Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-26
ATRUE DETECTIVE STORIES

been managed that no suspicion fell upon
either Scott, Dunlap or any of their asso-
ciateS.
X x
Here were fortunes made easily enough,
with plenty more to be made in the same
way, and the gang were in high feather
over their success. During the summer of
1874 Scott and Dunlap lived in princely
style in New York. They attracted much
attention at Coney Island during the sea-
son. where they drove fast horses. No one
suspected that they were the leaders of
the most desperate gang of bank rob-
bers ever organized in this or any coun-
try.
BY fall their money began to run short
ana they decided 20 look about for an
other job In the Quincy robbery they
had broken their agreement with Evans,
paying him only small sum for the use
OF the air pump which he had furnished
them. Now, however, they~called upon
him again and partly by threats, partly
by generous offers, induced him TO assist
them again a series of unsuccessful at
temptS at robbery were made on banks
in Saratoga, Nantucket, Covington Ky.
and Rockville, Conn. In several instances
failure came at the very time when sue
cess seemed sure. In the case of the
Covington bank, for instance. nitroglycer-
the explosion was so violent that the men
became frightened and fled in a panic,
leaving behind untouched, although ex-
posed to view, S200.000 in greenbacks and
S1,503,o00 in negotiable bonds. In the case
of the Rockville bank their plans had
worked out perfectly, and they had re-
moved everything from the top of the vault
but thin layer Of brick when Scott ac-
cidentally forced the jimmy with which he
was working through the roof of the vault
and let it fall inside. AS it was too late
to complete the work that night and as
the presence of the Jimmy inside the vault
would inevitably start an alarm the next
day, they We're obliged to abandon the at
tempt entirely.
The gangs most desperate adventure
befel in connection with the attempt on
the First National Bank of Pittston Pa
This was made late in the fall of 1875
The bank occupied a one-story building
covered with a tin roof and the robbers
decided to make the attack from the roof
But there was a serious difficulty in the
fact that in case of rain coming any
| time after they had begun operations.
water might soak through the openings
they had made and betray them. Dun
laps ingenuity however. was equal to
this emergency; and each night after fin
ishing their excavation, they carefully re-
laid the sheets of tin that had been dis
turbed, protecting the Joints with red put
ty, which matched the roof in color SO
well did they put on this putty that, al
though 1t rained heavily the very day
after they began, not drop leaked
through
On the night OF November only one
layer of bricks separated them from the
top of the vault, and ii was decided to
finish the work and TO do the robbery that
night, Two hours hard labor with drag"
and ''jack-screw" sufficed to effect an OPEN
| ing. and Scott and Dunlap were lowered
| into the vault. They found three Mar
win spherical safes protected by burglar
alarm. But Dunlap was somewhat of an
| electrical expert, and was able to so sur
round the burglar-alarm with heavy boards
| as to render IL of little or no danger. They
| experienced much difficulty, though, in
| blowing open the safes The first one at
| tempted yielded on the second explosion,
| and they secured $500 In currency and
| 10000 in bonds. The next one was far
more troublesome, not less than ten explo-
sions being required 10 make way into It.
| And just as the task was at last accom-
plished and they were on the point Of