History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Part 43

Author:
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Harrisburg : R. C. Brown
Number of Pages: 1454

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The present officers and directors of the bank are as follows: W. D. Van Horn, president; L. L. Bailey, vice-president; E. W. Gleckler, cashier; J. B. Truman, book-keeper, and Jerome B. Niles, N. F. Marvin, Jesse Locke, F. W. Graves, William O'Connor, L. L. Bailey and W. D. Van Horn, directors.

THE GREAT BANK ROBBERY.

On the night of September 16, 1874, occurred the robbery of the First National Bank by a band of skilled burglars. It was one of the most boldly-planned and successfully-executed robberies in the history of the State, and certainly the most startling and sensational criminal occurrence in the history of Wellsboro. A full and well-written report of it appeared in the Agitator, from whose columns the fol- lowing condensed account is taken:

The bank was located in an old-fashioned frame store building with wooden shutters and doors, which could be entered easily by any expert burglar. It stood on what is now the beautiful grassy lawn lying between the old John L. Robinson home- stead and the county record office. When inside, however, the robber found his task hardly begun, for the vault was a very strong one, and it contained one of the strongest and most complete safes then manufactured. The doors of the vault and of the safe were fitted with the best combination locks. No person had slept in the bank for many months past. The safe contained about $30,000 in currency and convertible securities. This was a tempting bait for the gentlemen of the dark lantern and jimmy, and how they were to secure it and get away without too much risk was a problem which they were probably not long in solving.

There is but little doubt that for some time persons connected with the gang had been in the borough taking observations and laying plans for their operations; and it is still believed that the job of robbing the bank was set down for the first week of the month, and that the parties were all in Wellsboro at that time, some of them coming directly with teams, and part of them by public conveyance, from Ralston, in Lycoming county. But the time then chosen was the first week of court; the town was full of people, and the robbers probably thought it was best to defer operations until the first week after the adjournment of court, when there would be no unusual number of strangers in town. It is certain that they could not have chosen a better time.

It was Tuesday evening when two teams-one drawing a covered buggy and

Frankt Deand

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WELLSBORO (CONTINUED).

one hitched to a platform spring wagon-left the livery stable of Orvis Danks, in Elmira, and proceeded towards Wellsboro. They reached Tioga between 1 and 2 o'clock Wednesday morning, and stopped at Farr's Hotel until about 11 o'clock in the forenoon. At that time no persons were along but the two drivers. They proceeded at a very leisurely pace on their journey, and reached Potter's Hotel about 1 o'clock p. m., in ample time for dinner. They stayed there until about 6 o'clock in the evening, when they hitched up and proceeded on their way in the direction of Wellsboro; but they must have travelled slowly, for it is quite certain that they did not reach the borough until after the arrival of the evening train south, on which train some of the party of robbers are believed to have come. When the teams reached Wellsboro they were driven to the open sheds in the rear of the Episcopal church where they were fed, and the men were posted to watch Mr. Robinson's house and its surroundings. About 11 o'clock, a colored man, who was walking up Main street past Mr. Robinson's residence, saw a man standing by a large elm tree in front and just west of his premises. As the colored man ap- proached, this man walked around the tree in the opposite direction, as if to avoid notice. From the point where he stood the windows of John L. Robinson's bed-room, Judge Williams' bed-room and Eugene H. Robinson's bed-room, could be seen.

After Mr. Robinson's family had all retired and everything was dark and still within the house, a little after 12 o'clock, midnight, seven men, clad in rough overalls and blouses, and with cloth masks over their faces, and dark lanterns and revolvers in their hands, entered the kitchen window on the east side of the house. Their feet were muffled in heavy socks, and they passed without noise into the dining room. Three of them entered the lower bed-room on the west side of the house, while two went into the hall and up the front stairs. The first member of the family who awakened was Mrs. Smith. She heard the stairs creak and thought her mother was coming up stairs to call her, as she frequently did in the night when ill. Mrs. Smith raised up in bed, facing the door which stood open at the head of the stairs, and called, "Mother !" There was no answer; but the stairs creaked again, although there was no sound of a footfall. Supposing then that her mother was very ill, and that it was her father who was coming-although she wondered at his coming in the dark-Mrs. Smith called, "Father !" There was no reply; but in an instant there was a sound like the scratching of a match at the head of the stairs, and the light of a dark lantern flashed into her eyes. Instantly the burglar, with a revolver in one hand and lantern in the other, stepped toward her bed, uttering and repeating the command, "Don't speak ! At the same time she saw the other man passing along the upper hall toward her brother's room.

