Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-12-10
BADLY LEFT.
Unsuccessful Attempt Made to
Rob Bank at Limerick.
Selectman Sadler Heard Explosion in
Bank and Saw Burglars.
Search Tor WouId.Be Robbers Commenced
No Arrests Yet Made.
BADLY LEFT.

made, last night to rob the Limerick Ma
tional Bank, York county. The burglars
)did not penetrate the time lock and secured
nothing. Most Of the securities were de-
posted with the United Safe Deposit Co.,
Portland.
About half an hour after midnight, or
perhaps a little nearer O'Clock, this morn
Ing, Edwin A. Sadlcr selectman of
Limerick, was awakened out Of sleep by
the sound of a heavy explosion. Mr..
Sadler jumped out of bed and rushed to
the window of his bedroom. Directly
across the street is the Limerick National
Bank building and in the same block is
the general store of r. Libby.
AT first Mr.. Sadler could not locate the
direction from which the noise of the ex-
plosion came, but finally he saw a dim
light and the forms OF men moving about
in the bank opposite. Mr.. Sadler at once
ctme to the conclusion that burglars had
blown open the bank vault and began to
shout for help
With the first cry man jumped into
the street in front Of the bank and shouted
to Mr.. Sadler:
l.
Mr.. Sadler kept up his cries for help to
alarm the neighbors, and the burglars, of
whom there seemed to be three, came out
of the bank building into the street and
fired several shots at Mr.. Sadler. who
lodged back from his window at the first
shot. The bullets fortunately went wide
of their mark.
Mr.. Sadler got into his clothes and on
to the street as quickly as possible, and,
joined by several other men who live in
the vicinity, went into the hank.
The place was filled with powder smoke
and the outer door of the vault was found
to be blown open. Around the door was
piled a large number of overcoats and
clothing of all kinds which had been taken
from the store next door, to deaden the
noise of the explosion.
The bank vault at Limerick is one of
the strongest in this State. Besides the
outer door which had been blown open,
there were three other doors and inside of
these strong burglar proof box with a
time lock in which the money Is kept.
The burglars failed to get as far as this
box.
The outer door of the vault had been
blown open and twisted around in such a
way that the vault could not be opened,
and, this morning the bank officials were
Obliged to send to the city for an expert to
get into the vault. Besides the damage
TO the outer door and a little money taken
from the till in Libbys store the robbers
did no damage and got very little cash for
their trouble.
A sledge hammer which had been used
by the robbers to force open the doors of
Libby's store and the bank, was left be-
hind them in their hurry to escape. No
other tools of any other description were
found, and the robbers, who are evidently
professional crooks, did their work In a
most scientific panner.
Deputy Sheriff Dana Beacham of Cor
nisb. was Immediately informed of the
affair and soon had posse of men on the
robbers track. The nearest railroad sta
lions to Limerick are Center WATERFORD
and Cornish. These places were guarded
and every road and patch of woods within
10 miles of the place where the attempt at
robbery was made is being searched, today.
At o'clock, this morning, officers at the
railway stations in the vicinity OF Linn
erick and at all of the neighborlng towns
were looking for the burglars. 1t Is
thought that the men will surely be
caught. Three suspicious looking charac
ters were seen at Rochester at an early
hour, this morning, but have not yet been
apprehended The police and sheriff at
Portland were at once informed of the at
tempt to rob the bank and are on the look
out for the robbers, who may possibly try
to reach this city.
The attempt to rob the Limerick Ma
tional Bank was probably the outcome of
a well plauned scheme. This bank Is one
of the richest country banks in this State.
Its annual statement recently made public
shows that it has ON deposit In reserve
and in its possession, large sums OF money
and valuable securities. But the bank is.
at the same time stronger than the aver
ACE country bank, and the burglars ran up
AGAINST hard nut to crack when they
tried to get into 1t.
The vault is practically burglar proof,
as the outcome of their attempt shows,
and besides this, the largest amount OF
its deposits and the $50, 900 gold reserve is
stored In this city in the vaults OF the
Union Safe Deposit Co.
Mr.. William W. Mason of this city, who
is connected with the Portland National
Rank is also connected with the Limerick
National Bank, of which he Is the treas
n,cr His son is the resident cashier ana
conducts the business OF the Dahk III