Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-05-01
VAULT STOOD TEST.
Burglars Bafi1ed at First Ma
tional Bank, GuiIford.
Two Outer Doors Blown Off, But Safe
Wi;hstandS all Assaults.
1o:a! Booty About $i40 ard Two Rifles. the
Burglars Escape.

NtN.ilo.d. &c AprI "a dc ter
mined attempt was made to rob the
First National Eank here. some Time
doors e the bank vault We're blown off
with dynamite. The safe. which con-
tanned a large amount OF money. with
:itoGd the force OF the explosions and
the burglars sucC eeded in getting only
$lls in silver which had been left in the
cash drawer. AZ the hardware store
owned hy John Scales and Il. Is. Pack
arts trCit and coEfet tioGcry store
Wnicn Wee entered, only about So in
money was secured, together with one
or two rifles and some fruit
Tho fact that burglars had been at
work first became known. at O'Clock
this morning. when \. \. N, T[usick.
on his way - ais place Of business. no
ticcd MAT TIE front door of Scales
han DWARF store was open and nu1ncr-
od$ articles We're scattered about the
.toor. Tie called assistance and began
an investigation which finally lea to
the banking rooms. They found that
burglars had succeeded in blowing of
but although numerous attempts had
been made to break open the safe that
remained intact. There was no clue to
the operators.
The First National Bank is located
on the second floor of the Scales block
on Main street. ON the lower floor is
John Scales hardware store and il was
through this store the robbers made
l.
entered the store by the front door and
after going through the cash drawer
and securing about $25. took some tools
with which to operate on the bank
vault and went to the floor above.
There they forced a single door and at
once began work on the vault.
From the manner in which the steel
doors were removed from the vault, it
is believed the men We're professionals.
Dynamite was used in just sufficient
quantities in each instance to force the
door from its fastenings at the same
time making very little noise. The in
terror of the Office with the exception
of the vault where the men worked.
was xeHs little damaged.
~ Sev5nd these two doors, however
lsAhe .cracksmen encountered burglar
I$fcof <afe of recent design and al
lS9foughTN showed many marks, this
khioTHjl1s which testified to many at
HkeTanfssto force it, it withstood the
t1ril{S and dynamite and remained in
Haefs 1t is believed the men worked
/ on tfiis safe until just before daylight
when they made their escape from the
.aown.
kTSEavobody could be found. today, who
fheards any unusual noise during the
might or who saw any strangers in the
vicinity. either last night or early this
morning. 1t is believed here that last
nights job was the work of the gang
| that has operated recently in Lisbon
| Falls, Wiscdsset and Waterville.
| 1t was stated by an official of the
First National Bank, today. that the
| safe which the men made an unsuccess-
| full attempt to crack contained n large
| amount of money. He would give no
| figures in speaking of the amount, but
| inferred that if the robbers had been
| successful in getting at the contents
| they would have made a good haul.
The time of the robbery may be com
puted by the fact that at o'clock
| Tue sday morning. the men We're scen
whiZZing through Dexter on the hand
car 90 miles away. The residence or
Hon. Josiah Crosby is but snort dis
lance from the railroad track and at
| the hour mentioned a member OF the
| family who happened to be looking out
| Of the window saw the hand-car. with
| four men on it, passing at top speed.
Two Of the men We're CARRIED iii the
brigh. yellow oil cloth suits ana as
| their bodies swayed backwards ana
| forward as they worked the car II could
be seen that they were doing their Ut
| most to place as much distance as
| possible between themselves and the
| scene of their robberieS.
| As soon as the events OF the hlshl
had been discovered steps were at once
taken to apprehend the robbers ana
| telephone messages were sent out III
ell directions to intercept the quartet
After going down the line for some as
lance it is thought that the men abah-
doped their stolen car and took to the
adjacent country. The possibility Oh
their separating and going in dIitercl'
directions has also been fully cohsid
arol