Evening journal., 1896-02-19
CLEVER BANK ROBBERS
Three Masked Men Lock Up
the Bankers In a Vault.
THEN HELP THEMSELVES TO COIN.

This Occurred In Broad Daylight on One
of San Franolsco's Most Public Streets.
Shot Fired, but II Went wnd-NO
Clew to the Robbers.
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. ia new form
Of holding up bank was practiced here
by three masked robbers who entered the
Market Street bank and at the point of
the pistol drove the cashier and bookkeeper
into the bank vault, shut the door on
them and thon holped themselves TO coin.
According TO the cashier, only 500 in
coin was secured, but several conflicting
stories have been told regarding the
amount of money taken.
Tho robbery Is certainly tho boldest OF
the many bold deeds Of highwaymanship
perpetrated in this city, for the bank is
located on the leading thoroughfaro of tho
city, and tho street is constantly thronged
with people
Three men wero implicated in the affair.
They were armed with pistols, and, nc
cording TO the peculiar story told, they
went about their business in a strictly
professional way. The only persons in the
bank at the time were tho cashier, NJ. S.
Hopkins, and the bookkeeper, j. 5. Hays
horst
The public entrance to the bank is
through a heavy wooden door situated In
the rear of the main vestibule Of the build
ing and is partially shielded from observa-
tion by the elevator, which was not run
ming at the time. The bank itself Is In
one large room, lighted by a skylight.
There is only one door which communi-
ates with the vostibule.
The Cashier Held Up His Hands.
Cashier Hopkins had opened the vaults
and taken out a sum Of money In silver
and gold He was standing behind the
cashiers window when the outer door
opened, and three mon quickly entered.
They closed the door, and one man sta
toned himself there to guard against In
trusion The other two made rush for
the cashiers window. Through that win
dow the taller of tho two, and evidently
the leader, leaped landing upon the coun-
ter inside the wire railing. He drew a pis-
tol and leyeling it at Hopkins ordered him
to throw up his hands. His companion in
stantly followed and with drawn pistol
covered the bookkeoper.
Hopkins says he hesitated for a second,
and that the first robber fired a shot point
blank at him. The shot missed its mark,
burns. Just what happened next none of
the bank officers is ablo to tell They only
know that they suddenly found them
selves forced into the larger Of the two
vaults, where the door was closed on thom,
and an inegeotual attempt was made TO
turn the bolts.
Hopkins and Hayshorst did not venture
out of the vault until they heard the rob-
bers leave the room. Hayshorst tolephoned
10 the police headquarters while Hopkins
rushed into the street and gave the alarm
to Police Officer Dover.
Hopkins first impression was that tho
robbers had fred a blank cartridge, but
after the arrival Of detectives a bullet
mark was found in the wall. The bullet
had first struck tho wooden rail of the
bank counter and then glanced to the
wall, whore It had struck and apparently
dropped, although careful search result
4 ed In a failure 20 find the bullet.
Didn't Want to BE Interrupted.
A further examination showed that a
screw had been driven In between the
outer door and the frame, so as TO prevent
any interruption during the robbery.
Cashier Hopkins was so taken by surprise
that he failed TO note the appearance OF
the robbers. Tho police have not yet
found that any persons observed either the
ingress or egress Of the robbers.
The theory is that the robbers put their
masks In their pockets before leaving the
bank, and that when outside they min
4 gled with the crowd of pedestrians and
walked quietly away. As O matter OF
fact, they must have passed Police Officer
/ Dover, who reached the building as Cash
Ter Hopkins gave the alarm. Policeman
/ Dover says he heard blowing of a police
whistle and saw Cashier Hopkins at the
| door Of the building Ho went into the
bank and heard the statement Of both the
cashier and bookkeeper and made an ex-
animation OF the promises, and he express
I ed suspicion as 20 the genuineness Of the
/ robbery. Mr. Hayshorst, the bookkeeper,
made statement to the detectives, in
1 which he said that while he and the cash.
| Ter were in the vault the robbers debated
upon the advisability Of killing them.
The bank was Incorporated in Fresno
49, In 81 Of