West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-10-24
THE PosTofFIcE ROBBERY.
Safe Blown Open, But Net Much
Money Secured BY the Robbers.

Tine kingwood Postofice was robbed AZ
an early hour last Thursday morning and
SO lar there Is no clue TO the rrobbers
They entered the building by prying up a
back window and then proceeded to blow
up the safe. large old fashioned one. tina,
belonged 10 John II. Brown and had been
rented OF him by the postmaster. They
evidently took monkey.wrench and
twisted the knob of OF the safe door and
hiied the small hole that held the knob on
with nitro-glycerine. as the explosion was
powerful one. completely wrecking the
safe door which was blown across the
room. smashing a table In the way. and
breaking out the windows and glass
sehe'aiy about the place. postofice
boxes. etc. They did not seem TO use any.
thing to deaden the sound and why some.
one was not aroused to investigate. is a
mystery. Two or three parties did hear
IL. but from some cause or other. paid no
attention to IL. p. r Smith Of the Exchange
Hotel. was aroused and got I'D and went
out but concluded nothing was wrong and
went back to bed.
The robbery took place about half past
TWO In the morning and the robber or
ROBBERS did not get very much for their
trouble, perhaps not over ESQ. as the exact
amount could not be told. They also took
some stamps. but overlooked most of them
and LETT some small change scattered
around on the hoor. An electric light Is
always LETT burning In the Office at night
and II was still on next morning. Then
the robbers had lii lamp and used IL to
xxsrs. a.
WORK on the safe and left u sitting burning
on table in the back room. They came
10 through the Journal Office and left a safe
there untouched, probably thinking II not
worth while to fool away time trying TO
get into the safe OF a 1country editor. and
having no use Tor delinquent subscriptions.
Their use OF nitro-g lycerine makes IL look
like II was some one from abroad. as no
one around here would know how TO use II.
Then again robbing a postoffice at the
time they did shows that they were mot
on to their job" and evidently some
amateurs as the postoffice business is
closed up at the end of every quarter and
the money taken out OF the safe and
whatever belongs TO the Government is
sent In and the postmaster's share is taken
out and used by him or deposited I'm the
bank. so that just after the end of a Quarter
Is bad lime to rob the Office. The present
quarter began October Ist and what little
money would accumulate in about Two
weeks was all that was on hand al the
time OF the robbery.
Postmaster Murdoch promptly notified
the Department by telegraph and by full
written report but so far they seem to have
made no effort or sent out no inspector TO
investigate or hunt up and try to capture
the robbers. as II is generally believed
that there were more than one
The strangest part of the whole business
IS that such an explosion could take place
IN quiet little town and no one pay any
attention TO Ii.
The Terra Alta postoffce was robbed
about year ago and no clue ever found
to the robbers. although il was generally
believed TO be the work Of parties in that
section. The meanest part of that bust
ness was their taking several thousand
dollars worth OF Rotes and valuable papers
belonging to Postmaster Glover and never
returning them although they could be of
no use TO the robbers and they could
easily return the papers. without running
any risk of detection 'n