he inquired if the cashier
;. \. Wood, was in, and was told
that he was at lunch. He then
asked for "A blank check for the
purpose of showing how the rob.
berry was to be perpetIated. The
check was handed him. lie laid it
upon the desk in front of Mr..
Mollat and said: 81 will have to
do this myself" and pulling
large revolver from his coat, placed
il at Mr.. Mofiats head, and in a
decidedly earnest but excited man.
mgr said
81 want s2l 900, and am going to
have it; | have considered this
matter, and the chances | am run
ming and the consequences if | fail
and am arrested. am pennlless
and a desperate man, and have
been driven during the past week
to that point where have consid-
cred suicide as the only means OF
escape from the poverty and mis-
cry in which | exist. You have
millions. am determined to have
what have asked for. If you
make noise, call a man, or ring
bell, | will blow your brains out,
and then blow mp the building and
myself with this bottle of glycerlne
(which he at that moment pulled
out Of another pocket. Now take
your cholce.p
MOfiat started to argue with the
man, but was stopped with the IN
formation that it was useless, and
ne had but two minutes in which
to fill ont the check before him for
sol 900, if he desired to live. M0ffat
seeing no other alternative, filed
ont the check, and was then order
ed to take it to the paying teller and
get it cashed. NJ. MOfat left his
Office, and with the man behind him
with the revolver partially conceal
ed under his overcoat and with the
muzzle almost against MOffats
back, marched him behind the
counter and up to paying teller
Keely with the request that the
check be Immediately cashed. They
then remarched into MOfl'at'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.. MO1at that they were
wasting time, and that he had bet.
ter step to the door and motion his
teller to come TO him, which he did.
Moflat instructed him to bring the
money into his Office, and as the
teller turned to 90 away, the rob-
Der told him he wanted twenty
81 600 bills and a thOsand dollars
IN gold. The money was brought
in and handed over to the gentle
man who for a few brief moments
had owned the bank, and, waiting
until the teller had reached his
desk, he backed to the front door,
making Mr. Moffat remain standing
in his door until he had reached
the cuTbstOne. He then raised his
hat and walked around the corner
and has not yet been heard of. MIR.
MoiIat is completely Frustrated
with the shock. Detectives are
out after the man, but no trace OF
him has been found.