Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1908-09-30
BANK ROBBER FOILED|
Bold Plot Overheard ard the
Officers Get Busy
THE RINGLEADER is ARRESTED
Proposed Robbery of Wachovia Loan
and Trust Company's Bank at
Spencer Frustrated by Plot Being
Divu1ged to Officers.


ply, a young white man of Salisbury,
was arrasted Tuesday on warrant
charging him with conspiracy; that
he with associates was preparing to
break into and rob the Wachovia
Loan and Trust Company at Spencer.
The proposed robbery, according to
frank Woodard, another young white
man of Salisbury, originated with the
prisoner and two confederates, who
are strangers, about ten days ago.
Woodard took Chief Julian and
Capt. Frank Cauble into his conf
dence Tuesday of last week and told
them that Murphy had approached
him and told him that about the
goth of the month the Wachovia
Bank at Spencer would have big
pile of cash on hand With which to
cash the railroad checks, and that if
the necessary tools could be secured
there would be no difficulty in blow
ing the safe and making way with
the $50,O00 or 100000. The officers
Immediately communicated this in,
.telligence to Mr.. ". F. Snider, of
Salisbury, who put Cashier A. w.
Hicks, Of the Spencer branch, on his
guard.
Woodard offered to verify the
statement and told the officers that
at certain hour on the afternoon
following he would meet Murphy at
the corner of a warehouse used by
the Kesler Hardware Company, in
the rear Of their hardware store and
discuss their plans. Mr.. Snider with
Mr.. John Kesler entered the ware
house ostensibly for the purpose of
consumnating a deal for buggy at
the time appointed for the meeting
of Murphy and Woodward. They had
been there but a short while when
the two men met at the corner Of the
warehouse. Mr.. Kesler cautiously
crept to the corner of the warehouse
and in a crouching position, where
he could not be observed and within
two feet of the men, listened to their
conversation, all of which had to do
with the proposed robbery. Murphy
inquired of Woodard if he had got
all the tools and explosives needed,
and the latter. replied that he would
be able to get them together on
short notice, Mr.. Kesler says. Wood
ard then asked Murphy where his
pals, to whom he had previously re-
ferred, were and the latter replied
that he could locate them on short
notice.
With this much learned an extra
officer was put on the Salisbury force
to shadow Murphy, and the Spencer
bank was heavily guarded every
night. Monday night it was determin-
ed to put an end to the suspense, how
ever, and when Chief j. R. Cruise,
of the Spencer police department,
went to Salisbury with a warrant in
which conspiracy was charged Muir
ply was promptly placed under
arrest. ---9.--i-~
Owing to he fact that his two pals
could not be located the preliminary
hearing was postponed until later,
when sensational trial is expected.
All the implements with which the
bank was to be entered and the safe
blown were exhibited in the city hall
They consisted among other things of
a jimmy, picks, powder and fuses.
1t is known that Murphy, who is
charged with having robber other
banks, had five confederates, three of
whom were white and one colored.
1t is stated that the plan Of robbery
involved the burning of a dwelling
in a distant part of Spencer in order
to attract the attention of all who
were awake and that the vault was
to be blown at this hour. The negro
had been employed to fire the build
ing. The bank was heavily insured
against burglary, however, and there
would have been no loss even in the
event of the robbery.
The plot was one of the blacklist
ever unearthed in this part of the
State and has created a sensation in
both Spencer and Salisbury.