The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-01-07
Six Masked Men Rob East 81
Louis StOckyards Bank.
Bind and Gag Night Watchmel
and Fireman.
SECURE $4,000 CASH.
Put in Nine Hours in Getting
Into the Strong Box.
Books and Papers Badly Dam
aged by Explosion.

St. Louis, Jan. e.-Six masked men
entered the National Stock Yards bank
north of East St. Louis, Ill, last night,
and after capturing and gagging tile
two night watchmen and fireman at the
steam plant and blowingopenthevaults
with dynamite. secured S5,OOO IN com
and currency with which they de-
camped, early today For nine nouIS'
from o'clock last night until a. m
they were at work on the vaults with
out being interfered with The entlre
East st. Louis police force, aided by the
St. Louis police, are guarding all lne
avenues of escape, but as yet nave CO
tanned no clue to the Whereabouts OF
the robbers, who it is believed escaped
on horseback
Lee PhiIpot. one of the watchmen,
rough rider friend of President KooSe-
Velt and a member of the well hncWn
Kentucky family of that name, was the
first to meet with the robbers. lie vas
standing in the stock yards near e ne
Exchange building, in which the D2nk
is located when ne was addressed by
three men, who sprang out of a renee
corner with revolvers in their hands:
They said: We 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 National Stock
Yards Reporter nearby and laid him on
the floor He was bound hand and foot
and gagged with towels. While lying
there three other men came in. Gh1ipot
heard the leader of the rObber gang say,
Let's kill him" He was deferred from
doing this, Phlpot says, by the other
robbers One of the six men was sent
out with injunctiOns to secure the or
erS. Albert EStep, the other bank watch
man, was caught on the steps of the
Exchange building The rObber went
up to K.step and addressed him by name.
Thinking it was a friend, Betep was
taken unawareS, and when revolver
was thrust into his face was not in
shape for defense. Under threats OF
death he was forced to go to the COM
posing room, where he was also bound
and gagged.
Night Fireman L. W. Clark was taken
unawares in the steam plant of the E-z--
change building. He resisted and was
subdued. He was also taken to the
composing room and left bound and
gagged with his 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
Exchange building, near the center
With nitrOglycerine the robbers blew
open the steel doors of the vault. These
doors of a double 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
encountered. These doors were drilled
and a charge of the explosive inserted,
WnlCn blew them Ihe explosion Gie-
Stroyed more books and papers and
scattered about 5000 in gold and silver
upon the floor. This money was not
taken by the robbers. They took all the
currency and other coin, amounting 10
about 5000. as nearly as the banks Off
GERS can estimate The five men left
the bank and Signalled to the one VINO
was guarding the captive watchmen and
fireman. This man joined his COM
panions.
Five minutes after the robber guard
left the composing rom E,Step. who had
not been bound securely worked loose
and released Clark and Philpot This
was about 4 o'clock Estep then ran to
the telephone and called up Charles II.
Jones, general manager of the stock
yards, and informed him of the rob-
berry. President c. Gordon Knox. of the
stock yards bank, was also called and
he soon made his appearance at the
stock yards. Mr.. Knox said that If the
robbers had made their haul the night
before they would have secured about
$4,000 more than they got. They did
not take any of the banks papers, most
of which were damaged by the two ex-
plosions The vault and safe present a
scene OF wreck and ruin.
The robbers were all masked. Some
wore red bandannas over their faces,
and the others had on black handkeI-
chiefs. The watchmen say that all the
bandits appeared to be middle-aged
men, none of them under 35 years of
age; the leader, a man of about 40 or "a.
was tall and slender, probably feet
inches, with a SalloW complexion short
brown moustache and black eyes Like
all the others the leader wore a dark
suit and a dark overcoat with a scft
black hat
Philpot says that while he lay in the
printing office he could hear two men
outside. whose voices he recognized,
yarding cattle. They were within 20
feet of him, and the five robbers ap-
peared quite uneasy and kept very
quiet.
In addition to the $1,000. the robbers
secured $3.50 left with the bank by As
sistant Postmaster Bushell of the stock
yards. This is the bank whose officers
recently swore out a warrant charging
Theo. Duddleston, the assistant cash
Ter. with embezzling $4,000
The foregoing recital of the robbery
was secured in talks with the watch
men and firemen. H. E T HoIlister
was at work in one of the offices on the
floor where the bank is located when
the robbers first made their appearance
at o'clock. He worked there SntiI $50
o'clock He noticed several men. at dif-
ferent times. entering and emerging
from the corridor. Some of them ne
recognized as employees, while others
were strangers to him. The police of
both cities are investigating the rob-
berry and 1t is said some sensational ar
rests may be made.