Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-06
AN OPEN BANK VAULT
Tells the Story of a Visit of Cracks.
men to Ereeport.
BONDS AND MONEY WERE STOLEN.
Private Boxes Broken, but the Inner Doors
Stood Out Solid.
THE BANKS CASH WAS NOT REACHED

A bank robbery in Freeport, on the West
Penn Railroad, yesterday, put the residents
all along the line in a fever of excitement.
Nearly everybody seemed to have suffered.
A reporter of The DISPATCH was on the
train that reaches Allegheny at 1i55, and he
heard nothing else discussed after Freeport
was passed except the bank robbery. The
conductor on the train, W. H. Pillow, had
IS 600 worth of negotiable bonds stolen, and
the baggage master on the same train, Will
lam r. Flemming. was out 25 shares Of
Pennsylvania Railroad stock, 80 shares of
Pittsburg, McKeesport and Youghiogheny
stock and note for 500, amounting in all
TO over $500. Others on the train were
losers TO more or less extent
They made an entrance through back
window early in the evening, and at once
began their work of drilling at the vault
They drilled hole near the combination
lock, and, placing in a screw bolt, forced the
lock of on the inside. This opened the
front door, and by doing the same thing
with the inside door they were speedily ad-
mitted to the inside OF the vault.
Their Operations on the Inside.
They then tried TO drill the door of the in
size safe, but it only turned their tools.
They broke the combination lock, but were
unable TO open the small safe. Then they
iurned their attention to the interior of the
large vault which is filled with private boxes
containing money. diamonds, etc. Quite a
number of valuable negotiable papers were
taken among which are the following 4 per
cent coupon bonds:
No A. i4I, of $500; ll25eO, of 500; l95 724, of
slU0 81 q7 Of 500: Il U77 of $50: 77S A. of SI0U
Miss Hannah McClelland. -Four per cents No.
1926. September }, 1879, for $1,000 Registered
4 per cenIs john {. McClelland Nos Sl954,
Il q55 Sl.956. 81. .951. TOR s., 600 each.
Among other III ngs that were stolen were
PlttsburC and Mcheespnrt Railroad bond No.
IS3 $1,000; a lot of Pennsylvania Railroad
stock; $50 IN postage stamps and about 5000 in
cash. over s.. 800 worth OF negotiable Pittsburg
municipal bonds were overlooked. They either
took or DESTROYED many other bonds. and had
they reached the inside safe they would have
made a rich haul
Searching for the Cracksmen.
II was successful enough, however, so far as
the losers are concerned. The two vault doors
and the safe door were removed yesterday
morning. and Will be replaced by others that
cannot be penetrated by drills. Mr.. Vert
heImer. president of the bank, went up yester-
day with a Pittsburg detective, and they are
uarQ al NOlA trying 10 secure a cIew, Dut SO lar
they are completely puzzled. Some few
strangers were in the place on Wednesday and
the detective il busily tracing them all up in
order to reach the right parties.
Judging from their manner Of work they
we're experienced crackSmen, and have no
doubt covered their trail as well as they appear
70 have their arrival.
Il Il impossible to estimate the loss to private
boTholders as great many of the bonds
such as can be easily traced and will never be
presented hy whoever got them. Many were
merely torn up and the pieces scattered about.
Railroad officials and others. whose shares of
stock was in that stolen. were informed and
asked to be on the lookout