Year: 1877

.r. t, ONG OGNA


BANK BURGLARS BAULKED.
Daring and Desperate attempt to k00 the


Consolidation Bank, Philadelphia.


Considerable stir was caused upon the
otherwise quiet street this morning by the
discovery Of . daring attempt to rob the
Consolidation National Bank, on Third
street above Vine. It appears that on the
2eth of February the premises No. ss7
North Third street, adjoining the bank,
was leased by parties who represented that
they were going to open up wood and
willow ware establishment, but wished first
to make few alterations in the building,
which was q little out of repair. To give
color to their assertion they moved in lot
of boards and few bricks and were at
work for few days. So little was thought
of II that no attention whatever was paid to
what pounding or noise was being carried
on. The "wood and willow ware business"
that was to be carried on WAS brought to
light this morning about II O'Clock, for on
the watchman going up into the Directors
room, which is on the third floor, he found
that most daring attempt to rob the bank
had been in progress for some time, judging
from the appearance of things, In the
south end of the room was large hole,
two and a-half feet broad and twenty inches
in height, right through into the loft of
No. 327 North Third street. Startled at
the sight, he ran forward and saw the In
terror of the loft strewn with burglars i'm
plements Of the most approved description.
Scattered all the way down the stairs to the
front door of the building No. S27, were
articles of clothing and disguises. When
he had time TO collect himself he gave the
alarm, and several detectives were .on the
spot in few minutes, and made q close
inspection. They gathered together fine
collection of burglars tools, that showed
the robbers were no mere tyros at their
business, but had gone into the work on
careful and systematic plan.


1t appears that yesterday, when the night
watchmap, who was on duty until 10
o'clock Sunday morning, was released, he
went out and the door was closed. The
thieves must have been In the Directors
room at that time, prepared to descend, for
the green. baise door had been removed and
carried to one corner. But just at this
time the watchman who had been relieved
remembered that be had left his pocket
book in the bank and returned for 1t, and
finding the door shut rang the gong. This
must have created panic, and once started
the frightened robbers hurried and left
everything behind them. They were evi-
IDENTIFY prepared to battle with only one
watchman, but their preparation for his
ovartnrow was complete, and had 1t not
been for the opportune return of the one
who had departed for home in the morning,
his companion would have probably been q
dead man this morning, and the bank minus
it's fire. proof safe of valuables. The thieves
hae among their implements very choice
pair of wristlets and "toby," which
were undoubtedly set apart for the benefit
of Mr.. Watchman, and which, in the office
of persuaders, were calculated to perform
their duty to the very letter.


The popularity of the "toby" is It's powes
of knocking q man senseless, or even killing
him, without making as much as scratch
and without making any noise Whatever.


The presence of only one pair of nfppers
is proof conclusivethat the burglars thought
they would have only one man to contend
with, and they had no idea whatever of
facing two. So when the gong was sounded
the men had either to proceed to their work
and attack the two men or else retreat,
and they chose to do the latter.


The wall was broken out; any minute
might bring some one into the Directors
room, and then discovery was sure. These
thoughts were revolving through their
minds upon tho instant of the gong ringing,
and the biblical truth, "The guilty flee
when no man pursuesh," was again exem-
pliaed. Had they known the motive
which brought the watchman back, they
perhaps would have waited q few minutes
! until bis departure, and then the coast