The Portland daily press., 1897-04-17

resisting the entry OF two desperate and
determined robbers, and during heroic
but futile struggle to protect $3.50, 600 or
more in money and securities which lay
in tue compartments OF the open vault
Of the Gre,t Fnlls national bank Of
Somersworth, this afternoon, cashier
Joseph A. Stiokney was struck down
and brutally murdered near the desk
which he had occupied for years. After
killing Stickney, the murderers ran.
sacked the vault at will, no one being
near to molest them and fed with all
the cash it contained with the exception
of five dollar gold piece. AS near as
can be estimated without making sya-
tematic examination of this bank books,
about Sc, 900 was taken, but it is quite
probabls that the loss will con siderably
exceed this sum, as NO one but the dead
cashier knew the exact amount that was
in the institution at the time The rob-
bers after knocking Stickney down with
black jack, cut his throat. The most
remarkable feature of the robbery, is
the fact that 300, 600 in honds of the
United States which were Kept in one Of
the compartments Of the big vault, and
which the robbers evidently examined
hastily, were not taken. Neither were
any of the negotiable paper and securi-
ties of the bank-in fact nothing Is miss
ing except the cash.
No one was aware that there WAS any
thing wrong at the bank until 12 O'Clock,
or nearly an hour after the murderous
work Was done. The perpetrators had
ample time to escape and this evening
scores OF deputy sheriffs, niarshals, po-
lice ana citizens are securing this section
of the state, and the adjoining state of
Maine. which from this city is just
across tho Salmon. Falls river. The men
made their visit to the bank at the busi-
est time Of the day in the locality where
the bank IS situated and so completely
and thoroughly gid they accomplish the
robbery that only an uncertain cite and
n very meagle description of the men
were obtained up to s O'Clock tonight.
The hank was hesieged by hundreds
vixen the news Of the terrible affair be-
came known, and large numbers of peo-
pie came Into the city from Berwick.
Dover. Salmon Falls, Rollinsford, Rooh-
ester, and towns in this section. Had the
robbers been appTehended soon after the
murder and robbery became known their
capturs would have found it difficult
task to prevent q double lynching in the
Granite state. For the first few hours
Indignation was intense but tonight pub
lie feeling has in a measure eusbided
Great sympathy is expressed for the fam
ily of the murdered mao, who in addit-
Ion to his position as director OF the
Was universally esteemed wherever he
was known.
No occurrence in Strafford county,
not even excepting the murder of deputy
sheriff Smith by the outlaw Macarthur
at Barrington,a few years ago, has caused
such IA tremendous sensation in this Sec
tion. The town is alive with people and
for miles around there is no other topic
discussed. The tragedy occurred during
what is known as the noon hour at the
bank, that Is, from IL until 2. 1t has
always been customary for cashier Stick
ney and the bank clerk, Mrs. Parker
Swazey to close the bank at IL O'Clock
and not reopen Rgain until 9. Today
Mrs. Swazsy left her desk at noon and
went home to dinner. She left the cashier
looking over the banks aocountr. He
usually remained In the bank until the
clerk returned, but it is thought he was
preparing to go out today when the rob-
bers entered.
The Eank is situated In the center of
the business portion of the city, and
hundreds of peuple pnss by at that time
of the day The building is Il twc-story
brick one and stands on the corner of
Market and Prospect streets, the rear of
the structure abutting the si.ie of a steep