Evening journal., 1900-12-01
BOLD BURGLARY
In PENNSGROVE
Town Excited by Trio Of
Desperate Robbers
THREE SAFES BLOWN OPEN
Used Dynamite Freely and Left a
Trail Of Wreckage in Their
Wake
THREE SAFES BLOWN OPEN

Pennsgrove, N. j., Nov. S0-Quiet
town is in a fever of excitement oven
the bold work Of a trio of desperate
safe crackers who invaded its pre-
cincts during the early hours this
morning. They came, no one knows
whence, and disappeared no one knows
whittier, but during their short stay in
the village they used dynamite freely
and left a trail of wreckage in their
wake.
Three safes were blown open and
the interior Of a store almost COM
pletely wrecked. In addition, an at
tempt was made to force an entrance
into the temporary quarters Of the
Pennsgrove National Bank, but the
night watchman inside, was awakened
by the sounding of the burglar alarm
and the attempt failed.
WATCHMAN A PRISONER.
When the man started to make his
way out Of the building in order to
give the alarm he found that the rear
door had been firmly fastened from the
outside with a number Of strong wires
in anticipation Of such a contingency
OF a watchman, and he found himself
fairly a prisoner in the bank. Before
he at last succeeded in getting out the
burglars had long before escaped.
All OF the breaks occurred within a
comparatively short space of time,
probably between 2.15 and 2.45 a. m,
as by that time the village was thor
Oughly aroused. That the safe-break-
ers were experts at their work there is
little doubt, and it is fairly certain
that they were not residents of Penns-
grove.
Il was shortly before half-past 2 that
Joseph Robbins, the watchman at the
bank, was awakened by the ringing of
the burglar alarm. He was doing in
a chair in a room in the rear Of the
bank Offices. which are located in a
frame structure on Main street direct
~ opposite the site on which is being
erected the new quarters of the Penns-
grove National Bank. At his feet lay
large watchdog, and so silently had
the burglars approached the building
that even the animal had been uncon-
scious Of their nearness.
THE BANK THEIR FIRST OBJECT.
1t was evident that the men feared
that there might be a Watchman with
in, and took the precaution to fasten
the rear door, so that he would be
unable to give an alarm in case they
were detected, it being their plan to
pry off one of the heavy shutters and
enter by way OF a side window. Be
fore they could do this, however the
electric bell sounded, and soon after
wards Robbins was heard throwing
back the bolts of the door. Then they
ned. 1t is probable that the bank, as
capable of yielding the biggest plund-
er, was the first object of attack, and
that after they had been frightened
away they turned to the hardware
store Of Edward J. Brick, on Oak
street, scarcely more than a block
distant. At half-past a party of
men in a wagon, returning late from
a football game at Salem, passed
through Oak street and saw three men
standing in front of the hardware
store. Thinking that they might be
fellow w-townsmen and acquaintance
they hailed them, but received no an
swer, although the trio stood still and
continued apparently talking among
themselves.
The harware store was entered
through q rear window, which wa.
forced open with a jimmy. Inside thl
thieves found nothing to oppose them
There were two large safes, one be-
longing to Brick and the other tC
Arthur Green, who carries on a feeC
and -four business, with an office OF
one side of the store. Both were
blown almost to fragments, SO grea
was the quantity Of the explosive
which was inserted through the cracks
Little of value, however, was secured
owing undoubtedly to the fact that tn
proprietors had deposited their none,
in the bank over Thanksgiving Day
A trihe over nine dollars was takel
from Bricks safe The burglars foun'
nothing in the other except few pap
ers. which were of no value to them
The interior Of the store was badl
wrecked by the force of tho explo
sions.
The dull noise of the last eXplosio
awakened Mrs. Isaac Simpkins, VIII
lives next door to the store, and sh
got up and looked out of the differer
windows of her house. Outside IN tn
frosty air a perfect stiffness reigneS
and the streets were deserted. Afte
watching for several minutes for some
thing to happen, Mrs. Simpkins n
tired again to her bed
SECURED LITTLE AT FERR
OFFICE.
The last place to be entered by II
safe breakers was the Office of II
Philadelphia and Reading Railws
Company, on the extreme end of Il
ferry pier. Here the burglars emplo
ed the same methods as I'm their pre-
ious break, entering through windo
and blowing off the face Of the sai
They were disappointed here. as thu
had been with the contents of Il
Brick and Green safes. being rewar
ed with little more than a handful
pennies, which had presumably bei
paid by Pennsgrovers for ferry fare
II is believed that the daring Eaf