The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1891-09-22
BIG BANK ROBBERY.
AMERICAN CROOKS GETTING POS
SESSION OF MILLIONS IN
LONDON.

Especlal.to Tmn Womb. j

LONDON, September 22.-The bank
ing world of this city has just been
startled by the announcement that an
important bank robbery has taken
place in this city. The police and bank
officials are trying to keep the matter
as quiet as possible, so that the entire
facts in the case are not obtainable at
present. 1t is known, however, that
the institution that has suffered is the
London and Westminster Bank dimit-
ed. No. Al, Lathbury, e. c., an inn
portant establishment, having over 10
branch houses in this city.
The money stolen, it would appear,
consisted Of large parcel Of bills re-
mitted from the country banks to the
London and Westminster Bank. The
thief or thieves must have cleverly
watched for the proper opportunity to
accomplish the robbery and to have
SuAhOt 0NAeso " dh 0p0iIiAANhb hc"A
the main, entrance to the bank. This
apartment was easy of access from the
street, and the parcel Of bills is sup
posed to have been stolen while the
bank officials were busily engaged in
another apartment, in going over the
accounts of last weeks settlement.
Both Mr.. William Astle, the town
manager Of the bank, and Mr.. H. X.
Billinghurst, the country manager, de-
cline to make any statement for publ
cation as to the actual loss incurred by
the London and Westminster Bank,
but it is currently reported that the
amount stolen is not less than $780,
600, and that it may amount to as
much as 81, 25O,0O0.
The bank officers, the city police au-
thorities and the Criminal Investiga-
ton Department of Scotland Yard are
putting forth the utmost exertions in
order to effect the capture of the
thieves. Notice Of the robbery has
been sent to the police centers through
out the British Isles and on the Cont
nent, and the sailing of every passenger
vessel is being watched. Notice Of the
robbery has also been sent to all the
banks upon which the bills were
drawn, but the police theory is that no
attempt will be made to change the
bills in this country, but that the
thieves will have recourse to the Con-
tinent, where the presence of SO many
wealthy travellers from England and
the United States makes such transac-
tons easier than IN this country.
This robbery of the London and
Westminster Bank recalls thefact that
on February 10th last, similar daring
bank robbery took place in the same
neighberhood Upon that occasion a.
stylishly-dressed man accosted in- the
National Provincial Bank of England,
No. III Bishopgate- Within, clerk
from the London branch of the Bank
of Scotland. This clerk was in the act,
of making the deposit of nearly
100000 at the public counter of the
National Provincial Bank, and when
spoken to by the stranger he turned to-
wards him and replied to his question.
Though this conversation only lasted a
moment or so, an accomplish Of the
stylish stranger snatched from the
clerk wallet containing Bank Of Eng
land notes TO the amount named and
decamped. In the confusion which fol
lowed, both the stranger and his ac-.
complice, supposed by the police to be
American bank sneaks, made their
escape. The booty thus obtained in
cluded Bank of England notes of vari-
Gus denominations from Ct 900 down
ward, and, so far as known, neither
the thieves nor their plumber have
since been heard Of.
It win also be remembered that quite
it was reported that the Bank |
Of England had ,been robbed Of
f250, 900, statement which was de-
MED by the officers Of that bank.
At the time of the National Provin-
pial Bank robbery, the police authori-
ties claimed that it was the biggest
haplr of money made by bank
sneaks in generation, i