Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-25
The Northampton
Bank Robbery
Copyright, 1905. by G. W. Dillingham; Co.,

s 3
Is Copyright, 1905. by G. W. Dillingham; co., a
\ X * < X x ~ x x y x
About midnight on Tuesday, January 25,
1876, five masked men entered the house of
John Whittelsey in Northampton, Mass.
Mr.. Whittelsey was the cashier of the
Northampton National Bank, and was
known to have in his possession the keys
of the bank building and the combination
to the bank vault. The five men entered
the house noiselessly, with the aid of false
keys, previously prepared. Passing up
stairs to the sleeping apartments, they
overpowered seven inmates Of the house,
gagging and binding them so that resis-
lance or alarm was impossible. These
were Mr.. Whittelsey and his wife, Mr.. and
Mrs. T. B. Cutler, Miss Matte White. Miss
Benton and servant girl.
The bed room Of Mr.. and Mrs. Whittelsey
was entered by two men who seemed to
be leaders of the band. One wore a long
linen buster buttoned nearly to the knees.
also gloves and overshoes; the other wore
a Jacket and oyeralls. Both men had their
faces concealed behind Masks and one of
them carried q dark lantern. On entering
the room the two men went directly to
the bed, one standing on either side, and
handcuffed Mr.. Whittelsey and his wife.
Both carried revolvers. The proceedings
were much the same in the other rooms.
After some delay and whispered consul
tation the robbers ordered the five women
to get up and dress. When they had done
so they were roped together by ankles and
wrists, and taken into small room, where
they were kept under guard by one Of the
band. Mr.. Cutler also was imprisoned In
the same way. Then the two leaders de-
voted themselves to Mr.. Whittelsey. They
told him plainly that they had come for
the keys OF the bank and the combination
Of the vault, and that they would make 1t
hot" for him unless he gave them what
It was useless to attempt to break into
the bank, as the locks were too strong for
their efforts and he would not betray his
trust. At this the man in the linen buster
shrugged his shoulders and said they would
see about that.
Mr.. Whitte1sey was then taken down
stairs and again summoned to surrender the
keys. Again he refused. At this the man
in the overalls put his hand in the cashiers
pocket and drew forth a key.
''Is this the key to the bank?" he asked.
Eyes, it Is" answered the cashier, hoping
to gain time.
You lie," said the robber. with threaten
ing gesture, at the same time trying the
key in the lock OF the front door Of the
house, which 1t turned.
Don't hit him yet" said the other; The
Is SICK" Then he asked Mr.. Whittelsey IL
he wanted drink of brandy.
Mr.. Whittelsey shook his head no. Then
the man In the linen buster renewed his
demands. He wanted the combination Of
the vault. Mr.. Whittelsey gave him some
figures. which the robber wrote down on
a piece of paper. These were for the
outer door of the vault. He demanded the
combination for the inner door. and Mr.
Whittelsey gave him other figures. Having
written these down also. the robber came
close to his prisoner and said: "Will you
swear these figures are correct?''
II WILL" answered Mr.. Whittelsey.
you are lying again. If they are correct
let's hear you repeat them"
The cashier could not do this. and SO dis-
closed that the figures were not the right
ones.
see, Number One" said the robber. adj
dressing his comrade, we're wasting time;
AS he spoke he struck the sharp. point
of his lead pencil into Mr.. Whittelsey's face
SO violently as to make wound, and fol-
lowed this with several blows on the BODY.
'Will you tell us now?" he asked.
Mr.. Whittelsey kept silent. Then both
men came at him, wringing his ears, shak-
ing him by the throat, hurting him to the
floor and pounding their knees . INTO ms
continued. More than once the rufhans
placed their revolvers at Mr.. Whitteiseys
head, declaring they would blow his brains
out unless he yielded. Finally ne dld yieid;
the suffering was too great; the supreme
instinct of self-preservation asserted itself.
Toward 1 o. clock in the morning, bruised
from head to foot, and worn beyond furtner
resistance he surrendered the keys and
revealed the true combination of the vault.
Then the robbers went away, leaving two
of their associates to watch over the pris-
oners One of the band, before his de-
parture. did not disdain to search Mr. Whit
teIsey's clothes and take his watch and
chain and S14 in money. The last of the
band remained in the house until 6 o'clock;
and it was an hour later before Mr.. Whit
telsey succeeded In freeing himself from
his bonds.
He hurried at once to the bank. arriving
there soon after o'clock. He found the
vault door locked and its dials broken OF,
SO that 1t was impossible at the moment
to determine the extent of the robbery, or,
indeed, whether there had been any rob-
berry. 1t was necessary to send to New
York for an expert before the vault could
be opened. which was not accomplished
until late that night, twenty hours after
discovered that the robbers had been only
too successful, having secured money and
securities estimated at a million and a
quarter dollars Much OF this sum was safe
deposits, and the loss fell on the depositors.
and to some it was the loss OF their whole
property.
AT this time the authorities had no c1ew
to the identity OF the robbers, though they
had left behind them numerous evidences
OF their presence. such as dark lanterns.
masks, sledge hammers. overshoes and the
like. Their escape had been managed as
skilifuily as the robbery itself. Sherifrs
officers and detectives did their best during
subsequent days and weeks but their Eff
forts were In vain. The president OF the
bank offered a reward OF $4,000 for the
apprehension of the robbers and the return
OF the property but there were no dis
coveries.
When several months had elapsed the
Pinkertons were called into the case. They
began by carefully studying certain COM
bank directors from persons claiming to
have IN their possession the missing Sc
curities. The first Of these communicates
was dated New York. February u. 1870,
about q month after the robbery. e ran
a. folloWz. the letters OF each word being
carefuily printed With = pen - theS there