Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-03-05
BIG FIRE STARTED
BY BANK ROBBERS
An Attempt on the Safes OF
the Baltimore Trust Co.
at Camden, Del.

at Camden, Del.
Failing i'm their attempt to loot the
vault of the Camden branch of the Bal
timore Trust Company. two would-be
burglars early Monday morning set fire
TO the building in which the office is To-
Gated. and before the flames could be
checked two of the finest structures in
the town were burned to the ground.
There is every indication that siren.
nous effort was made TO open the door
of the vault in which 81. 900 of the Trust
Company's money had been deposited.
The enamel about the lock is scratched,
showing that sharp edged instrument
had been employed in trying to pry open
the door. The flames, however. de-
stroyed whatever other traces the intru-
ders might have left. The matter has
been reported to the State authorities.
and the two State detectives were sent
from Wilmington TO the scene at once.
Efforts are now being made to run down
the firebugs.
While the entire building was de.
stroyed. the vault remained uninjured.
and the money and valuable papers arc
believed TO be intact. The loss caused
by the flames is estimated at $4,000.
Only small part Of this is covered by
insurance.
The Camden branch of the Baltimore
Trust Company began business in July
of last year. and since that time has had
$225,O 200 on deposit The bank is loca-
ted in the Sarde bailding. two-story
brick structure, on Camden avenue. Ad-
joining ON the east is w. NJ. Booker's
shoe store. and on she corner of Main
street is Levi G. Sterner's general store.
Over the latter two stores is the amuse.
ment hall. which adjoins the vault
room and directors Office of the bank
On the south of the Sarde building fac.
ing Main street is the Lord building,
occupied by L. w. Hollis as butcher
shop.
IL was about $3.50 in the morning
when smoke and flames were seen issu,
ing from the main Office of the bank
The alarm was quickly sounded. and
the volunteer firemen turned out Ell
masse. This being the first fire Cam
den has had for years. the entire town
was awakened and rushed to the scene
Of the blaze. The flames by this time
had gotten beyond control. and the only
hope was in bringing to the aid of the
local volunteers the firemen from Dover
and Wyoming.
A telephone message brought the fire
engines from the Capital. and Thomas
Hairgrove, the rural carrier, on his
speedy horse, carried the alarm to Wyo-
ming, one mile distant. Every able.
bodied citizen in the latter town respond.
ed. and by 4 o'clock half dozen bucket
brigades. besides three lines Of hose
were pouring volumes of water into the
fire was fought. and at the end of that
time the citizens of Camden had sue
ceeded i'm checking the blaze and saving
the surrounding buildings
After the fire had been extinguished
an investigation of the ruins showed
that the stove in the Trust Company S
Office had been overturned. This at
once aroused suspicion. and further in
vestigation revealed the fact that the
vault had been tempered with.
J. B. Manahan. the cashier. and Reu-
ben +. Brown, his assistant, were at the
office as late as o'clock Monday night
When they left everything had been
cleared away and the fire in the stove
was low.
In the morning the stove was found
overturned. and the Goals were scatter
ed about the floor. All of the Office fur.
niture was destroyed, causing loss OF
$500 TO the bank.
The merits of the vault. which resist.
ed the attacks of the burglars. were sci
fourth in statement recently publish
ed, in addition TO the fact that 1925, OOC
had been deposited by over 100 deposi
tors. IL may have been this announce
ment that caught the eyes of the burg
lars and prompted the attempted rob
berry.