Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-07-17
ATTEMPT TO BLOW
Up SAFE AT The
ClENWOOD SPRING

VI VII Z NJ I'LL
ClENW00D SPRING
Would-Be Thieves Make Quick
Getaway After Setting OFF
Powder Charge on Safe
Lock Broken, But Safe Is Not
Opened-Bold Act Early Sat.
urday Morning, But No Seri.
Gus Consequence Except
Damage to Safe
A bold attempt was made early
Saturday morning to blow the safe
At the Glenwood Springs Bottling
Works on lower st, e street. The
door Of the safe withstood the pow
d charge and the robbers failed in
their purpose. Beyond the damage
to the safe In the LONG crack and
in the broken lock and the incon-
venisncs to the Bottling Works
through the inability to get at the
safes contents on Saturday. no loss
was sustained.
The police have been unable to
discover any trace Of the thieves be-
yond two chisels that were left be-
hind. Each of these tools, one an
inch chisel, the other an inch and a
half. bear initials "W. z. G." If such
chisels have been lost or stolen, the
Information might lead to the appre-
hension of the persons involved.
The first knowledge that a robbery
had been attempted was had in the
morning. when the employees arrived
at the plant. The wall safe in the
main Office had been blown with
powder. Tools from a rear room
were also discovered nearby as well
as the chisels described. The men,
for it seems probable that there were
at least two and perhaps more in
volved. had entered through a win
dow on the East side of the main Of
flee by forcing the lock.
The men seem to have been well
OF the doors of the safe were care
fully soapcd that the full effect Of the
explosion might be had to open the
safe. The police were also una BILE to
find finger prints.
Explosions were heard in neigh
boring houses shortly after midnight.
The story of Mrs. Ella J. Lowell of
90 a cfrrnf c nccnnfinl1y that nf
others not far away.
Just little after midnight, after
the cars had stopped running, I was
awakened from a sound sleep by a
noise something like pistol shot. 1t
may have been like O blow out on a
machine on State street. That was
the only sound that I heard In no
way did I connect it with the Bot
Ting Works across the road"
Samuel Murphy Of % Columbia
street heard two reports about 90
minutes apart not long after - Fri
day night. To him also it sounded
like n blowout. Mrs. H. J. Cross of
239 state street heard what she at
the time felt must have been an ex-
plOsion.
1t is thought that the would-be
burglars were frightened from their
task by the arrival of Hubert Cross
Mt his home. scant 75 yards away up
n short hill and across State street.
from the Bottling Works. II return
cd" Mr.. Cross told the Journal re-
porter. ''from Island Park at quar-
60 80
age, and switched on the lights in
the front of the house. These lights
can be seen from the spring and Of
course the men could have heard the
auto. For my part I knew nothing
of the explosions until I was told of
them" From all the sources that
could be reached. it appears that
there were no sounds after the time
OF Mr.. Cross arrival The men left
the works through a door in the bot
Ting room.
Only one clue as to the identity of
the men has arisen. Mrs. II. J. Cross
told the Journal reporter that both
on Thursday and on Friday three
young men under 80. wearing caps.
came TO the edge Of the driveway
leading to the Bottlng Works and
looked intently in that direction. She
did not think Of this happening as
being unusual until the events the
following morning.
A bit Of information of interest to
the safe crackers is that Mr.. Ross,
the manager had the days receipts in
his possession that night. Had they
succeeded in forcing the steel walls,
there efforts would have hardly paid
them for the efforts.