The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-12-13

Empty Safe Tells the story.
SOUTH BEND, Dec. 7-Special-Be-
tween u and l o'clock today, while the
bank officials We're gone to dinner, the
South Bend national bank was entered
and robbed of many thousands Of dol
lars. The exact amount taken cannot
be known until the cash is balanced by
the cashier, Myron Campbell.
The bank was entered by prying open
a rear door, the safe was forced open
and a part Of the contents taken in mid
day on one of the principal streets Of
this city, the robbers escaping without
being seen or leaving any clue whatever
to their identity.
From all indications it is evident that
the job was done by some parties well
acquainted with the lay of the vault
and the movements Of its officials.
For daring and success the robbery
surpasses anything that has occurred
in this part of the state since the Ken
dallville train robbery.
SOUTH BEND. Dec. Press ois-
patch.-The South Bend national bank,
one Of the largest banks in northern
Indiana, was robbed Of over $4,000 to-
day.
The robbery was committed in broad
daylight, while hundreds Of people We're
on the street, and the robbers succeeded
in getting away with their booty with
out leaving the slightest clue.
Chief benjamin Rose was at once in
formed and set is officers at work i'm
mediately, but u to this hour no trace
of the men ha 5een obtained.
Every train or other means OF leaving
the city is carefully watched and the
officers hope to obtain some tangible
clue before tomorrow. Chief Rose be
lieves there were no less than four men
in the gang and possibly more.
Cashier Myron Campbell remained at
the bank. which is in the heart of the
city, until all the employees We're gone.
He then, as he supposed locked the
middle door Of the big vault and left
everything in the usual shape at noon
recess. 1t was 1915 o'clock when he
left
At 1880 he returned, entering by the
front street door. He passed down the
corridor alongside the cashiers. collec-
tors and other desks and turned to his
left to enter the door opening back Of
this line Of continuous desks. As he
was about to enter the door his foot
struck a chisel; he picked it up, but
thought nothing of the matter as the
plumbers had been in the building and
had passed by where he found the
chisel he thinking they had dropped it
Ten minutes later, when John
VI. Brown arrived, Mr. Campbell
showed him the chiseI Mr.. Browns
suspicious were aroused to such an ex-
tent that an investigation was imme-
diately instituted. The men found a
rear window open, the back door un-
locked and the door between the direct
oIs' room and the counting room mutt
lated.
A rush was then made for the vault.
The door was as Mr.. Campbell left it.
They swung il back and examined the
safe within. A glance showed that
money had been taken, but they could
not tell how much. The police was at
once notified and this afternoons busi-
ness went on about as usual.
No particular effort was made to de-
termine the exact amount until the
days balances We're made up, when it
developed that the robbers secured S15,-
900. There is little doubt that the bank
haps weeks. 1t is located on n. Michi-
gan-st. and has an immense plate glass
front The cashier IS located less than
ten feet front and his desk, books and
currency are always in plain sight
From across the street one can see
clear through to the directors room and
all over the counting room, the vault
doors being in plain view. At the doors
and windows are heavy curtains, but
these We're up at the time of the rob-
berry and every portion of the large
counting room was fully exposed with a
stream of people continually passing on
either side of the street. North of the
bank, and surrounded on three sides
by a gOod-sized yard. is the First ma
tiOnal bank. Two steps lead up to
wide portico in front of the latter bank
and from ii across to the north wall Of
the first named bank is an iron fence.
As soon as Cashier Campbell was out
Of sight the robbers walked up on the
First nationals portico, stepped on the
fence, jumped down into the snow and
made straight line for the rear Of the
bank back OF which Is a high board
giving admission to the directors room.
The wood and glass door between this
and the counting room was pried open
and a raid begun on the vault.
AS stated. Cashier Campbell locked
this or thought he did. 1t is now
pretty certain that in turning the com
bination knob of the middle door, the
one depended on at the noon hour he
did not turn it far enough to scatter
the tumblers. BY mere chance the rob
bers happened to turn this the right
way to unlock the door. This DONE the
unlocked safe was before them. The
raid was well planned, as is shown by
the fact that the robbers touched no
money that would be at once missed.
On top of the safe was counter tray
containing about 50, 900. Not a dollar or
this was touched. They confined them
selves to the safe, which contained in
the neighborhood of $4,000, $4,000 being
in gold. OF the gold only $4,000 was
taken: the rest Of the s15,SOO stolen was
in paper money, none in silver On the
cashiers desk was quite sum of
change, but nothing was touched.
The robbers then closed the vault door
20 aIIau c1tsnicinn and left hu the haclr