Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-25

tainty, was more than Evans could stand
up against. He broke down completely
and told all he knew
The story told by Evans is one of the
most remarkable in the history of crime
He admitted the correctness of Robert
Pfnkerton's inference that the Northampton
bank had been robbed by Scott and Dun
lap and their associates, and in order to
explain his own connection with this for
midable, gang he went back to its organi-
cation In 1872. The leader of the gang was
James Dunlap, alias James Barton, who,
before he became a bank robber had been
brakeman on the Chicago, Alton and St.
Louis railroad. His Unborn criminal in
stincts led him to frequent the resorts OF
thieves IN Chicago, and thus he met Jim
my Lamb and a man named Perry, who
TOOK liking to him and taught him all
they knew about breaking safes Dunlap
soon outstripped his masters developing
genius for robbery and for orga nization that
speedily proved him the most formidable
or all the bank robbers then operating in
the country, not even excepting Jimmy"
Hope, the notorious Manhattan Bank rob-
Der. He had the long-headedness and stub
oornness of his Scotch parents, united with
the daring and ingenuity peculiar to Amer
leans. In the fall of 1872 he organized the
most dangerous and best equipped gang of
bank robbers that the country had ever
known.
u.
Scott, alias "Hustling Bob" originally
deckhand on a Mississippi steamboat and
afterward hotel thief. Scott was big,
powerful man. with determination equal
to anything. Their associates were what
one might expect from these two. Other
members of the gang We're Thomas Doty,
William Conroy, Eddie" Goody, John
Perry, James Greer, professional burglar
originally from Canada, and the notorious
John Leary. alias Red Leary, of whom
more viii be said later on. In addition to
these the gang contained several members
of less Importance, men who acted merely
as lookouts. or as go-betweens or mes
sengers.
The first large operation of Dunlaps band
occurred in 1872, when they plundered the
rails City Bank in Louisville, KY. of about
S20oOOO, escaping with their booty. This
was satisfactory as a beginning, but Dun
LAP and Scott dreamed of achievements be-
side which this was Insignificant. They
began careful Investigation through many
states to learn of banks of weak structure
containing large treasure. One of the gang
finally found precisely what they were in
search of in the Second National Bank OF
Elmira, N Y, which institution, being
government depository, contained, as they
learned on good authority, $500. in green
backs and s6,ooo,0o0 in bonds.
A survey of the premises satisfied the
gang that. massive though 1t appeared.
with its ponderous iron walls and compli-
Gated locks, the vault of this bank was
by no means Impossible of access. The
floor above the bank was occupied by the
Young Mems Christian Associa ton. one of
me association rooms being directly over
the vault There was the floor between
and under that four feet of solid masonry
some OF the stones in it weighing ton
AND under the masonry was a layer of
raHroad IRON, resting on plate of ha rd-
ened steel an inch and a half thick All
this however, SO far from discouraging the
consplrators, gave them greater confidence
IN the success OF their plan, once under
way, since the very security Of the vault
py structure, from overhead attack les
sened the Strictness of the surveillance
indeed, the most serious difficulty, In the
estimation OF the robbers, was to gain
easy and unsupported admission to the
quarters of the Young Mems Christian AS
ISOLATION. on the second floor. The secre-
tary: a very prudent man. had put on the
outside door Of the association rooms an
improved Yale lock, which was then new
upon the market and offered unusual OH
staeles to the lock picker. Neither Dunlap
enough to open this lock without breaking
1t, which would, of course, have been fatal
to their plans. For days, therefore affer
all the other details Of the robbery had
been arranged the whole scheme seemed to
be blocked by a troublesome lock on an
ordinary wooden door,
So serious matter did this finally be-
come that Scott and Dunlap went to the
length of breaking into the secrefary.s
house at night and searching his pockets
In the hope Of finding the keys and getting
an impression Of them. But here again the
secretary had taken precautions that de-
feated their purpose, for he had hidden the
keys under carpet, where the robbers
never thought of looking for them. Dis
appointed In their search, they went away
making no attempt to carry of anything. a
bit of forbearance which caused the excel
lent secretary much wonder the next morn
ing when he found that nothing was miss
rofra froo
truders
The Yale lock still continuing an insoluble
difficulty. Perry finally made journey to
vice by which to open it. There. In the
course of his search. and in q curious way.
he made the acquaintance OF Evans. then
salesman In the employ Of a prominent
safe company.
Before entering the employ OF the safe
manufacturers Evans had conducted an
extensive mercantile business for himself
in large eastern city, where he was re-
garded as a man of wealth and integrity.
He had large dealings through the south
with extensive credits, but the outbreak az
the war had forced him into Bankruptcy.
1t was limited that there was some over
shrewd practice connected with his failure
and his subsequent sudden departure for
Canada gave color to the insinuation At
any rate, he compromised with his credi-
tors on basis advantageous to himself
On his return from Canada Evans took
up his residence in New York city and he
gan TO cultivate habitS far beyond his In
come, notably the taste for fast horses.
Perry heard of Evans through one RYAN.
whom he had known Crook Years
before, but who was then running a livery
stable In an uptown street. As a matter
Of fact. the livery stable was merely a
blind for the sale of nnsonnd horses doc
tored up to deceive unsuspecting buyers.
But of this Evans knew nothing, and In
good faith had stabbed one of his own
horses with Ryan. This had led to an in
timacy between him and Ryan, and now. at
Perrys suggestion. Ryan encouraged evans
in his disposition to live beyond his means.
Before long Evans found himself much
cramped financially. Being unable to nay
Ryan the money he owed him for stabIine
hc began to talk of selling his horse: and
one day, when he was complaining Of be-
ing short OF money, Ryan said; III had
your position I'd never lack for money
Evans asked him what he meant
"oh,' said Ryan, there are plenty or nan
yae who would put up well to know some
Gf the things you know about safes and
banks
BY degrees Ryan made his meaning more
clear, and Evans grew properly Indignant.
The subject was dropped for the moment.
but. Ia subsequent meetings. Ryan kept re-
verting to It. Meantime Evans found him