Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 November 1878 — The $3,000,000-Bank Robbery in New York. [ARTICLE]

The $3,000,000-Bank Robbery in New York.

Nxw Y..RE.00L27. Between six and nine o'clock this morning m**ke<l burglar* entered the Manhattan BavIncs Bapk bu Mine, corner Brand way and Bieecker Mreei, and, after handcuffing the janitor, made him, under threat* of instant death, reveal tbe combination of the safe to them and deliver up th* keys of toe bank. They rifled toe vault of presumably * large amount ot money, *• twenty tin boxes known to have contained bill* were found on the floor quite empty At d’ektek, Wendel Kohlmsn, who keep* a barber shop In tbe basement, wa* startled hr the appearance at the basement stairs of toe Janitor, Louis WerteL white with fright and excitement, with hia hands handcuffed tightly and toe key of toe bank clutched between them. He wa* only balfdreeaed, and gasped, “Thieve* I Robben I Come and see!’’ The barber accompanied him into the Imnk, and saw the doors of the great vault wide open and the floor littered with tin boxes, all emptied of their content*. Burgtan’ tool* were scattered In every direction. The barber notified the police, who soon appeared. Tbe janitor’s statement waa to toe effect that at 6:10, white he wa* dressing, seven masked men suddenly rushed into hl* room and handcuffed him and bls wife, and demanded too keys of the bank. Hl* motber-In-taw, an old lady, who wa* present, *crearned, when the burglars drew platote and threatened Instant death to any one who made noise They then carried him into an adjoining room and forced him to deliver np the keys of the street doors. With these four or the party went down stairs, leaving three on guard In hi* room. Three honrs passed, and Wertel heard a clock strike nine; just then one of the men from down stairs returned, and after a whispered consultation, they all left. After he regained hl* courage he went to the barbershop as described. Wertel admitted to Superintendent Walling that he had given the combination of the unlocking of toe doors Of the vault to the robbers. He gave it under threats of Instant death, but he failed to state how he got possession of tbe combination. Hi* wife corroborated bls story of toe attack, but said there were only five men In the party. Mr. Lent, a Broadway merchant, passed tbe bank soon after seven a. tn., ana saw a young man dusting the shelves and desks inside. It is supposed this was one of the burglars, endeavoring to make thing* look as natural as possible. Officer* Van Norton and Tully said they looked through the bank window between six and seven o’clock, and all was quiet. The vault can be seen from the street Inside the main doors of tbe safe vault tbe burglars found the space with shelves, upon which were tin boxes filled with jewelry, silverware and valuable papers. These they emptied. They overlooked one box on-a back shelf, containing 850,000 in valuables, the property of Edward Schell, President of the bank. TheAUtei^QaaM l six feet between the and the door of of the vault glars amnta^jot^“» er M 7e, gave the burto work in. They pried ■RmRe compartment containing 811,000 In small bills. They next forced the bottom drawer, but got nothing of value therefrom. The wedge* were found in the upper compartments, which they were trying to force when they were evidently disturbed. A doxen drills, a sledge-hammer, three sectional jimmies and other tools were found scattered around. The officers of the bank admit that the janitor possessed the combination to toe vault. It was given him months ago, so that be could take out the books and make ready for business. The officers of the bank are Edward Schell, President and Treasurer; C. F. Alvord, Secretary. The following is the bank officers’ statement: “ The Manhattan Savings Institution was, on the morning ot Sunday, Oct. 27, 1878, robbed ot securities to the amount of 12,757,700, of which 82,505,700 were registered in the name of the institution, and are not negotiable, and 8108,000 are made payable to it, and 873,000 are in coupon bonds and 811,000 in cash. For the purpose of preventing loss to depositors, it is deemed advisable that no payment be made without sixty days’ notice, as provided by the by-laws of the institution.” A New York special of the 23tb says: “It is asserted, despite the officials’ reticence, that at least sixty bank-managers in this city intrust the safe combinations to their janitors. “ A run on the bank seems improbable, as only 130 of the 17,000 depositors have notified tbe bank of an intention to withdraw their accounts. “ A* to losses, the bank officers say the depositors, with one exception, had no realizable valuables in their boxes, and their papers and securities were left undisturbed. One man claims a loss of 87,500 in notes. The burglars, therefore, got only 811,000 in cash, and 887,500 in securities that can be realized upon when the burglars dare risk detection.’’