The news & observer., 1902-01-08
WON BY DYNAM|T Tt
Six Masked Men Gag Watch
men and Make Off
With $4,000
(By the Associated Press

st. Louis, Jan. six masked men en-
tered the National Stock Yards Bank
north of East ST. Louis, H., last night
and after capturing and gagging the two
night watchmen and fireman at the plant
and blowing open the vaults with dyna
mite, secured $4,000 in coin and currency
with which they decamped. For nine
hours, from O'Clock last night until
4 o'clock a. ln., they were at work on
the vaults without being interfared with
The entire East st. Louis police force
aided by the st. Louis police are guard
ing all the avenues of escape, but as yet
have obtained no clue to the whereabouts
of the robbers. who, it is believed es-
capped on horseback.
Lee Philpot, one of the watchmen, a
rough rider friend of President Roose-
welt and member of the well known
Kentucky family of that name, was the
first to meet with the robbers. He was
standing in the stock yards near the eX
change building in which the bank is
located, when he was addressed by three
men who sprang out of fence corner
with revolvers in their hands. They
said:
I'VE want, you Philpot,'' and with that
overpowered him before he could reach
his revolver. The three robbers took
Philpot to the composing room of the
Daily Natinal Stock Yards Reporter,
near by and laid him on the floor. He
was bound hand and foot and gagged
with towels. While lying there three
other men came in.
While he was lying on the floor Phil
pot heard the leader of the robbers say:
Lets kill him. He was deferred from
doing this, Philpot says, by the other
robbers. One of the men was sent out
with injunctions to secure anybody else
in the vicinity. Albert Estep, the other
bank watchmanswas caught on the steps
of the Exchange building. The robber
went up to Estep and addressed him by
name. Thinking it was friend, Estep
was taken unawares and a revolver was
thrust into his face and under threats of
death he was forced to go to the compos-
ing room where he was also bound and
gagged.
Night fireman L. W. Clark was taken
unawares in the steam plant of the Ex-
change building He resisted and was
badly beaten before he was subdued He
was also taken into the composing room
anu lelL bouuu anu SdSBeu WIN MS Two
companions.
About midnight one of the robbers was
left to guard the three captives, while
the other five went to the bank. which
is located on the first floor of the Ex-
change building, near the center. With
nitro glycerine the robbers blew open the
doors of the vault. These doors, of dou-
bic thickness of steel, were shattered and
the banks books and papers blown into
shreds Entering the vault, the big steel
safe with quadruple plate doors, was next
and a charge of the explosive inserted
which blew them off. The explosion de-
stroyed more books and papers and scat
tered about $500 in gold and silver upon
the floor This money was not taken by
the robbers. They took all the currency
and other coin amounting to about $4,000,
as nearly as the banks officers can esti-
mate The five men left the bank and
signalled 70 the one who was guarding
the captive watchmen and fireman and
he ioined his companions.
Five minutes after the roober guard
left the composing room Estep. who had
not been bound securely, worked loose
and released Clark and Philpot All the
robbers wore masks. In addition to the
$1,000 the robbers secured $3.50 left with
the bank by assistant Postmaster Bushell
of the Stock Yards. This is the bank
whose officers recently swore out a war
rant charging Theodore Duddleston the
assistant cashier with embezzling $12,-
900.