The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-01-10
MASKED MEN ROB BANK
Bind man and Boy to Chairs and
Blow Open Safe.
8 fieI Id Conn, Thrown Into 3 Panic by
Explosions of Nitro Glycerine
Used by the Burglars,

NAN
swift succession that aroused half the
community and shook part of the town
failed to call any one to the protection
Of the Sufield Savings Bank early in
the morning when its safe was blown
open by robbers, who bound 4 man
and 4 boy to chairs in the railway sta
ton. Luck saved the institution from
permanent loss, however, as the bur-
glars passed by a drawer in which re-
posed $4,000 in negotiable securities
and cash, taking instead registered
bonds worth $4,000, but which NJ. L.
Newton, president Of the bank, said
could not be sold save by the owner.
The robbers escaped with what looked
like a snug fortune in their hands. 1t
is possible they have not yet discoV-
cred their loot is so much Dead Sea
fruit - that they didn't get enough
from the crime to pay their fare TO
this place, even if they came from the
next town.
Six masked men appeared in the sta
ton in the small hours and overpoW-
cred William Jones, the Waterman.
and his son, twelve years old. When
the prisoners were tied safely in a
couple of chairs in the waiting room.
one Of the strangers mounted guard
Over them with q revolver in each
hand and the soothing assurance that
he'd blow their heads off if they called
for help. His comrades evidently
feared that threat would not keep the
= father and son quiet. for they gagged
+he captiges, complaining bitterly about
the time they had .to:lose.''.
Were going to. crack the savings
crib" explained the leader Of the band
with refreshing frankness. "This fel.
low watching you means what he said.
Just you make a peep, and you'll get a
lead shampoo
Five of the men hurried out Of the
station, and through the windows the
Joneses saw them going toward the
bank. A few minutes passed. Then
the first explosion sounded. Jones and
his son concluded the plan had miscar-
ried-that the robbers had made a good
deal more noise. than they expected,
and that all Suf1eld soon would be
about the ears Of the thieves. But the
captiyes overestimated Suf1eld's cour.'
age. Miss Sophia Bissell, who lives
next the savings7bank acknowledgement
is fifty feet from the entrance to the
institution, said she was awakened by
an. explosion, and heard every, sound
made thereafter by the robbers. She
knew burglars were at work in the
bank, she added, but when she tried
to give an alarm she found herself too
terrified even to scream. And Miss
Bissell wasn't the only person so af'
fected. Dozens in the course of the
day admitted shamefacedly how fright.
ened they were when they heard the
explosions.
The bandits lacked the big front door
off its hinges with crowbars, after
smashing a window or two to show
their independence. They made no
attempt to work silently. On the con-
trary, they seemed to- take pride in
calling attention to their workmanlike
burglary. They used nitro-glycerine in
blowing the safe open. 1t was in that
stage of the crime that they bungled
first, for they miscalculated the resist
ing power of the steel door three times.
Not until the fourth explosion did they
burst the big lid"of its hinges. Then
they bungled the second. time by. mis-
judging the worth of the securities to
them There were two kinds Of plum.
der in the vault. If their eyes hadn't
been dazzled by the figures on the
bonds they couldn't negotiate they
might have made a fair nights wage.
for, they probably would have noticed
the marketable securities and real
none totaling $4,000. knowledge of
banking customs would have been val.
liable to those burglars.
Charles L. Spencer, President Of the
First National Bank, Of Suf1eld, heard
the explosions in his home, two blocks
from the savings institution, and tried
many times to get his brother bankers
on the telephone. so he might tell them
they were being robbed. But he
couldn't "raise" anybody. Young Jones
was more persistent In his determine,
ton to prevent the escape of the men.
He and his father were left ungGardedI
:fter the fourth explosion, the robber
who watched them hurrying to join his
fellow criminals. Inch by inch the lit.
tie lad wormedE himself out Of his
bonds, and at length, loosening. one
hand, freed himself and his father.
Shouts from the Joneses told other Suf'
field folk citizens of the place were
abroad and it again was safe to ven.
ture In the streets, but by the time q
discreet posse was ready for the pur.
suit the burglars were ON their way.