Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-12-11
Two Policemen Captufedby
Burglars at Reading, Mass.
Merchants Bank Safe Dynamited
and Yields About $40O.
Attempts in Mechanics Bank a Failure
Burglars Escape in FusiIade Of Shots.

Reading, Mass. Dec. 10.-A gang Of
eight or nine men entered this town.
early yesterday, captured and locked
up the two policemen who were patrol
ing Main street and went to the Me-
chanic' Bank, broke open a safe with
dynamite and secured $500 in cash.
the robbers were seen by several citi-
zens and one. a. P. Brooks who lives
across the street from the bank, ex-
changed shots with the men left on
guard outside the bank. No one was
injured, however.
The daring break was made in the
heart of the business district and the
robbers selected for their work the
safe which held the least money. Three
banks. the First National the Reading
Cooperative and the Mechanic Bank.
are built side by SIDE on Main street.
The Mechanic Eank was the objec-
tive point Of tho robbers. but instead
of dynamiting the big safe they at
tackled Il smaller ono which was the
property Il th" niuncirll water COM
mission and which contained about
SiGA, "ho"t half of which was the prop
CIT" of Louis NJ. Bancroft, cashier
OF thG h;,nl, and clerk of the commits
sion.
The snloll troop of robbers made their
appearance on Main street shortly be-
fore o'clock. They Immediately
searched for and located ]. H. Orr and
William ii. Manning. the night police
men of the town. The officers were
quickly Ovcrpowered and taken to the
oillcc of the chief of police. where they
were bound hand and foot and locked
in Il room.
The burglars then hurried directly
across the street to the Mechanic Bank
and after forcing their entrance
through the outer door proceeded to
charge the door of the small safe with
dynamite The explosion was a loud
one and a. p. Brooks. who lives across
the street from the bank, went to a
window to learn the cause of the noise.
lie was seen by the guard left outside
the bank. who warned him that unless
he left the window, and remained quiet,
they would blow his brains out. Mr..
Brooks did leave the window, but he
returned with revolver in his hand
and shouting that he would do a little
shooting himself he enlptied his revolv-
er at the men in the street without, how
ever, Wounding any one. His fire was
returned by the robbers. but their
craftsmanship was no better than Mr..
Brooks and the latter escaped injury.
During the fusillade of shots the
robbers inside the bank were busily
engaged investigating the contents Of
the safe, the door of which had been
shattered by the dynamite. The cash
was gathered together and the men
joined their comrades in the street.
Hurrying down Main street, the men
We're met by F. L. Edgerly and Ed
ward P. Games but their forces were
too strong to be COPIED with the citi-
zens and they went on their way un-
disturbed. According to the men who
saw the robbers after the break they
started out in the direction of Boston.
AS soon as the robbers disappeared,
Mr.. Brooks hurried to the police sta
ton suspecting that the officers might
have been injured. He released Off
GERS Orr and Manning who Immediate
~ set about warning surrounding
towns to be on the lookout for the
gang. The policemen We're unable to
give a good description, however, for
all the men who assisted in overpow-
ing them wore masks and were I'M
usually careful to keep the officials in
front Of them.
1t was learned later in the day that
the men separated shortly after leav-
ing the bank. Three Of them went
down Lowell street and at the Willow
street railroad crossing stole hand
car on which they went as far as Low
eli Junction. The other men continue
ed on their way in the direction Of
Boston.