Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-03-24
A Bold Job.

A Bold Job.
We read much of bank rObberies and
safe crackers now adays, but not be-
fore nave such deeds come so close to
home as last Sunday morning when The
Bank Of Nickerson was scientifically
."burgled." The work must have been
commenced about o'clock iD the
morning, as well as can be learned.
and by shortly aztec s o'clock the safe
WAS complete wreck, the cash had
disappeared and the robbers also.
The robbers had first gone to the
Santa Fe section house and secured
crow hars With these the front doors
of TIE bank were pried open. Then
work on the vault dnor WAS commenced
Four small holes were drilled through
and chisel took out y chunk A
charge was then inserted and set off
which blew open the door. They were
then confronted by safe which, ten
years ago would have been considered
proof against all corners, But those
days are now forever past with the
square front safes. These safe doors
are made of alternate layers OF iron aud
chrome steel riVeted together. The
steel is impenetrable to any drill and
1t was thought when it was invented
that safe crackers were forever baffl ed,
but not so. A wedge was driven
in between the outside iron layer and
what might be termed the casing to
the door, so that an Aperture was made
for a charge of dynamite When this
was discharged it tore off the iron and
pulled out the rivets from the steel so
that openings were left for another
charge which brought off the steel layer.
So they proceeded till the cash lay be-
fore them ready for taking. Itrequired
three explosions besides the one that
Obened the vault, to get the cash.
No one disputes that the work was
done by professional safe cracksmen'
AS we'll as can be learned they we're
seen by only one man, Mr.. Wer-
ries who ives upstairs just across the
street, was aroused by the explosion
that opened the vault and put his head
ous of the window to see what he cOnld
see. He saw glittering gun barrel lev
eled at his head from below and heard
the order to take his head in if he
wanted to save it. He could not get
down stairs except by the front stair
way which was guarded. From inside
his room he could see that the street
was patrOlled by two armed men He
also saw two more come out of the bank
with their swag and the four disap-
peared around the corner, By this
time 1t was beginning to get light.
No trace or clue has yet been found
About all that can be agreed upon is
that they must have had an agent who
had become familiar enough with the
surroundings to make map of that
portion of the town and know how to
patrol it so that no one could get out
and give an alarm. Some suspicious
are directed to very large man of
quiet demeanor who appeared in town
a few days before with no apparent
business. When Mr.. Wherries saw the
men leave the bank he says there was
one man easily distinguished for his
size. This is about as much as can be
learned or guessed at.
The loss to the bank will be little,
not to exceed $500 or perhaps not that.
The robbers got about even $4,000 but
$500 of it was covered by burglar in
surance. The safes we are also in
formed we're insured. About 5000 in
small change and bills that had been
torn to pieces by the explosion were
left in the safe. The furniture and fix
lures we're nut little damaged, A part
of the cash belonging TO the bank was
on deposit in the First National bank
at this city. 1t has large round screw
front safe which is said to be as nearly
burglar proof as any made. 1t would
require much time for the most scien-
tiic safe cracker to get in. Monday
morning he First National OF this city
and Sterling bank sent up all the cash
that was needed to open up.