The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-02-12
THE DURHAM BANK ROBBERY.
CASTOR Blake, the Negro Janitor,
Bound Over to Court ON the Charge

| CASTOR Blake, the Negro Janitor,
Bound Over to Court ON the Charge
CASTOR Blake, colored, the former
janitor of the First National Bank a.
charged with the robbery of sI,675
| from this bank on December 9Th, 1906
| and waived examination this
| and was placed under a $1,000 bona for
his appearance at the March tern Of
the superior court.
The facts in the case are yet remem-
bered by the people, when s1,675 was
stolen from the First National Bank.
which caused the resignation of the
teller, J. NJ. Whitfield. and the colorei
Janitor was taken sick on the sane
day, and since has never reported for
duty. The money was the pay roll of
the Durham Hosiery Mills, and the
amount stated was missed as O as
Paymaster Reade reached the factory
the same morning of the supposed rob-
berry. He notified the bank officers and
a diligent search was made for the
money, but it remained a mystery until
the arrest of CASTOR Blake last week
A detective was employed by the Oank
officials but the chain Of evidence h
gathered was not sufficient tC cause re
arrest of any person. The Negroes
home was searched by the detective
and nothing was found that would i'm
plicate him in any way. The matter
still remained a mystery but the rob
berry was nc longer discussed.
Mr.. Benjamine LOVenstein, an attJr-
ney of this city, IN the stand this
morning told what had taken place III
his office, after he had locked Blake OH
the inside, shortly after signing an
agreement to purchase the store CT a
Hebrew by the name Of Morris OH
Canal street. The day after the agree
ment and papers had been prepared
Blake called at his office in the Wright
building and told him he wanted the
papers,: that he had been suspiciored
as the man who stole the .h,Oney from
the First National Bank. The lawyer
dShSu IL lid udhIC olAN NV WIN '@A
that he was the Blake that had former
ly held the position OF janitor
Mr.. LOvenstein closed the transom
and locked the door, pointed his finger
in the negro's face and dill rec SAID;
You stole that money" Bake turned
white as a sheet as the witness OK
pressed it, and requested him to keep
-. -aJ ~ouO him S1n IL. keen Inc
matter a secret. He then SAID: 1 am
not altogether to blame but | am not
going to say any more If they make me
stay in Jail all my life the nexf DAY
he met the negro on the street ana ASK
ed to borrow some money from MN
and Blake probably would have maze
the loan but he saw a bank a COM
ing and ran off. MI. LoVensteln GU
cross examination, said lie only re-
Dorted what he knew to the bank OIL
fcials to vindicate an honorable man.
and that he was receiving 10 fee from
the First National.
A number of witnesses were Pliceu
on the stand and showed n a blake
had made quite a number OF purchases
during the PAST w A"
chased a store, horse and buggy gun
finished paying for a bicycle pa'a d
note of s45 and bought some turn''nEa.
Other witnesses examined were Mr.
w 7. Holloway cashier; MIR. }. W.
Whitfield. former teller, Mr.. l.. h. KID
caid. assistant bookkeeper n ray
master Reide, of the Durham Hosiery
Mills. Their evidence corroborated the
statements made on the former occa-
sion. when the robbery occurred. IheE
stated it was the usual custom o. the
Hosiery Mills to send in the amou'11 d
the nav roll Friday afternoon. n tHat
it was counted and placed n the 'aui'
to await the coming of tho paymaaler
on Saturday morning. Blake was OLE
Of the first to report for duty the next
morning. and scrubbed the O r"aHo
the pags tina, had been ikea from Tue
vault by Mr.. Whitfield. The ia. master
called for The money as usual. anu
Fiske pla .rd it in the Carriage. on
ii. arrival at the H7:Ia-. NILS the
robbery was discovered D i'ham Sun.
A Valuable Lesson.