St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-12-08
BOLD DAYLIGHT ROBBERY.
AN INDIANA BANK TOUCHED FOB FIF-
TEEN THOUSAND.
THE DARING THIEVES ESCAPE.

During the Noon Hour, While the
Officers Were Absent, Robbers
Enter the Big Vault of the
South Bend National Bank and
Garry Off Good-Sized Slice of
Swag.
SOUTH BEND, Ind, Dec. THE
South Bend National bank, one of the
largest banks in Northern Indiana, was
robbed of over $500 today.
The bold deed was committed in
broad daylight while hundreds of peo-
pie were on the street, and the robbers
succeeded in getting away with their
rich booty without leaving the slightest
clue. Chief Benjamin Rose was at
once informed, and set his officers at
work Immediately. but up to this hour
noclue of any reliance has been OBJ
tanned. 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 believes 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 en-
ployes. were gone. He then, as he sup
posed, locked the middle door of the big
vault, and left everything in the usual
shape at the noon recess. II was fifteen
minutes after IL o'clock when he left.
AT 1880 he returned. entering by the
front street door. He passed down the
corridor alongside the cashiers, collec t.
or's and other desks, and turned to his
left to enter the door opening back uf
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 buiIdi ng. and
had passed by where he
FOUND THE CHIsFL.
he thinking they had dropped it.
len minutes later Assistant Cashier
j. M. Brown showed him the chisel.
Mr.. Browns suspicious were aroused to
such an extent that an investigation
was Immediately instituted, and the
men found rear window open, the
back door unlocked and the door be-
tween the directors room and the
counting room mutilated. A rush was
then made for the vault. The door was
as Mr.. Campbell left it. They swung it
back and examined the safe within. A
glance showed that money had been
taken, but they could not tell how
much. The police were at once noti-
fled, and this afternoons business went
on about as usual. No particular effort
was made to determine the exact
amount until the days balances
were made up, when 1t devel-
Oped that the robbers had Sc
cured $4,000. There is little doubt
eral days, perhaps weeks. 1t is located
on North Michigan street, and has an
immense plate glass front. The cashier
is located less than ten feet from the
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 i'm
plain view. AT the doors and windows
are heavy curtains, but these were up
at the time of the robbery, and every
portion of the large counting room was
fully exposed, with stream of people
continually passing on either side of the
street. North of the bank, and sur
rounded on three sides by good-siZed
yard, is the
FIRST NATIONAL BANK.
Two steps lead up to wide porticoin
front of the latter bank, and from it
across to the north wall of the first
named bank building is an iron fence.
As soon as Cashier Campbell was ont of
sight the robbers walked up on the First
Nationals portieo, stepped on the fence,
jumped down into the snow. and made
cfr fn li,,n fOr hn
back of which is high board fence.
A window was then pried open. 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 combination knob of the
middle door, the one depended on at the
noon hour, he did not turn it far enough
TO scatter the tumblerS. B mere chance
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 $1,000. Not dollar of this was
touched. They confined themselves to
the safe, which contained in the neigh
borhood of $4,000, Sl4, 600 being gold.
or the gold only $4,000 was taken. The
rest of the $4,000 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 to allay sus-
picion, and left by the back door, which
they unlocked, leaving the rear of the
building as they had approached it.
The chisel is the only object that ap-
pears to have been used. 1t is made
of steel, purchased from a local
dealer four days ago. There is
every reason to believe that the robbery
was the work of professionals, as the
preparations were perfect, and the men
were probably fully armed if caught in
tight place. Assistant Cashier ]. E.
Kelly, of the First National bank, re-
sides in the rear of the latter bank.
Windows in his home give full view of
the window through which entrance
was gained to the robbed bank. About.
the hour of the robbery man called
him out to purchase potatoes, ostensibly.
but. 1t is thought, to attract his atten-
tiOn while the robbers were effecting
entrance. Fresh footprints back of the
big board fence show that some one
watched from that quarter, which, is al
most under the shadow of the police
station.