Eureka weekly sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1887-1902, 1900-09-22

winnemucca Bank Relieved OF n
Large sum Of Money.

One Of the most daring hold-ups
which ever occurred in the West is
that which took place at Winnemucca
on Wednesday, when three men, in
broad daylight, walked into the First
National Bank, and with guns drawn
compelled the officials of the institu-
ton to surrender to them nearly
$50, 900 in gold coin. The Silver State
gives the following graphic account Of
the robbery:
Three desperadoes entered the First
National Bank at noon today, held up
those who were in the building and
p~erpetrated one Of the most daring
bank robberies on record.
There were in the building at the
time Cashier Nixon, Assistant Cashier
Mcbride. Bookkeeper Hill, Stenogra-
pher Calhoun and w. S. Johnson, a
horse buyer. Messrs. Nixon and
johnson were in the cashiers Office in
the rear OF the bank. the door be-
tween the rooms being closed.
The robbers came in at the Bridge
street entrance while the employees
were busily at work and none OF
them at the time facing the door.
The 6rst intimstion they received that
anything was wrong was the quiet
command of one Of the robbers /:
Gentlemen, throw up your hands;
be quick about it and don't make any
noise" The surprised clerks turned
their heads and looked into the muz-
zles of two revolvers, and the order
was quickly obeyed. The third rob-
Der burst into the cashiers Office,
where Messrs. Nixon and Johnson
we're engaged in conversation. He
had a Winchester rifle drawn o n them
before they could make a move and
ordered them to throw up their hands
under penalty OF instant death. 1t is
hardly necessary to state that this
order was also obeyed. They were
taken into the front room of the bank,
and, with a revolver held at his breast,
Cashier Nixon was forced by one Of the
robbers to open the safe in the vault,
the others being kept covered by the
two remaining desperadoes. The
leader Of the gang threw three sacks
of gold coin which we're in the safe
into an ore sack which he carried and
then emptied into the sack the gold
coin which was in the money drawer
in the office, ignoring the silver and
bank notes entirely. While this was
going on a number of people passed
along the sidewalk in front of the
bank, but those inside could not give
the alarm, and none of the passers-by
took notice Of the daring robbery that
was being perpetrated.
The robbers then marched their VIC
Tins through the back door of the
building and lined them up against
the wall with hands up. Then they
climbed over the fence and ran down
the alley to the rear Of F. G. Robbins
& Co.'s store, where they mounted
their horses and rode rapidly away.
The first intimation people on the
streets had OF the robbery was when
Cashier Nixon rushed from the front
door of the bank and fired several
shots in the air to give the alarm. By
this time the robbers had turned into
Second street, and a number of men
who happened to be armed took snap
shots al them, and the bandits re-
turned the fire, but no d was in
jured.
At the Cross creek bridge on Second
street the robber who wal carrying the
coin sack dropped it and part of it's
contents rolled out. The man dis
mounted like a fash, picked up the
money sack and handed it to a pal, re-
mounted and we're off like the wind,
leaving far behind the few men who
had pursued them on foot.
The robbers took a straight course
up the river toward Golconda. They
were followed by a few scattering men
on horseback, their idea being to keep
the fleeing robbers in sight if possible
until an armed posse could be organ
lied for the pursuit.
Sheriff McDeid organized a posse
and started in pursuit, and another
posse from Golconda is said to be on
their trail, but the robbers are evil
IDENTIFY old hands at the business, and
in all probability had their plans
we'll laid before entering the bank.
In this way they have a great advan-
tage over their p~ursuers, and it is
doubtful il their capture can be