The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-01-21
HERE AND THERE
ABOUT BARRE

Reference in Tuesdays Times by a
correspondent TO an attempted bank
robbery in Barre many years ago will
recall to the memory of the older I'M
/ habitants Of the community the wild
excitement which prevailed Immediate
! ly after the alarm was given in the
early morning of July g. 1875, that four
burglars had invaded the quiet little
village and had been foiled in their
purpose TO make a night raid on the
vault of the National Bank Of Barre by
intimidating the cashier, Charles A.
Black.
! The National Bank Of Barre, since
| gone out Of existence, occupied bank
| ing quarters in the old checkered store
structure at the corner OF Main and
Elm streets, where now stands the Aid
rich building 1t was the only bank in
Barre and had been running only two
years when the robbers turned their
attention to it.
The robbers may have been attracted
to it by the knowledge that it did
tidy little business and was likely to
have considerable cash on hand. II is
probable, too, that the bank became
mark for the robbers because Barre had
Just become railroad town, so to
speak, the Central Vermont Railway
company having completed spiking
down the last rail a few days before
the memorable event in the criminal
annals of the town The branch line of
the railroad TO Barre from Montpelier
was completed June 80, and passenger
trains began running on that date.
On the night of July ) the robbers
came to Barre, or rather, they made
their presence known that night by
adopting the method of an orderly !
opening of the banks vault through in
limitation of the cashier instead OF by !
the more modern daylight method OF |
shooting up" the bank during business |
hours, as we have read so much about |
during the past year.
That the robbers must have looked |
over the ground somewhat before their
desperate attempt is indicated by their |
knowledge Of the dwelling place of the |
cashier, Charles A, Black, in the little |,
house (still standing) on Hill street |
just off Washington street and in To-,
cality far more thinly built mp than
now. To this house the gang repaired
in the dead Of the night to begin their
nefarious work. which was to end in
the capture of three of the four ban.
lits.
But at this point let us refer to
1hild's Washington County Gazette
for accurate details of the crime and l
attempted robbery. Says Child's: 'fIn
The night of July 5, 1873, an attempt
was made by four burglars to rob the
Bank of Barre. They entered the resi-
lence OF Cashier Charles A. Black, and
compelled him, with a rope around his
neck, to repair to the bank, and com
handed him to open the safe; but were
here convinced of the fact that it was
occurred by chronometer lock. as Mr..
Black had informed them at his house.
they then returned Mr.. Black to his
'esidence, where they had left guard
With his family, securely gagged and
pound them all, Mr.. Black with his
lands handcuffed behind his back.
"Mr Black, in time, released himself
md gave the alarm by informing the
lfiicers of the bank, who promptly in
tituted pursuit Of the robbers. A
telegraph dispatch was sent to the
Wells River bank next morning, an
iouncing the fact Of the burglary, and
landed to Sheriff John Bailey of Wells
liver, who started in pursuit and brave.
Y captured Peter Curley before night
n a wood lot near Rumney. n. II. By /.
he indomitable perseverance, of Mr.. ,
'ailey, with the aid of other detectives, !
wo more of the gang we're arrested in |
he city of New York, in August fol-
owing One of them, an escaped con ,
let from Sing Sing prison, was handed
yer to the authorities there to serve ,
ut his unexpired term. The other, q
Ieorge Miles, with several aliases, was !
ried at Montpelier, convicted and sen ]
enced to serve a term of 10 years in
he states prison. Peter Curley, the
rst captured, gave states evidence !
nd was discharged"
That, in brief, was the story of the Y
amous attempt at robbery of the old $
'ational Bank of Barre Unwritten y
lcts in connection with the event y
ould include the announcement that
blowing the robbery the officers of the :
ank armed themselves and kept on the n
vi viye for the arrival of another gang I
ut that never eventuated &
r ,,rn h