The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-04-28
BOLD ROBBERY
IN STRASBURG
The Massa1luttte1l Bank
Entered and Looted.
BY EIGHT BURGLARS
IN
Who Made Good Their Escape in
Direction of Front Royal.
THEY TERR0RIZED THE TOWN
Citizens OF the Town Dared Not Inter
fere for Fear of Being Shot-The
Robbcrs Secured Il Booty of
$4,000 in Currency and sIl-
ycr-Thc Bank Insured
Against Burglary.

WOODSTOCK. VA, April 2l.--Special.-
Professional burglars cracked Mas
sanutten Bank at Strasburg this morning
about 1 o'clock and carried away about
$1,000. An entrance was effected by a
skeleton key. The vault and safe were
blown open by means of nitro-Slycerine
injected into the side of the door which
had been stopped up with soap
There were eight men in the gang, most
of whom stood guard for several squares
around the bank. a large number OF
pistol shots were fired to draw attention
from the bank. Several persons locked
out of their windows, but were ordered TO
withdraw on pain OF being shot
After wrecking the bank the men col
lected at the Massanutten Hotel, ana Went
to the Southern Depot, where they TOOK
a hand truck and went to Riverton, where
they left the car, and all traces were los1.
The bank is a member of the BANKERS
Association. and is insured for hve thous
and in Fidelity and Casually Deposit Oh
New York.
TERRORIZEp TOWN.
FRONT ROYAL, VA, April 2l-Speclal.
one of the boldest bank rooberies in
the history Of Virginia occurred last
night at Strasburg. The Massanutten
Bank was broken open and s909o IN SILVER
and currency stolen The Burglar
Proof inner safe and the tire-proof sale
were blown to smithereens. and the VIM
dows and glass IN door and the whole OF
the ratings surrounding the cashier
desk were demolished by the force OF the
explosives.
There were about eight persons IN the
gang and they were not very secret
about their operations. The president
of the bank. AIR. Edward Zea, heard the
noise and found out what was going
on. but his family would not let him
venture out.
THREATENED TO SHOOT.
A neighbor, Dr.. White, put his head
out OF the window, and was warned
to take it back. or they would shoot him.
One neighbor came out on the porch,
and he was also warned to enter ms
house The gang shot off pistols and
made plenty of noise, but the people were
terrified and helpless, and could not but
stand and see the bank looted The rob
hers secured tools from the tool house OF
the Southern Railway Company, which
were left in the bank
They also got a hand truck and ran
it to Riverton, about ten miles east Of
Strasburg, where it was discarded, and
there they must have scattered, perhaps
getting on freight trains on the Southern
and Norfolk and Western Railroads.
ORGANIZED GANG.
Three men were seen going from Buck
ton to Strasburg on the track about 10
O'Clock last night. who are thought to be
of the gang. 1t seems to have been an
organized band of bold burglars. Others
were seen at Riverton yesterday.
Your correspondent was Informed this
morning by a director in the bank that
the bank was insured against burglary.
The bank was closed this morning, and
will remain closed until the loss is ati-
justed.
Mr., Zea, of Strasburg, is president
and Mr.. Eberly cashier.
The man who forged a check, and which
was cashed by the Front Royal National
Bank, as reported in The Times yester-
day, was captured near Limeton yester-
day His name is Elliott, and he is q
resident of the county.