The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-05-14
MONEY GONE.
Ten Thousand Dollars Missing
From Citizens Bank.
Reserve Fund Taken But Five
Thousand Left.
is MUCH MYSTERY.
Officers Working on the Case
Are Puzzled.
They Promise Some Sensational
Developments Soon.
Loss Is Covered by Burglar In
Surance.
Officers Working on the Case
Are Puzzled.
Loss Is Covered by Burglar In
Surance.

What at first was thought to have
been an unsuccessful attempt to rob
the Citizens State bank of North To-
peka Sunday proves to have been ROD
berry of SIC, 900 SO; that sum having been
taken from the reserve vault. while be-
tween five and six thousand dollars IN
gold. silver and currency in plain sisnt
was left untouched on shelves JUST
above the steel chest.
There is no doubt but the combina-
ton vas worked by some one familiar
with il or by some one who had come
in possession of the figures or an ex-
pert safe man Peter Smith. president
OF the bank. and E. s. Gresser, cashier,
We're supposed TO be the only ones hav-
ing the combination 1t is possible that
the figures may have reached the third
party as one combina ton which was
on a strip of paper was kept in a roller
top desk in the bank building
The officials OF the bank were conf
dent yesterday that the roober mad n@ct @
gained access to the safe, though the
combination was so battered that II
could not be opened until an expert ar
rived from Kansas City. The injured
dial was removed and he had no trou-
BILE in working the combination, but
even then access could not be gained TO
the interior until the time lock ran
down
o'clock each morning and promptly at
II o'clock yesterday the time piece
commenced TO tick and the officials
were assured that the contents Of the
safe were untouched The clock was
due to run down at midnight and at
that time the officials of the bank with
Chief Eaton and Sheriff John Wilker-
sen and several OF their men were in
the vault TO witness the opening OF the
strong box which would decide wheth-
er a robbery had been committed or
whether the attempt had been fail
ure-
The combination had been worked
during the afternoon by the expert and
all that there was to do TO gain ad-
mission to the safe was to turn the
handle on the door. Creaking on its
hinges it swung back and displayed to
the eyes CT the officials and officers
packages Of bills and piles of gold gilt
tering in the rays of the electric light.
The Safe Is Opened.
The anxious officials heaved signs of
relief as their eyes rested on the money
That's just the way 1 left it Satur-
day night" said Cashier E s Gresser-
shes all there. said Peter Smith,
who for SO years has been president of
the institution. and walking over TO
where r. L. Stewart. manager for the
National Surety company in this ter
ritory. was standing the men shook
hands.
That money looks mighty good to
me" said Mr.. Stewart. Mr.. Smith then
walked over to where the money draw
er of the safe was and taking out $3.50
he said We'll let's go out and get a
supper" Some one suggested that they
open the steel box in which the $4,000
reserve fund was kept before they went
Cashier Gresser kneIt before the safe
and gave the combination a whirl or
two and then attempted to work it.
The strain under which he had been
laboring all day and we'll into the night
was more than his nerves cOuTd stand
and he failed.
Let me try her. said Mr.. Smith
A few turns TO the right. then to the
left. then back and forward again and
the clicks Of the tumblers falling into
place were heard A turn of the handle
and the door swung back on its hinges
and revealed the interior Of the strong
box. but II was as empty as the day It
was made
As though struck in the face by
blast from a fiery furnace Mr. Smith
started back with the exclamat ton:
shes gone. she's gone. and we have
been robbed There was not a penny
of the $4,000 reserve fund left
Just above the steel chest in which
the reserve fund was kept was be-
tween five and six thousand dollars
in gold silver and bills. more than
half of il being in currency and gold
The edges of the bills fairly tapping
the upper edge of the door of the
strong box but this had not been dis
as when Cashier Gresser placed 1t
there when he closed the bank Satur-
day noon
just $4,000 Is Missing.
"a count of the banks money nade
this morning develops the fact that
there is S10,00o.ss missing" said
Cashier Gresser land this IS not ac-
counting for the $6.S5 found on the
vault floor. This may have been
money which had come in late Satur-
day afternoon and left outside of the
safe or IL may have been portion of
the money in the safe but dropped by
The robbers"
The latter theory does not seem
practical as there was no silver in the
vault where the reserve fund was kept
and none of the banks funds on the
shelves above il were touched The
SIC, 1000 was in bills and gold and the
SO cents shortage has not been ac-
counted for or the money on the
floor as there was no deposit slip
found indicating that there was loose
money in the vault
All agree that the robbery was com
mitted some time Sunday morning be-
tween the hours of seven and eleven
VIII the time lock is off. 1t no other
time could the combination have been
worked even though the operator had
the com bination in his possession. The
robber or robbers may have entered
the bank some time during the night
and waited for the time lock to cease
ticking and then opened the safe and
waited until nightfan in the building
and walked out under the cover OF
darkness Or they may have walked
boldly out in broad daylight as the
wind was blowing a gale Sunday and