The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-06
PENNYILLE BANK ROBBED
JAY COUNTY PRIVATE INSTITUTION
LOSES MORE THAN $4,000.
Building Damaged and Safe Wrecked
No CIew to the Thieves-Clny-
pool Suspect Arrested.
.nscial - ,ba InsIananoIis JournaL.

Special to the indianapolis Journal
PORTLAND, Ind, April 5.-The Bank OF
Pennville, at Pennville, Jay county, twelve
miles from Portland, was burglarized at
an early hour Saturday morning, the
cracksmen escaping with their booty, this
amounting to $500, without leaving the
least tangible clew behind. The work evil
IDENTIFY was done by professionals. The Hall
safe containing the currency was blown
the three doors being forced open, the ex-
plosion which wrecked the inner one being
so severe as TO throw fragments of the
door through the front of the bank build
ing. Following the explosion, the robbers
quickly ransacked the safe and escaped
with the loot.
The explosion was heard by some Of the
people who live near the bank. but not a
great deal of attention was paid to it. The
burglary was about. it is supposed, 3
o'clock in the morning, but IL was not
known until three. hours later.
T.. J. Cartwright, a resident Of Pennville,
came out of his home about 6 o'clock and
noticed that Lee Bowmen's blacksmith
shop, just across the street from where he
lives, was open. He walked over and saw
that some nocturnal visitor had been there.
Just then John ). Emmons, cashier of the
Bank OF PennVille, came down the street,
and Mr.. Cartwright called his attention to
the fact, and suggested that something
might be wrong at the bank. knowing that
cracksmen often obtain their heavy tools
at some shop. Mr.. Emmons hurried over
to the bank, and his first glance told the
story. The front Of the building had been
punctured by the flying pieces of steel, and
the whole place was in confusion. The
bank building is a frame structure, about
forty by twenty-five feet, and two stories
high, the bank occupying the lower room.
Entrance to it had been obtained by plac-
ing a crowbar under one of the rear win
dOws and prying upward, thus breaking
the fastenings. There are two safes in
the bank, one a Mossler and the other a
Hall. the latter containing the money and
the former books and papers. 1t was TO
the Hall safe that the cracksmen turned
their attention. Each safe weighs about
1900 pounds.
The dial on the outside door had been
knocked off, so that the combination could
be successfully manipulated; then the sec
Jnd door, one of sheet steel, was drilled
through and the lock forced off. The third
door, which has a time lock on it. was
forced next. The door was drilled, nitro
glycerin poured In, and the heavy mass of
steel blown open by the use OF a fuse.
Mr.. and others who were first
on the scene found a sledgehammer. crow
bar, cold chtsel and a drill. All of these
had been taken from the neighbOring
blacksmith shop of Lee Bowman, with the
exception of the drill. Near by was also
a cake of coap. which was used to fill the
cracks around the safe doors. The books
of the bank were gone over as speedily as
possible, the discovery being made thai the
robbers had got away with about $3.a0
Quite a little mOney-perhaps two hundred
dollars in all-was found scattered on the
bank floor, this being mostly in fractional
coins. In the safety vault, where the cur.
rency was. kept. and which was opened by
the explosion, were fragments of a number
of bills OF large OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES anC
the like-practically burned up. The Moss
Ter safe was untouched. All of the loss is
covered by insurance. the bank carrying
$500 on deposits in the Fidelity and Gas.
ualty Company of New York and $500 OF
the safe.
The bank is a private financial institu.
ton. the stockholders being \. G. Lupton
of Hartford City; Mrs. Adelma Lupton. Of
Pennville; Mrs. w. c. Horn. Of Pennville
and Orier f. Gemmill, of Pennville. The
bank carried deposits to the extent of $110,
coo, but kept its government bonds and val
liable papers in the Blackford County Banl
at Hartford City, and its surplus in thai
bank and the Peoples Bank of this city. Il
hardly ever carried over $1,000 In cash.
Notice of the robbery was sent to all thu
surrounding towns. communication was
also established with those interested I'm the
institution. This accomplished, little coulC
be looked after until the arrival of a. G
Lupton. of Hartford City, who arrived z
little after 9 o'clock, having with him sew.
eral thousand dollars in currency. Upor
receipt of this business, so far as payine
out money was concerned, was resumed.