The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-20
. BBNRATa rHn CAPITOL.
Names state House Once Used to
Hide Booty.
rom the Boston Globe.

Hide Booty.
From the Boston Globe.
A skillfully planned and executed bank
robbery possesses, among the different as-
poets of crime, a certain peculiar and dis
tinct interest. The recent pardon Of James
Dunlap, the famous Northampton Mass }
bank robber, calls to MUD that Maine has
not been without her quota OF startling and
strange episodes in the same line.
The curious circumstances surrounding
Cashier Barron and the Dexter bank is a
case in point. aud the one subjoined con-
tains enough of novelty to warrant repe-
tition of the story. -
One of the most nicely sohemed and
successfully carried out robberies on record
to-day is the one that was discovered at the
Augusta bank, in Augusta, Me-, Jan. /,
1S49. -..
George w. Allen, the cashier, opened the
bank, as usual, that morning, and on
swinging back the heavy iron door OF the
vault he discovered hole III the west end
OF the vault large enough to admit a per-
son opening into an apartment in the Stan
ley house.
The anxious feelings arising from this
| discovery we're fast subsiding when the safe
was found locked and uninjured but
great was Aliens astonishment upon I'M
locking the safe to find his boxes Of specie
to large amount gone. He hastily closed
the safe and vault and notified the direct
ors. who assembled, and asceEt aimed that
the bank had been robbed OF about ~, 800
| of which S2l 800 was specie in boxes and
bags.
Upon examining the rear Of the building
upon Commercial street II was found that
burglars entered through basement win
dow on that street. near which Mas found
| box with specie and loose coin upon the
snow, where probably a bag had burst
scattering the contents.
As the affair got abroad the excitement
was increased by the mystery which sur
rounded it The safe could DO opened only
by duplicate key, made with the skill aud
accuracy required for the original.
Soon suspicion was fastened upon two
young men, both without visible employ
ment, one of whom bad been staying at the
Cushnoc house and the other at Woodson's
tavern. It was afterward proved they
were brothers under assumed names.
Sunday morning, Dec. 81, the Oldest
brother went to Portland, carrying two
heavy sachels. The remaining brother was
Immediately arrested and The missing one
apprehendtd at Quipcg.YM ass. ~ e 'lu.
| MIR. Nichols a detective Of Cambridge
| Mass, was engaged, and he at once recog-
| nized the prisoners as Edward, "a youth OF
| 10, and Frederick Wingate, % years old, Of
| CharlestOwn, Mass.
| After hours Of most skillful questioning
! Col. Stanley, one of the directors of the
bank, obtained promise from Edward to
reveal where the money was secreted.
Having made the necessary preDar ations
| Col. Stanley, with bis son aud Lewis d.
Moore, the Jailer, with the prisoner, started
out at midnight in sleigh in quest OF the
stolen treasure.
H They we're directed TO the back aide OF the
state house by Wingate, who led them
through a basement window UPSTAIRS into
the representatives hall, where, proceeding
10 the speakers desk, Le removed drawer
under the platform, and having taken up a
purt OF the floor within, entered the aper-
ture and handed out all the purloined
cash.
The history of the robbery now became
known. The Wingate brothers we're skill
full machinists, at werk Ia Boston. where
the cafe of the bank was nude. Observing
the safe one day on the sidewalk in front
or Adams. Hammond 81 Co.'s manufactory,
where It was placed to be varuished, with
the key In the lock, they snapped it out and
took an impression In wax.
Hearing that the safe was designed for
the Augusta bank, and that a vault wes
being constructed to receive it, they made
visit to Augusta aud kept constant
oversight of the work upon the bank build
ing and matured their plans.
On Saturday night, Dec 80, the money
was placed in the safe, and the brothers
went to the Stanley house, entered the
back window on Commercial street. which
was screened from observation by pile Of
laths. and, while George W.. Jones, in the
adjoining store was selling goods at auc-
tion, they worked upon the wall without
fear of being heard.
Having made the opening they drove to
the Augusta house and prepared their place
OF deposit, then removed the money from
the safe and after carefully secreting it in
the state house drove to Gardiner.
Edward Wingate. was released on bail
and escaped punishment. Frederic. who
was the master spirit in the robbery was
sentenced TO the state prison, where be was
employed In the blacksmith shop
Here his skill and ingenuity were brought
into requistion TO effect his escape. He
made key to the prison door and when
alone with the guard seized stick OF wood,
knocked him senseless and escaped. He was
never traced. nor has the slightest tidings
ever been heard from him. p.