Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 July 1881 — A CELEBRATED CASE. [ARTICLE]

A CELEBRATED CASE.

One of the Meet Famous Hank Robberies on Record. When Jonathan Edwards was preach ing the doctrine of original sin in the quiet and peaceful town of Northampton, Mass., says the Detroit Free Pre»3, he probably little dreamed, in spite of his doctrine, that in less than a century and a half one of the most skillful and daring robberies would be committed in that town, forming “ a celebrated case” in the annals of crime, throwing final suspicion upon the bank managers, some of whose ancestors, in all probability, listened to the famous New England divine. The bank itself, a massive building, is the receptacle of the surplus money of the rich and thriving population in the Connecticut valley. Individual securities, trust funds, cash, bonds, running up into the millions were deposited in its solid vault. To unlock the outer door of the vault several keys are required, and these keys were distributed among as many bank officers. Inside of the bank also the obstacles to burglary seemed insuperable. There were two inner doors, each with its combination of four sets of figures; there was a new and solid safe with double doors, each also with its combination of four figures; finally, a watchman stationed within the bank kept guard until after 4 o’clock each morning. People believed in it, as the Israelites believed in the ark of the covenant. What, then, was the consternation of this community when one morning it was announced that securities and cash, to the extent of a million and a quarter dollars, had dis-

appeared ! The originators of the daring robberies were three famous “cracksmen” who had already succeeded in breaking open several banks and plundering them of their riches. But, the bank-safe constructors getting ahead of them, they persuaded Edson, one of the workmen employed by the Herring Safe Company, to join the gang. It soon after happened that the locks of the Northampton Bank were out of order and Edson was sent to make the repairs. Intrusted with the keys, he made false ones from wax impressions and persuaded the bank officials that it would be safer to intrust all the combinations with the cashier, Whittlesey. All being in readiness, the robbers, at 1 o’clock in the morning, January, 1876, visited Whittlesey’s house, bound and terrorized him and his whole family, ho being ordered at the point of th*) pistol to surrender the numbers of the combinations. He gave wrong numbers. But the thieves were more cunning. After taking down the numbers and proceeding to converse on other subjects, they suddenly ordered him to repeat the figures. He could not recall them, and was pounded, kicked and choked until he furnished the correct ones. After the watchman had left the bank at 4 o’clock in the morning, the robbers proceeded thither, opened the vaults, took away the booty and escaped from town. It took twelve hours to open the locks, which the robbers had damaged, the unsuspected Edson being employed for the purpose. Search was made everywhere, including Northampton itself, for the missing bonds. The schoolhouse where the robbers had concealed themselves, and where they left their lantern and remnants of their luncheon, was explored—all but the platform on which the children stood at the blackboard. The bonds and securities were lying there while the searchers were in the room, but the robbers had, with colored putty, hidden the screw heads which they had disturbed, and no trace of their proceedings was observable. After the excitement was over, the thieves returned one night and took possession of their booty. Edson, being refused liis share of the plunder, turned State’s evidence and saw two of his confederates begin a twenty-years’ sentence in State prison. Other members of the gang were arrested at the end of four years, and those already in prison, with the hope of a pardon, threatened to expose the whole conspiracy unless the securities were returned. All but $150,000 were brought back, and the prosecution was dropped. Tliis was accomplished at the expense of the reputation of the bank officers, who were charged with compounding a felony in order to get possession of their treasure. In many of its features it was the most cunning and daring of schemes in the history of crime.