New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-25
4 PLAINFIELD BANK ROBBED
CLEVER THIEVES SUCCEED IN STEAL
ING S22765.
THE OFFICERS UNCERTAIN AT WHAT HOUR ON
MONDAY THE ROBBERY OcCURRED-MYs-

MONDAY THE ROBBERY OCCURRED-MYS-
TERtors ACTIONS OF TWO STRANGE MEN.
The citizens of Plainfeld. y. j., were astounded
yesterday morning TO learn that bank robbers
had stolen s22 765 from the vault Of the First
National Bank Of that city. AMI had accomplished
the theft 50 sklfuly that the hour of the rob-
berry is not certain; neither is there any good
clew to the identity of the guilty ones. The
money IS supposed 10 have been taken In broad
daylight while all save two Of the bank en-
poyes were at luncheon, and this fact with one
or two unusual circumstances. leads Inspector
Byrnes to believe that some OF the most skiliui
robbers in the country have made Plainfeld the
Headquarters Of their operations for the last
two weeks
The fact that over s2OOoo was missing from the
banks cash drawer became known on MONDAY
night at O'Clock. when the clerk, Thomas H.
Curren. turned to the cashier, FRANK >. Kun
yon. and asked for a package OF mutlateu
bills which had been kept in the bank during
the preceding week. Mr.. Runyon unconcernedly
referred him 10 the usual repository Tor the
money in the vault. Put 1t isn't there' re-
piled Curren. cor / need not have asked ior It,
Mr. Runyon then went TO the vault ana 'li-
meliatcly discovered that not ony was 'He
bundle Of mutated bills not there, but "ha' was
still more alarming Il DuIhle Coii'"''''''9
in new bills was missing Hurriedy calling the
clerks together. he instituted search for the
money. but soon satisfied himself that it was not
in the bank President Potter and the directors
Wrliam NJ Stilman and J. Wesley Johnson
were summoned from their homes and MADE ac-
quainted with the facts. and meeting was
called on Tuesday morning for full directors
board The board then decided that II would be
best to take the public into its confidence ana
openly a acknowledged the loss.
STATEMENT OF THE OFFICIALS
Accordingly the bank officials made known the
loss yesterday morning IN the following state
meat:
Whereas. It has come TO the knowledge Of this
bo.ri thli on the 22i Gay of April. 1875. between
he hours of 70 oc.ock and o'clock noon. the vault
Of the bank was entered ty a sneak thief. and the
sum of 81 10 abstracted therefrom; therefore De II
OF the said sum OF $227G' for the tine being ron
the account ot proh ana o. ne ;o.s W., ~ ~ ,i 80
bank or affect the payment OF It's future DIVIDENDS
The statement,was signed BY Charles Potter.
president; J. Wesley Johnson. director; f. 5.
Runvon cashier William NJ. Stillman director
The cashier Frank : Runyon, said yesterday
that at noon on Monday, the hour when the roD-
berry Is thought t. have occurred ohIy TWO iIie'iI-
ners Of the bank STAFF were on duty' ;AueioyIS
Vail was at one of the desks along the side OF the
massage which leads to the directors room at the
rear \ stranger entered the bank ana held up d
sheet u paper in front OK Mr.. Nail, at the L'ue
grated wicket in the scratched-glass partition.
on the paper was list 0t prOmssoIy notes. IN
which the man said he was interested Mr.. van
declared he knew nothing about the notes. nut the
stranger kept him IN conversation soHle H''""'cS
and then went out. Ill.,,
A. the same time well-dressed stranger walked
up to the cashiers window and asked the assist
ant cashier also a Mr.. Runyon. some questions
regarding the depositing Of some trust money Tor
three children. who. he said. would attend scnooI
in PlainnelI during their mothers absence IN Eu-
roue He also asked about the sale oi some oohiS'
Int MIR Runy1u told him that all such matters
were handled by the cashier. Then the man asked
when the cashier would return. lie was told tha'
ne would surely Dee back oy l:l3
"TN come back and see him. ne sald' since
then nothing has been seen OF him
\ THEORY As TO THE ROBBERY.
I, g. thouch, by the bank officials that while
Nrossr, Runvon and Vail were busy the thief
passed into the directors ROOM and thence into
th,. vault or else entered the vault by way or
the rear hallway door. which. Ike the other
doors. was unlocked. Two packages Of money
were taken. ON" was bills. ranging from y 10
& oo and the other WAS Of mut!lated nlNs, OF
wn.cn the bank s.uds away about StVJo e"o"
week for redemption. A.
a. a rule three men are on duty curing III.
nom hour Fred Iaincs generally waits uhtI'
Albert steiner returns from dinner before ne
goes out on Mond'y. nowe'tr' ,L hor,. m4tlgS ,s
before Steiner returned. Since the roooery Il =
remembered that for weeks questions nave Deeh
asked hy strangers who were evidently ilahlns
themselves familiar with the loeaI si1ua'.oa si1,'s,'d
ON Monday short time before the SuPpI,,cu
h,,,r ~ tho robbery Fred lIaineS was cd4''u
on, To- wagon IN front Of the nahA 10y
stranger who wore glasses ana pdVh p"'N'
oyer his eye and who said he wdhISu 70 Scs
him abol; somc business IN Scotch Rams anu
would come back again
THE BANK EXAMINER PRESENT.
The hank examiner. Mr.. Stone, was present
vvi,b N. Board ~ Directors at their meeting
r.la,ite to the matter and on his advice D. w.
robrson and William NJ. Stillman reported the
,boft to Nev-York detectives yesterday Inc
detectives said the game was an OLD one ana
that the work was evidently performed py
..nrofrssionals" Of the highest rank. 4hey gave
M hone of ever recovering the money
Mr. Runyon the cashier. took thc s liatte!
much To heart as during his twenty-elsht
wears connection with the Dahk no ihohsS na"
been lost by theft In tact' ui!'sr MS "H1.'r, 'r
tration the affairs of the bank have been con-
duct.d I'm an unusually satisfactory manner,
with th. result that the bank Is unques'lohapIy
Of the strongest ana IehSS t;,I,rs, III '''' drec
TOR consulted Yesterday with sup rlntenueut
Byrncs and Detective McCloskey' ne was tolG
that the robbery was undouotediy ihe N,Iv moin "
bank thieves now at large, and VINO recehuy
have had marked success In steallhs Iatse
sums and also eludins capture lnSpeVtUr ,,
Hyrnos vrntured the opinion that many uay
n,onId nass before the crime would be fixed
upon the guilty ones lie says the "JoD was
probably Planned weeks in advance ana every
chance Of detection and defeat cleVerly an
ticipated The capital stock OF the pahk -
sooo ooo and the surplus $4,000. The undivided
profits on March II were S5'9'3 oo. ,
The First National Bank is too stanch anu
solid and is too firmly established In popular
confidence at Plainhed to be at all emoarr"sSou
by the loss ii has Incurred.
FLIGHT or Az ABSCONDING CASHiEh'