The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-12-11
STATE BANK
OF PECKHAM
is ROBBED
Burglars Secure $4,000 and
Escape Safely
BLOODHOUNDS ON TRAIL
Safe Breakers Do Very Scien-
tifc Piece of Work.

Blackwell. o. T., Dec. 1o-The Citizens
State Bank Of PeclEham was entered by
burglars about o'clock Sunday morning
and the safe blown open and robbed Of a
little over $500. says the News.
The discovery was not made until about
9 O'Clock the same morning, when Cash
ier c. W. Jack visited the bank 10 look
after some matters that demanded his
attention. C. E. Dowis- cashier Of the
First National bank of this city, who
was particularly friendly to this insti-
tuition, was at once notified by wire by
Mr.. Jack, who asked that he send up
bloodhounds. if there were any in Black
wen. There being none here. Mr. Dowis
placed the matter in the hands Of Deputy
Sheriff c. 0. Baker and City Marshals
e. E. Stephenson and Alfred Iund. The
officers went Immediately to Peckham and
wired to Wichita for bloodhounds. in the
meantime constructing a fence in front of
the burglars entrance to protect the
tracks for the hounds.
The burglars gained entrance TO the
building through the place of rear win
dow, which they removed with tools taken
from the Frisco tool box. The lock on
the vault was picked and the door entered
without any damage thereto. Then the
safe was dynamited and blown to pieces.
The robbers escaped with something over
$780, all the cash that was deposited in
the safe. Only enough money was being
kept on immediate hand to satisfy the
checks that were daily coming IN.
When C. W. Jack entered the bank he
discovered at once that there was some
thing wrong. He saw that the rear win
dow was missing. and the vault door
open. Then his attention was called to
the safe, which was practically ruined.
He spared no pains and lost no time in
heralding the news and within few min
utes the whole town and community was
aroused.
B. o. Stephenson, president Of the bank,
telephoned to Mr.. Dowis from Newkirk.
10 send him s.. coo in currency this morn
ing. Mr. Dowis said the bank was on
solid basis, and in-as-much as the loss is
covered by insurance in one Of the Pro-
tective associations, he hesitated not to
send it. Mr. Stephenson told him the
particulars. He was then at Newyirlz,
awaiting the arrival Of the bloodhounds.
He said the burglars had drilled through
the safe to dynamite it. But no one had
heard the noise. One man slept within 30
feet of the bank building, but was not
awakened. The safe was the cue used by
Mr. Dowis in the old First National bank
building here. It was. however, consid-
cred burglar-proof. The time-lock had
stopped at 3:06, indicating the time Of the
burglary.
Three bloodhounds arrived at Newkirk
from Wichita late Saturday night and
were taken Immediately to the spot in
Peckham. The robbers left two badly
soiled handkerchiefs in the bank. and the
dogs caught the scent from them. They
were traced through an alley to the west
side Of town. Thence through hog pen,
pasture and on out into the public high
way. They stopped at two or three barns
between here and Peckham, and tracked
the thieves through the stalls and over
the hangers. They has evidently been
there in search of horses on which to es-
cape. The hounds followed a winding
trail into this city to the Central hotel,
upstairs into vacant room, down into
the dining room to a seat at the table,
and then TO the Frisco depot where they
lost the trail. It is thought that just one
Of the men came here, but Mr.. Hardwick
recalls no suspicious guests Sunday morn
ing. The hounds arrived in Blackwell
about 4 O'Clock this morning.
The officers believe that the gang sepa-
rated soon after the robbery, but met
the next morning at the home Of Harry
Shepherd. about five miles west Of town.
Three suspicious looking characters ap-
peared there for breakfast, which was
served them. They paid Mrs. Shepherd
dollar that was smoked and otherwise
defaced. as though it had been in dy-
Mantle explosion. They seemed 10 have
plenty of money. and offered Shepherd
any price to take them to Medford. where
they hoped to catch the Rock Island
shepherd was not aware that bank bad
been robbed but was inclined 10 be "A lit
tie suspicious. He did not take them TO
Aedford. and saw nothing more Of them
after they lef- his place.
Ii IS reported this afternoon that the
hounds struck the trail at the Shepherd
place when taken out this morning. and
are following Ii westward. But two other
hounds are pursuing the robbers. They
are ahead of the dogs from Wichita Jo-
seph II. Johnston came 20 town this morn
ing end reported that shortly after day
light two men with bloodh0unds passed
his place end followed the tran closely
On the Shepherd premises. then ccntinsl-
ing westward il is not known who and
whose hounds they were, but others are
evidently interested in the capture or the
told bandits
The Wichita bloodhoun6s all followed
the same trail. but about quarter of
mile apart TWO Of Them were in chaTse
Of men On horseback ard the other iu
charge of a man oa feot-
I.ater.-At press hour the News has rc-
ceived positive reliable lnf0rrration that
the oloodhouuds etd noI strike the tEau
81 the Shepherd place. ard tie inference
IS that the fellow whom they traced into
city did NOT Join the other fellows there.
The heauds wouldn't take UP g new trail-
There Is little doubt that the three fei-
lows who axe breakfast there Sunday
were members Of the saug- They refassa
70 even remove fhair coats and hsts
whue eating. ard otatr evidence points %
such a coHciusicn-