Coming close to her bedside, the burglar expressed his surprise at the presence of Mrs. Smith, saying that he supposed she was in Corning. At the same time he noticed the flash of her diamond rings and ordered her to take them off her fingers, and stepping back he pulled the door nearly shut, explaining the action by saying that if "No. 2" saw the rings he would take them. Mrs. Smith says that the thought flashed through her mind that if she had a pistol she could shoot him then as he turned to close the door; and there is no doubt she would have tried to do so, for after the first shock of surprise was over she seems to have exhibited perfect self- possession, tact, and even a spirit of defiance toward the robbers. But she was un-

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armed and helpless and knew that resistance was hopeless, and she drew off her rings and gave them to the robber who said he would save them for her, threw them under the bed, and hastily turned back and pushed the door open. The robber assured Mrs. Smith that they didn't intend to hurt her nor any of the family, if they would do as directed; but that they were masters and intended to take their money. It was in reply to a speech of this kind that she told him that they indeed had the upper hand then, but they would not have it long for all honest people were not dead, and God was not dead. All this had passed without awakening the servant girl in the bed on the other side of the room; but she feigned sleep and remained quiet.

In the meantime "No. 2," who seemed to be the leader of the party, had gone into the cashier's room, secured his revolver which was on the bureau, waked the sleeping man with the light of the bull's eye of his dark lantern, obliged him to get up, and took him to his sister's room after handcuffing him.

While this was taking place above stairs the three burglars below were not idle, and a very exciting scene was being enacted in the family bed-room. The first person to wake up in this room was Mrs. Robinson. Upon opening her eyes she was dazzled by the flash of a bull's eye slowly moving before her face. Instantly she screamed, when there was a harsh command to stop or she would get a bullet through her head. This frightened Mrs. Robinson all the more, and believing that her husband would be murdered, she cried out to that effect, when the villain told her that they would not be hurt; that it was not murder but robbery they were engaged in, and that they only intended to have their money. Notwithstanding this assurance, Mrs. Robinson continued to bewail her fate, and made so much noise that the third burglar in the room, who stood at the foot of the bed searching Mr. Robinson's clothes, ordered her guard to take her away. She was then made to get up and, still undressed, was taken through the sitting room and hall and up the front stairs to the room already occupied by Mrs. Smith, the servant girl, and Eugene H. Robinson, with their faithful attendants. As she left her own bed-room the struggle with her husband still continued; but it was not a long one. Mr. Robinson had raised up in bed, but a blow on the head knocked him back on the pillow, the handcuffs were quickly adjusted on his wrists and a gag was forced into his mouth, thus effectually quieting his shouts for help. His pantaloons were then drawn on, and he, too, was marched up the front stairs to his daughter's room. He was blind- folded, however, before going up stairs, so that he did not know to what room he was taken.

While this exciting scene was taking place below stairs, the two burglars in the second story were busy with the work of getting the two women up, dressed and bound. This was not so easy a job as it might seem. The servant girl obeyed orders civilly enough; but Mrs. Smith was not so compliant. In the first place, she refused to get out of bed; and it was only after considerable threatening and coaxing that she was induced to do so. Then she refused to dress herself, and her puzzled captor was obliged to turn himself for the time being into a lady's maid. Taking the skirts of a dress from a hook he threw it over her head and buttoned it around her waist. He was not without his reward, however, for he discovered her purse in the pocket of

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her dress and helped himself to all the money it contained-a considerable but not definitely known sum.

