Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-12-03

Pepperell, Mass, Dec. 2-Although
the police of every city and town with
in radius of so miles were keeping
a sharp lookout today for traces Of the
five burglars who early today blew
open the safe of the First National
Bank of this town and escaped with
$4,000 in cash, absolutely no clue to
the identity of the safe blowers had
been discovered up to tonight. The
only things left behind by the burglars
We're two bottles containing nitro
elycerlne, bottle of sweet oil bear
ing the label of a Lowell apothecary, a
sledge hammer stolen from the Boston
& Maine Railroad and an iron bar
without any mark of identification
uron it.
Although at first it was supposed
that there were only three persons corr
cerned Ill the break, later develop
ments led to the belief that the burg
lars We're five in number and that they
entered town in an automobile and left
after the break in the same vehicle.
An automobile containing five men was
seen in Railroad square late last night
and it is these men upon who suspicion
rests. A party answering the same de-
scription was also seen IN Nashua. N.
H., last night. 1t is believed by the
police that the break was carefully
planned as the burglars worked with
such thoroughneSs that they We're able
to get away without any interference
to speak of. Previous to attacking the
safe. they fastened the doors Of sew
eral buildings in the vicinity by insert
ing screw-eyeS in the doors and case
ments and connecting these with wires.
SO confident were the burglars that
their preliminary preparations were eff
fcctivc that they fred two charges Of
nitro Slycerinc i'll the safe after they
lnow that they had been discovered
While these charges We're being fired
residents of the town and the police of
nciahboring communities We're being
notified by telephone that the Pepperell
Eink was being robbed.
The burglars were discovered shortly
after A. NJ by r. F. Tarbell, who
was asleep in building next to The
bank. Mr.. TarEell was awakened by
the sound of the first explosion. He
looked out of the window and saw a
man standing near the bank. Convinced
that burglars We're at work, Mr.. Tar
bell secured a revolver and went to the
front door, which he was unable to
open on account of it's previously haV-
ing been wired on the outside. He then
went back to the window and fired at
the man on the street. The man there
upon disappeared, and it is presumed
that he went into the bank where his
confederates were at work.
Tarbell then notified telephone head
quarters of what was going on, and in
short time many residents of the
town had been informed of the burg
larry by the telephone operator During
this period, however. the burglars had
fired two more charges of nitro
elycerine and then, gathering the bills
together hastily, but overlooking more
than $4,000 i'll gold and silver coin. made
their escape with about $4,000.
Hardly had the burglars left the
bank before the residents Of the town,
armed with rcvolvers and rifles, began
to appear on the streets but no traces
of the thieves could be found, and it
was generally believed that they en-
tered waiting automobile and left
town at rapid rate,
The safe was of steel construction. on
wheels, and stood near the window of
the bank, in plain view of the street.
The doors were blown off by the explo-
sion and the bank windows shattered.
Portions of the teller's counter We're
also torn down. Because of the shatter-
ed condition Of the windows as result
Of the explosions, the police were I'M
able to determine today how the
burglars entered the bank.
1t is believed that after gaining an
entrance they pounded off the knob Of
the combination lock and inserted the
explosive in the opening thus formed,
The bank was protected by burglar
insurance to the extent of $4,000 and
consequently the net loss to the insti-
tuition will not greatly exceed $1,000.