The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-09-15

believes the men would have taken it
all if they could have carried it. As
it was they took all they could carry
away, leaving all the silver and notes
of small denominations as we'll as
damaged five hundred dollar and ten
dollar bills lying around the floor
and tables of the room Of one OF the
clerks.
The first known Of the robbers was
when a Chinese caretaker at the bank
appeared at the police station at day
light and gave the alarm He had
been gagged and tied but managed to
work his bonds loose after the rob-
bers had departed. The only clew OBJ
tainable was that given by the China
man.
Chong Hong, a Chinese careta aker.
about o'clock came running to the
police station which is less than p
yards from the bank, crying that the
bank had been robbed. He said that
he had entere4l the bank at 4:10 O'Clock
this morning. The statement is cor
roborated by a policemen who remem
bered that he saw the Chinaman going
toward the bank about 4 O'Clock. The
Chinaman says that he opened the door
at the front Office on Columbia street,
using the pass key. He had no sooner
set foot inside when he was seized by
e large man and two others came a
moment later.
Bound and Gagged.
IF you make a noise will kill you
said the large man, and the frightened
Chinaman did not make a sound. The
two smaller men gagged the Cinnamon
with his own handkerchief. They tied
his feet and hands and took him to
the basement where they tied him to a
post. It was not until two hours later
that he managed to free himself and
get out.
The Chinaman says that he saw only
the three men but he believes at least
two others were engaged in the rob
berry. This theory is accepted by the
police who think at least two men
maintained loOkouts during the time
that the robbery was taking place. Tt
IS certain that the vault had already
been blown before the hour of the Chi
naman's arrival SO that the robbers
must have got in shortly after mid
night for the whole affair was carried
cut with great care and precision.
From the front door the robbers evi- |
IDENTITY had crossed the main office of
the bank and ascended stairway
which led to the room of one of the
clerks, who usually sleeps in the
bank. This young man, however. was
on his vacation, so that there was no
person on the premises.
BY means of a pick. the robbers tore |
away a hole through the bricks that |
compose the sides of the general vault |
and the same instrument was used to I
break through the thick cast iron lin |
ing of the vault. The latter was not |
than twenty minutes work before the
burglars had got into the vault in /
front of the great steel door
Went at 1t Like Masters.
The robbers went at the job like /
masters. The corners and cracks were /
evidently filled with nitroglycerine /
and from all that can be observed /
from this forenoOn's examination. it |
IS doubtful whether more than one
charge was used in smashing the front
of the safe. The hole which they had
made through which to crawl into the
vault they plugged with the bedding
that had been used by the young clerk.
This must have effectUally deadened
the sound, for no person has been
found who heard the explosion A no
iceman during good deal Of this
time was in the next building not more
tlan ten yards away. and heard moth
ing The police station was not more
tnan twice that distance away and
nothing occurred to disturb the police