A GREAT AMERICAN BANK ROBBERY.

Evening Post, Volume XVII, Issue 311, 4 January 1879, Page 1 (Supplement)

A GREAT AMERICAN BANK ROBBERY.

? Beiir/een six on the morning of the 27th October masked burglars entered the Manhattan Savings Bank building, corner of Broadway and Bleecker-street, New York, and, after handcuffing the janitor, made him, under threats of instant death, reveal the combination of the safe to them and deliver up the keys of the bank. They rifled the vault of presumably a large amount of money, as 20 tin boxes, known to Contain bills, were found on the floor empty. The janitor, Wertel, oreated an unfavourable impression on cross-examina-tion. He Baid that at ten minutes past six o'clock, while he was dressing, seven masked men suddenly rushed into his room and handcuffed himself and his wife, and demanded the keys of the bank. His mother-in-law, an old lady, who was present, screamed, when the burglars drew pistols and threatened instant death to any who made a noise. They then carried him into an adjoining-room and forced him to deliver up the keys of the street doors. With these four of the party went downstairs, leaving three on guard in the room. Three hours passed, and Wertel heard the clock strike nine. Just then one of the men from downstairs returned, and after whispered consultation they all left. Wortel admitted to Superintendent Walling th»i he had given the combination unlockug the doom of the vault to the robbers. He gave it under threats of instant death. His wife corroborated his story of the attack, but said there were only five men in the party. Following is the bank officer's statement : — The Manhattan Savings Institution waa, on the morning of Sunday, 27th October, 1878, robbed of securities to the amount of 3,757,700 dollars, of whioh 2,506,700 dollars were registered in the name of the institution, and are not negotiable, and 168,000 dollars are made payable to it ; 73,000 dollars are in coupon bonds, and 11,000 dollars in cash. For the purpose of preventing loss to depositors, it is deemed advisable that no payment be made without 60 days' notice, as provided by the by-laws of the institution. The gigantic robbeify^of the Manhattan Savings Institution is the sensation in banking ciroles, A notice has been posted in the bank saying the surplus of the bank is more than sufficient to cover any probable lots that may be by reason oi the robbery, £ g^at number of de«

positors have given the necessary notice. The directors were in secret session to-day. It is said to be the rule for janitorßof bank buildings in this city to have the combination of vaults. Every available detective in town has been assigned to the case. The Evening Post says ;—"; — " So far as can be ascertained, no arrests have been made yet. Superintendent Walling said this morning that he could give no new information about the case, and denied that he professed laat night to have a clue to the robbers, and if he had one he would not admit it. The janitor and night watchman are at the bank to-day to help to straighten out matters. Augustus Schell, Democratic candidate for Mayor, and brother of the President, says : — "The bank will have a surplus of 500,000 dollars if all the coupon bonds stolen were counted as lost Great crowds continued all the morning about the bank. The robbers left behind a skeleton key ; also, three pairs of handcuffs. Of forty or fifty boxes stored away, about 20 had been opened and their contents rifled. It is possible the amount taken may be more than three millions, since the contents of numbers of tin boxes containing gold coin and government bonds, with which the sides of the vault were lined, have disappeared."