The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-02-26

The piece OF cloth viii be turned
over to the authorities and may lead
10 the determination Of the identity
Of al least one Of the yegEmen,
Sheriff O, n. perry'g Investigation re-
Vealed the door OF the building forced
the outer and inner doors of the con-
crete vault blown open with nitro
glycerin every safety deposit box
about 90 in number broken into, and
all the valuables in them taken,
Tho vault OF the hank containing the
institutions currency for the transac-
tion of daily business was lett un-
touched There was only the usual
sum carried for banking routine In the
safe, according TO H. r. Morcland,
cashier. and the robbers apparently
were after loot Of greater value in the
deposit boxes.
Estimates Of the loss were first in
excess Of $4,000, but as the morning
wore on and depositnrs made further
claims IL was estimated by Sheriff
Oliver Perry, who rushed To the scene,
that the loss would be around $4,000.
One depositor alone declared that he
mad lost $4,000 in bonds and nego-
| table securities.
Muffled sounds were heard by resi-
dents Of the town shortly after 2
Q clock but there was no alarm given
and no effort made TO trace their origin.
rs the sounds were not OF nature 10
indicate exactly whence they came and
the nature OF their origin
When merchants went to their work
about o'clock the door OF the bank
| building was found to have been forced.
The alarm was given and soon r. +.
| Moreland cashier, and w. n. Craig,
vice president, were on the scene.
The lock Of the front door had been
| forced, the combination lock TO the
concrete vault had been drilled and
blown open, apparently with nitrogly-
| GERM
| Sheriff 0. II. Perry was at once no.
titled and with deputies started TO
| the scene post haste.
| Meanwhile an investigation revealed
| that the inner door Of ehe vault also
has been blown. and some 80 or more
safety deposit, boxes had been broken
| INTO and their contents taken. The
robbers apparently worked at leisure
Tor every box practically had been
| opened. papers Of no value 40 the
lyeggmsn had been discarded and no
| ahab'e- whatever left remaining.
Bank Safe Intact.
The Rafe in Witch tHe banks fumes
II We're kept was left untouched. ON.
i cials Of the bank declare there was
moi large sum OF money In the safe
and hold TO the theory that the rob
beEs apparently professionals. chose the
safety deposit boxes wherein were Kept
Liberty bonds, jeweiry and other val
| uables AS sources Of loot OF greater
| value than the safe OF the bank itself
Officers and detectives who have
| been on the lookout for bank robbers
IN the Memphis territory hold the theo.
ry that this city liz the center OF a
rendezvous for Il gang or number Of
gangs OF safe robbers who have been
perniclously active 8 during recent
months and are working on the theory
that Thursdays robbery was the work
of one Of these gangs
4 Finger prints were taken around
the combinations and safety boxes in
an effort to establish the Identity OF
the men who committed the robbery
Losses TO depositors OF valuables In
the safely deposit boxes probably viii
| fall on the individuals and not the bani,
unless there can be shown some factor
| that could be construed as negligence
upon the part OF the bank officials. The
i4pank carried policies both on holdups
and burgariea against loss OF It's owr
funds or money deposited In the bank
proper, but this insurance probably does
not cover valuabies in rented safety de.
post boxes.
Officers OF the institution maintain
| that every Drecaution in the way OF In.
surance and every safeguard possible
against loss by burglary had been taker
prior TO Thursdays robbery
The only complaint made was voiced
by ". +, Moreland. the cashier. Thurs.
day morning when he said that tltt
customary night watchman cmploye,
by the town of CollieTNile had appar.
entity been dispensed with. or at leas
had not been on duty for severa
nights.