The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-08-30
LOOT A BANK.
Robbers Blow Open the Elm
dale Bank Safe,
Secure $2,7OO and Escape With
Their Booty
THROUGH ARMED MEN
Who Had Surrounded the Build
ing in the Darkness.
Citizens Tumble Out of Bed and
Shoot Wildly.
THROUGH ARMED MEN

EImdale, Aug 30.-At an early hour
Sunday morning robbers broke into the
Peoples Exchange bank, blew open the
safe and escaped with about $1,000 in
cash and 800 in drafts in their posses
sion
The craftsmen used nitro-glycerin
in gaining entrance TO the vault. and
blew open the safe and the money
drawer within it There were three dis
tinct explosions as the robbers forced
their way TO the banks treasure AL
though they were heard by hundreds of
people and the bank was soon surround
ed by an excited throng, the safe-crack-
ers escaped and are still at liberty. The
third charge was exploded even while
the street in front was thronged with
people bent on capturing the daring
men within
The loss is 81 500 in money and 500
in drafts. The vault and safe are a
total wreck Following the custom OF
small banks, the institution had deposited
most of its cash in a larger and more
secure bank, patronizing one at Empor-
ia in this instance, and only a few days
ago several thousand dollars were taken
TO EmpOrtd for deposit The robbers
overlooked S12S on a top shelf in the
bank and S25 in gold which the force of
the explosion threw upon the floor
where they did not see it.
The first explosion stopped the clock
at exactly LOS a. m A woman across
the street heard the explosion and
awakened her husband While he was
busy diScrediting what she thought of
the matter the second explosion oc-
Cured The husband then put on his
shoes and trousers and ran to the house
OF Cashier E w JefreyS, a block away
While Mr.. JeffreyS was dressing, other
neighbOrs were awakened, and all of
them armed with what guns could be
gathered, ran down to the depot and
aroused the agent who had in his pos
session a revolver and shotgun They
then surrounded the bank and Just as
they did SO, the third explosion oc-
Cured
This alarmed the citizens and they
all ran out on the street and commenced
shooting wildly, greatly endangering the
lives Of each other In the darkness all
turned toward what they thought was
the bank and began firing at it. The
building proved to be the house next TO
the bank It was occupied by a family,
but luckily no one was injured
The robbers ran out the back door of
the bank in the excitement, and escap-
ed in safety.
The first explosion broke the doors of
the vault The second blew the doors
OF the-inner= safe clear out througflz the
door of the vault and up against the
hank counter The third explosion blew
open the money drawer. a large hole
in the floor of the vault was also bur-
rowed by the explosion
About an hour after the escape three
men in a buggy who had their horses
on dead run, passed q camp s miles
west. and they are supposed to be the
robbers
Saturday shortly after dark, three
men in a buggy drove into town and
were still there whel the people went
to bed. They had their team hitched in
an alley near the bank, but they did
nothing to arouse the suspicious of the
people. The citizens have good de-
scriptiOn of the men, which may lead
to their arrest
e. Stotts is president of the bank S.
E Woman is vice president. and E. w
Jefreys IS the cashier and principal
stockholder.
While the capital stock of the bank is
limited, the stockholders are we'll fixed
financially, and an assessment at this
time will not be aShardship on them The
deposits of the bank aggregate SAC. COO,
but most of it was loaned out and a
large share deposited in other banks for
safety. State Bank Examiner John
Breidenthal was notified and came down
today.