The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-11-28

ed DefOre ne could resist. Ihe men took
him through the Office and into a rear
room where one OF them covered him
with a revolver while the remaining
four worked on the safe in the front
office.
The door OF the safe was not locked
and it was opened with ease. The in
ner doors were locked but we're open.
cd by means Of small charge Of
dynamite. A plug which holds the
lock in position was removed and a
stick of the explosive vas inserted and
exploded. The inner dors were shat.
tered and the contents Of the safe
taken. $95.25 was secured in cash
and some insurance policies we're TAX.
en-. The policies were thrown away
by the men, however, when they reach
ed the first floor.
AS soon as the robbery had been
completed two large towels we're Sc
cured from closet and Mr.. Brown
was securely tied to chair where he
was forced to remain for a period of
about As minutes after the exit of the
"cracksmen", before he could release
After having done this he
notified the police who
were given their first news of the
affair. Mr.. Brown stated that he saw
the men take q lantern when they left
the building and carry 1t with them.
AS near as can be learned they went
TO the Mt. Vernon Hay &
Grain Cos. building on West High
street to finish the job.
The door Of the Hay and Grain Of
fee was forced open with pick after
which the windows were darkened
by means of blankets. The safe was
opened easily, as it had not been
locked, and the inner doors were pried
open with instruments. About $115
was secured from the safe although
the exact amount is not known, $40
was taken from Mr.. Lazear's private
drawer, $35 from Mr. l.. w. Jones' pri-
vate drawer and about $40 from the
general cash drawer This last job
was no doubt done after the McCon-
nell robbery as the lantern was found
in the vicinity of the hay and grain
barn.
That the men were professionals
is not doubted because OF the way in
which they worked No one was
aroused, no one saw them and in only
one case did they fail to open safe
and this was only because they were
by Mr.. Banning. 1t is thought
that the men might be identified with
the robbery at Butler, Ohio. Thurs
day night as the persons who did that
"job" started in the direction of Mt.
Vernon, as near as could be learned.
On Saturday morning when the
Smoots grocery was opened at the
front door everything appeared to be
all right, but the room seemed to be
very cold for some reason. An in
vestigation quickly showed that both
the alley door and the back door were
standing open and that they had been
standing open every since the burg
larry at 2:30 o'clock. 1t appeared very
evident that the night watchman had
not passed the doors between that
time and the morning.
Three suspicious looking men were
seen in the city on Thursday and Fri
day. On Thursday morning three men,
all appearing to be railroad men or
men who had been exposed to the
weather, entered the Charles S. Coe
restaurant near the B. & o. depot and
ordered breakfast. Mr.. Coe stated
that the men were conversing in an
undertone and always stopped talking
as soon as they were approached by
himself or anybody else. Growing
suspicious he gave them very close
attention and noticed that they ap-
peared to be in no hurry and that they
were not engaged in any business of
which he had knowledge. Having eat
en- their breakfast Thursday morning
the men left the restaurant and did
not return during the day.
On Friday morning the same three
men appeared for their breakfast. Hav-
ing finished the meal they left, but
returned in a short time with a bundle
of newspapers which they read dur
ing the entire morning. Shortly be-
fore noon and before the workingmen
began to stop into the restaurant for
dinner, the three men left and stayed
out until after the shop men had left
for their work and then returned
They sat around table and read
newspapers or appeared to be reading
them all the afternoon and left short
ly after supper. This was their last
appearance at the restaurant or in the
city as near as can be learned and it
is thought that they were three OF