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

Having once nibbled. Evans was not long
In biting at the bait thus adroitiy held be-
fore him. He consented to be introduced
to Perry who shrewdly showed him what
knew the secrets Of safe makers and could
locate weak banks to make great deal
of money without danger to himself.
Why, said Perry. You can make more
suspecting 1t. than you can make In year
working for these safe people
The result was that Evans. in considera-
ton Of s5o.ooe. finally agreed TO provide
some means of opening the Yale lock which
barred the robbers from the coveted treas
ure at Elmira
Perry. in great delight. hurried back to
Elmira, and reported his success to Dunlap
and Scott. In order to bring EVANS TO FL
mira in way not to excite suspicion. a
letter was written to the company he served
containing tempting proposition regarding
the purchase of safes. Evans was at once
sent to Elmirn to look after the matter.
He stopped at the Rathbone House. where
he was waited upon by Scott, with whom
he concerted plan of operations. Scott
was to slip thin piece of wood into the
lock at night, so that the lock would not
work. Then, as Evans presence in the city
had been made known, It was hoped that
he would be called upon, as an expert in diff
fieult locks. to find out what was the mat
ter. This would give him an opportunity TO
secure an impression of the key. The plan
worked only too perfectly: and within TWEEN
ty-four hours the conspirators were able to
pass in and out of the Young Mems Chris
tian Association rooms as they pleased,
without the knowledge of any one.
~
It now remained, in order to achieve the
robbery. to dig down into the vault-an i'm
mense task. for which the constant pres
ence in Elmira of the whole gang was nee
essary. 1t was also necessary that their
presence should not be noticed. and to that
end woman from Baltimore. who had been
associated with one of the gang in previous
undertakings, came on to Elmira and took
a house in the suburbs. giving out that she
was the wife of q man whose business kept
him travelling most OF the time. The house
was simply furnished. and every day, for
the benefit of the neighbors. the woman
made a great pretense of sweeping the
steps. cleaning the windows and busying
herself about the yard in various ways.
Meantime inside the house, In careful con-
cealment, the members of the gang were
hving-Scott. Dunlap Red Leary, Conroy
and Perry. They never went out in the day.
time. and they left the place at night so
cautiously, going one at time, that, al
though they lived here for six weeks,
their presence was never suspected.
Every night they gathered in the rooms
of the Young Mems Christian Association.
after the young men had gone home, using
their false keys to obtain admission; and
what would ordinarily be the noisiest work;
but their movements were so cautious and
well-planned that their presence in the
building was never suspected. Every night
the carpet and flooring were taken up, ana,
after they had finished their excavations,
were carefully relaid. Tons of masonry
and heavy stone We're removed, shoveled
into baskets and carried UP to the roof of
the opera house, adjoining the bank build
ing where there was small chance OF the
debris being discovered. Thus the unweary-
ing rascals worked downward through the
LAYER of railroad iron, and at last found
themselves separated from the inside of the
vault by only the plate of steel. success
seemed within their very grasp, when an
unforeseen accident spoiled everything
One day the president of the bank, MI
Pratt, was surprised. on entering the vault,
to find the floor sprinkled with fine white
dust. An investigation was made, and the
whole plot was uncovered. The members
Of the gang, however, got word in time, and
all managed to escape except Perry, who
was convicted of attempted burglary ana
sent to the Auburn prison for five years.
Gro be concluded tomorrow