The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-05-05
BANK MURDER At NOON
Cashier J. A. Stickney, Of Somers'
worth, N. H., Killed by a Robber.
TRECRIME CAREFULLY PLAN NED

Tho Victim Was Alone in the Great Fall
National Bank at the Noon Hour
Throat Cut--He Had Been Beaten b,
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Secured $4,000
SoMERswoRTH. N. n. Especial. While re-
hsting the entry Of two determined robbers
md during a heroic struggle to protect
Si5O,OCO In money and securities which
Eue in the compartments of the open vault
efthe Great Falls National Bank. of Somers
worth, Friday afternoon, Joseph A. Stick
nsy, the cashier, was brutally murdered be-
side the desk which he had occupied fol
many years. After numbering Mr.. Stickney
the robbers ransacked the vault at will, nc
one being near, and iei with all the cash II
contained, about S4500.
The murderers carried off their booty il
plain view of several well-known residents
o! the place. They left the bag containing
ahe money, the greater part OF which was II
gold, in the orchard OF DR.. John Hayes. GOV.
sred with a coat. Several persons looked
over the fence and saw the coat which had
she wealth underit. but were afraid to touch
II. They suspected robbery, but not muir.
der.
The murderers returned to the orchard
fence one hour afterward with a team and
took the money away unmolested. They
sarred 1t several hundred yards to the place
where horse was hitched In plain view ol
Arthur Stackpole, ateamster, who was stand.
ing in his barn door only a few rods away.
It Is generally believed here that whoever
committed the murder knew the cashier, and
that they killed him for fear Of being identi-
fed. Several persons who saw the men with
the bag say they were strangers, and one OF
them looked like an italian.
One Of the most remarkable features OF
the robbery Is the fact that $4,000 in
United States bonds which were Kept in one
of the drawers Of the big vault, and which
she robbers evidently examined hastily, we're
not taken. Neither were any Of the Eego-
table paper and securities of the bank. No
one was aware of the crime until about 2
o'clock o. M, nearly an hour after the MUIR
aerous work was done.
The bank was bes:esed by hundreds when
the fact became generally known, and great
numbers Of persons came into the city from
Berwick, Dover, Salmon Falls, Rollin5ford,
Rochester and other towns in this section.
For the first few hours Indignation was in
eense. but public feeling has in Il measure
subsided. In addition to being cashier and
director Of the Great Falls Bank Mr.. Stick
ney was City Treasurer.
It has been the custom for Mr.. Stickney
and the bank clerk Mrs. Parker Swazey, to
close the bank at twelve o'clock every day
and 20 to luncheon. re-opentng again at two
o'clock. On the day Of the robbery when
mrs. Swazey left her desk the cashier was
booking over the banks accounts. He usually
remained in the bank until the clerk re-
turned, but 1t is thought he was preparing to
70 out when the robbers entered. The bank
il situated In the business portion of the
city, and dozens of persons pass at that time
OF day.
The first suspicion that the bank had been
robbed was aroused at two O'Clock, when
Frank P. Reed, merchant, started into the
= bank and found that the thick plate glass IN
the front outside had been shattered. With
out waiting to investigate he notified City
Marshal Eaton, and together they broke In
the door: They found evidences Of a desper.
ate struggle. On the floor was the body oil
Etickney. His head had been nearly severed
from his body and was marked with several
deep gashes made with blackjack, and the
skull was fractured.
The first clew that the police found was OBJ.
tained from persons who saw the two men
drive away with the stolen money, and from
West Rochester report comes that dark
sorrel horse, attached to buggy, passed
There, headed for Salmon Falls River, which
forms the Maine State boundary. This out
Fl has mysteriously disappeared.
Physicians who have examined Mr.. Stick
ney's body say that it is apparent the victim
vas pounded to death. Another fact
brought ou::, too, is that the weapon used to
cut his throat was medium-size knife, the
blade Of which was very dull and left deep,
Irregular wound.
Mr. Stickney was wealthy, and was well
known in New England banking circles. BE
had been cashier of the Great Falls National
Bank for q long term of years, and had been
with the bank much longer period.
The affair recalls an attempt to rob the
same bank five years ago. Mr.. Stickney was
then gagged AMI bound. The vault was
locked, however, and the men got nothing
for their pains.