A DARING ROBBERY.

Otago Witness, Issue 956, 16 May 1889, Page 9

A DARING ROBBERY.

The most artistic and in some respects the boldest robbery that' has been "heard of for a long time happened "(writes the New York correspondent of the Age) in the First National Bank of Denver, Colorado. The president of the bank, Mr D. H. Moffatt, was the, viptim, and the circumstances were as follows :— lmmediately after the opening of •the bank. a r well-dressed man of. medium height, light. incomplexionj andiwith a light moustache, . entered . and inquired of As-sistant-cashie? , Ross Lewin when he qquld. see, Mr:, Moffatt, the piesidenfc of the bank. Mr Lewin informed him that he,Qould see Mr Moffatt, who is also presii dent of. the Denver and Eio Grandeorailway, at his office in the Oheesman block. Next , morning, the stranger entered the railway office , and asked to see Mr Moffatt on important business. He was admitted to his private' room, and brieflystated that he ha^, discovered a conspiracy i whereby the Frcs^ , National Bank" wasto -be robbed of al9w' c 'I amount of : money. , Mr, .Moffatti told the. man he' was very busy •&t that moment but would be pleased to meet jhim - at; .his, private, office in th e bank at 1 o'clock, whereupon- the ir; an ii e ft the building. A few minutes after the hour appointed he , called atthe bant and' was" shown into the presidents o^ cea ; while remaining standing, U i r ed if the cashier, S. N. Wood, w . ai> . in, and was told, that ,he was at lunch. > jde then asked for a blank cheque for the purpose of showing how the, robbery was tobe, perpetrated.: The cheque was. handed him. He lai<i it upon the, desk in ' front of Mr Moffatt, and saying, " I will have to do this myself,", and ", pulling a , large revolver from his, coat, placed it at Mr Moffatt's head. .••'l want 21,000d0l and am going to have it," he said ,in a cool but decidedly earnest manner. " I h^,ve considered this matter and the, chances I am running and the consequences if I fail and am arrested. I am penniless and a desperate man, and) been driven during the past week to that point where I have considered suicide as the only means of escape from the poverty and misery in which I exist. You have millions. lam determined to have what I have asked for. If you make a . noise, call a man or ring a bell, I will blow your brains out and then blow up the building and myself with this bottle of glycerine (which he at that moment pulled out of ' another pocket). Now take your choice." Mr Moffatt started to argue with the man, but was stopped with the information that it was useless, and that he had but two minutes in which to fill out the cheque before him for 21,000d0l if he desired to live. Mr' Moffatt, seeing no other Alternative, filled' out the cheque, and w,as then ordered to .take it to the paying teller and get it cashed. Mr Moffatt left his office, and with the man behind him witji the revolver partially concealed under his < overcoat, and with the muzzle almost against Moff att's back, marched, behind the counter and up to Paying-teller .Keeley, with the request that the cheque be immediately cashed. „Tbey then, returned into Mr Moffatt's office, without attracting the attention of the 15 or 20 clerks' who were busy at work within, two* feet of where they passed. After they had! remained ' in the private office threft or four minutes the robber informed Mr Moifotfc that they were wasting time, arid tbafe'he had* better step to the door and motion his teller to come to' him, which he d?d\ Moffatt instructed him to bring khe money into his office, and as the tellez turned to go away the* robber told him he wanted 20,000 dollarbills and' looo dollars in gold. The money was brought in and handed over to him*, and, waiting until the teller had reached hi© desk, he backed out to the-frdnt door, making Mr Moffatt remain standing- in his door un.tij he had reached: the * kerbstone. He then raised his hat and 'walked around the corner, and has not yet been heardof. The police are looking for him, and a reward of 2500, doHais has been offered'for'hia arrest. If arrested he will probably put- in a plea df 'insanity, ' oh the 1 iground that' no ,'sane mao. would have undertaken such a job. '

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