The Springfield herald., 1912-09-13
A MADE TO ORDER
BANK BURGLARY
How Vault and 4 Reputation Were
Shattered by Too Much Dynamite

How Vault and 4 Reputation Were
Shattered by Too Much Dynamite
The Weldon Community bank, OF
Weldon, N. Y, was robbed by safe
blowers last night. Nitroglycerin was
used to open the bank vault. with dis
astrous results to one OF the robbers,
plosion. His confederates successful
ly looted the bank and obtained $685.
900 in cash."
This little item carried by the vari-
Gus New York papers was the genesis
OF my connection with the great Well
don Community bank robbery. A few
hours after the papers carrying the
news were on the street I was on my
way to Weldon. ordered by the Burns
agency to investigate the case as
representative OF the National Bank
ers' Protective association.
AS the reader probably is not famii-
far with the Weldon community 1t is
necessary to delay my story tritje
in order that tho situation may be
made more clear. This community is
Ouo VI SeN6ldl Vi Tie bOlI tudl may Dc
found In southern New York and
northern Pennsylvania. 1t was found
ed about 1910 by an Englishman
named Weldon, who was in his own
way n seeker after a modern Utopia.
Weldon believed that our whole sys-
tenn of living in cities, crowded and
uncomfortable, or in country districts,
isolated and lonesome, was all wrong.
He believed that the small community.
fifty families, for instance, gathered
around a common center, and yet not
gathered so closely together as to
make an actual town, was the ideal, as
well us the practical way. for mankind
to dwell. He had made something OF
fortune in the mill business in Eng
land. Unable to put into practice in
that country his novel idea. he came
to America and, after considerable
searching. fixed upon the rich farming
valley in southern New York as the
spot most favorable for the location OF
the Weldon community. There he
brought together about thirty families,
bringing most OF them from his native
land. England. He established a CO.
operative store, a blacksmith shop,
school, church, mill, in fact. every
thing needed to supply the welfare OF
an agricultural community-includin
the Weldon Community bank. This
h-l1rKJ r's..s-~A.--a owned and patron
ixed mainly by the people Of the COM
munity, was chartered and managed
as any small country bank would be.
Weldon had conducted its affairs him.
self at first. At his death it had passed
to his son so far as management was
concerned, though the title remained
in the community. Welldon's son had
continued the banking business as sue
cessfully as his father had done before
him, and the bank was as prosperous
and sound as small bank possibly
could be. 1t had never become pow
er, but on the other hand. 1t had never
been in trouble once during Its whole
existence.
Welldons son had died few years
before the robbery occurred, and the
management thereupon had passed
into the hands OF Giles, the cashier
He had done fully as well by the bank
as the Weildons had. and tho COM
munity had trusted It's money to the
banks care as implicitly as ever. The
bank had proved tina and again that
it was panic-proof; but 1t wasn't bur-
sIar.proof. After over sixsy-iive years
OF successful operation 1t had been
cleaned cut by the conventional accl-
dent of safe-hlowipg Altogether 1t
was a remarkable situation.
/ found the little place in the great
est stir of its history when l alighted
from, the accommodation train that
carried me- from the nearest city up
the spur 70 Weldon community. There
wasn't much OF a town at Weldon,
only a few stores. Offices. warehouses
and houses strung along the road in
the center of the farms of the valley.
Tho bank was neat, old gray-stone
building that occupied position OF
honor In tic middle of 1t all. 1t was
compact, sturdy looking building, op-
yiously built with IL view to guarding
as well as possible whatever might be
Kept inside. Around the building were
gathered most of the people OF the
community The rest OF them were
buzzing around the undertaker's shop
across the road, where the body ol
tho slain safe blower lay for the pres
ent. The county sheriff and the coro
nor we're doing their respective duties
:n n.sertive fashion, and the people
had to content themselves with stand
ing and looking ut the outsides OF the
buildings containing the objects that
had aroused their curiosity They
were the most shocked and horror
stricken group that I had seen for
long time It. was the first real crime
of any Importance that had ever been
committed in tho valley within the
memory of the Oldest inhabitant, ana
the community was so hwed by the
shock of it that there was scarcely
thought left In tue whole crowd.
wont to the bank first and my card
let me In past the sherN's deputy.
.os received by Mr. Giles, the presi-
dent of the bank, and .he board oil di-
rcctors who were assembled In the
banking room. They were glad to see
me. This WIS something aitose'her