Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-07-24
DARING Robbery.
4 Seek Thsii Csp.uess $4,000 i,om
an Ess'ou, Pa Bapk.

EAsroN, Pa , July ~ The double doors
Of the Esson National Bank building. q
handsome structure in the very heart OF the
business section Of the city, stood wide
open at noon Tuesday, revealing the in
terror to pssssfs by ard the large plate
elAes windows were also swung open, CIV
ing an unob.fructed view Of the counting
room. The floor is almost level with the
pavement, and the vault doors, desks and
furniture can be seen plainly from the
street. The lobby, which extends arouud
The partition, including the space occupied
by the, clerks, has a tile floor. No one
can enter the building without being seen
from any portion of it. The vaults hive
the additional protection of 40 iron grating.
which extends out into the counting room
1t was thought that robbery in such n
place would be impossible, and yet $4,000
was stolen there. Three men were
engaged Ia the robbery. First a nicely
dressed man entered, and going to the dis
count window, asked:
what il your name?'
"Bixler, answered the clerk
you are the man I want 70 see. then, !"
said the stranger. 81 represent the Bix'er
estate 10 Germany and then he b. gan 10
talk With Me-. Bixler relative to 4 fortune
left in the old country for the Bixlef heirs.
After some conversation he left. A few
minutes after he entered a man stepped to
the teller's window. and addressed Chief
Bookkeepef Frank Sleter. Who vas serving
in the absence at dinner Of Jacob Holt, the
teller. He asked Mr.. Sleser to aecept $50,
which he prohered, and hold it for .
note WHICH would soon fall due 10
the bank. Mr.. Sleter told him ii
was not The custom to do business in that
way where the makers Of notes kept no &C.
count at ihs bank. However, the stranger
could open an account il he liked. While
saving this Mr. Sleter was counting the
racksse Of morey. He found 10 to contain
70 doliars ard told the man to take it back
to the place where he got it and have the
mistake corrected.
The stranger got Mr.. Slster to count it
again, and thea saying that he was satisfied
theipsckaee was short, left the bank. He had
held Mr.. Sleter's at 'entlon about three min
utes. A few minutes lstsr Mr. Siefer missed
package Of one-dollar bills which had
been in q cafe inside the mony vault in the
rear Of the counting room. VIM. Hsckett,
the cashier. returned from dinner at one
o'clock, and Mr. Sleter informed him. An
investigation was m sde st once, and ii vas
found that . package containing $4,000,
mostly in one dollar bills, was gone. The
picsage vss bulky, and how the thief got Il
out unobseived u my stery. The thief 10
man with beard, we'll dressed ar wearing
ienois shoes With rubber coles. Mr. Sie.er
saw bim come in while he vas talking to
stranger No. Stranger No. 3 went to
desk at the left and began to write. Mr..
Sietsr does not remember seeing him after
that time. Tho theory is that this man
e1ttted the cashiers room from the lobby,
entered the counting room mex, creps
under table. and getting into tie vault,
grabbed The first package he could, making
his exit from the bank swiftly. He made
q good hsul, but just . foot away was q
smallsr pscksgs containing $40 600, and
within spaes four feet ,qu,rs sn1 IL
inches from his band were 100000
Mos; Of this vas N the upper part of the
safe
The whole affair took place in lees than
fve minutes. People were psssiag in front
OF the bark con,t,ntly. II il usually the
custe m TO have thrse cle,ks 10 the bar X Al
the noon hour The back will not feel the
loss, ~ il hiss tur. lus fand OF 800 coo
and Idivided profits IF abs GOO