Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 June 1895 — A BOLD ROBBERY. [ARTICLE]

A BOLD ROBBERY.

A Masked Man With a Gun Bobs the Rensselaer Depot. The boldest act of highway robbery l ever committed in the town, was perpetrated last Friday night, or Saturday morning. A little before one o’clock, A. M. when the night operator at the depot, Guy Clemens, was alone in the building , a man suddenly appeared at the open window in front, and holding a revolver in the operator’s face, entered the window. He proceeded first to rob the operator himself. Getting however, only $1.85. He failed to find ass bill and a check, in Mr. Clemens’ vest pocket, and voluntarily refrained from taking his watch. He then compelled Mr. Clemens, at the point of a revolver, to go ont of the building and get into a box car. In this the robber securely locked Clemens, and telling Clemens in a very threatening manner to keep quiet, he then returned and rifled the ticket case of what money it contained, and also the safe. In all he secured $65. How he succeeded in working the combination and getting into the safe, is a mystery; but he and his supposed confederate, who kept out of sight, are evidently experts in the robbery line. The robbers face from the eyes down, was concealed by a black cloth. As soon as Mr. Clemens heard the door of the depot closed, and the robber going away, he raised a big y tiling and kept at it until he succeeeded in awakening Bernard Maloy whose home is just across the*alley from the depot, and who soon released Mr. Clemens from his box-car imprisonment. Saturday afternoon word came that two suspicious characters were hanging about Fair Oaks and Sheriff Hanley went up and arrested them. They gave their names as George Fisher and Wm. Dininger. The latter, a small, tihunky built fellow, Mr. Clemens is very positive is the man who robbed him. They claimed to have been fishing at Cedar Lake all day Friday, but the agent there says they were not. They are supposed to have got on to some train, soon after the robbery, and beat their way to Cedar Lake, and the next morning to have taken the first train back to Fair Oaks. When searched, before placing in jail, no money or valuables were found but 3 small steel drills, and a steel punch. Also note books in which were drawings of safe keys, and some other notes and pictures which suggest that they are in the opening business.— They had a preliminary examination, Sunday morning, and Dininger was bound over to the circuit court, and Fisher held as a witness.

Several parties are confident they saw one or both of these men in town Friday, but no one has yet been wilting ttridentify them, positively. It is the supposition that if they are the guilty men, that they hid their booty some place near Fair Oaks. Mr. Healy, the Monon’s detective, was in town Tuesday, investigating the affair. He expresses considerable doubt as to whether the right man has yet been secured. Since the above was in type, Sheriff Hanley has informed us that the arr'elE bf the suspects St Fair Oaks was made by the night operator there, Mr. Dyer, and who held them until the sheriff arrived. Mr. Clem, ens accompanied the sheriff to FairOaks when he went after the prisoners, and he picked Dininger out as the man who robbed him, frorp a crowd of about 25, all to him strangers. Tuesday night Dept Sheriff B. D. McColly and Deteotive Healy experimented a little with the depot safe, and they found that it is no good on on earth. Anyone can open it by turning the handle a few times. Dininger and Fisher are taking their confinment in jail with the nonchalance of old timers.