The family being thus assembled in the little, low studded chamber, the burglars proceeded with the work of binding the several members of it. The elder Mr. Robinson, Mrs. Smith and the girl were securely fastened to chairs by cords, their hands being manacled behind their backs. They were all blindfolded; but the women were not gagged, although one of the robbers assured Mrs. Smith that he thought she deserved to be for her saucy speeches. The chairs occupied by Mrs. Smith and the servant girl were placed back to back, and the two women were thoroughly tied together. It was then proposed to tie Mrs. Robinson likewise, but Mrs. Smith strongly protested against this, asserting that it would kill her, as she had heart disease and must be allowed to lie down. It was indeed true that Mrs. Robinson was suffering from a paroxysm of that complaint at the time, and her appearance indicated the near approach of death. The robbers became convinced of the serious nature of her attack, for they permitted her to lie down upon the bed and from that time showed her great care and consideration. One of them asked her daughter for brandy for her mother, and on being told there was none in the house, expressed the opinion that she lied. He was told, however, that there was camphor, and on being directed where to find it, one of the party was sent down stairs and brought up the camphor bottle, the ice pitcher and a couple of goblets; and a little diluted camphor was then given to Mrs. Robinson by the hand of her faithful guardian.

Matters being thus arranged within the house, the robbers proposed to Eugene H. Robinson that he should go to the bank and open the vault. To this the cashier decidedly demurred; but after considerable talk and many threats of death to him- self and other members of the family, two of the robbers took him downstairs and led him, blindfolded and barefoot, behind the fence before mentioned to the side door of the bank. The key to the front door had been taken from his pocket, and one of the robbers had entered the bank that way and then opened the side door to let the party in. Arrived in the bank, the bandage was removed from Mr. Robin- son's eyes and, with his hands still manacled, he was ordered to open the vault. Alone, unarmed, in bonds, at the small hours of the night, with no help or hope of assistance, and with three unknown felons, armed to the teeth, in the desperate pursuit of plunder, threatening death and certain to inflict torture if their demands were not complied with, it was evident that resistance was useless and delay, even, dangerous. Frederick the Great said that the man who did not know what fear was never snuffed a candle with his fingers. If he had lived in the days of masked robbers, he might have found an illustration quite as pat in a bank officer standing before a locked safe in the middle of the night with a trio of loaded revolvers within a few inches of his head. Certain it is that not one man in a million could go through that experience and truthfully say he knew no fear.

Mr. Robinson opened the vault door and then the door of the inner safe. In doing so he failed several times to work the combination properly, hoping against hope that delay might bring relief from the cruel task. Then he was obliged to stand by helpless while the robbers removed the bundles of bank bills, bonds and other valuables. During the operation he remonstrated with the burglars when

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they appeared about to take some notes which could be of no use to them and would only inconvenience the bank, but he was silenced by the threat to again gag and blindfold him.

The plunder being removed from the safe and packed in a tobacco tub which stood in the bank, the proposition was made that Cashier Robinson should be secured by locking him in the vault. He asked his tormentors not to do that, but to shoot him if they meant to kill him. They asked him if he supposed he could not live in the vault, and he said he could not live in there half an hour. They then con- cluded to return him to the house, and allowing him to lock the vault they took him back to the chamber where three of the party had been left to guard the rest of the family.

While the robbery of the bank was in progress the three burglars who were left to look after the captives in the house seem to have had their hands full of business. Mr. Robinson was bound, gagged, blindfolded and tied to his chair, and of course he was silent and helpless and caused them no trouble. But Mrs. Robinson was ap- parently dying, and one of the robbers was busily engaged in administering to her wants and quieting her fears. He said that he had a mother, and he felt very sorry for her (Mrs. Robinson). He even wished she was in South America or anywhere else than there, and he assured her that if her son, Eugene H., had only slept in the bank, they would never have troubled anybody in the house. He covered her carefully and tenderly with the bed-clothes, and did everything in his power to make her comfortable. This same villain, who seems to have been the Chesterfield of the party, noticed that the servant girl was shivering, when he brought a blanket from the bed and tenderly wrapped her up. He offered to perform the same kind office for Mrs. Smith, but she cut his gallant attentions short by a decided snub. The family probably owed it to the soft-heartendess and good humor of this polite member of the gang that they were not shut up in their prison much longer than they were.

In the course of their talk-and there was considerable-the man who first entered Mrs. Smith's room claimed that he had told her the truth, but she expressed something more than a doubt of his veracity. She said he had promised to return her rings, which he had taken from her and thrown under the bed. He then said they were in the slop jar near her; but she replied that she did not believe him. Then he changed his story and said they were in a cup on the table. She said that now she knew he was lying. He finally said he would give them to her; and he laid them on her lap. Thinking that if they were left there in sight some of the other men would carry them off, she told him to put them on her fingers; and he did as she directed, getting down on the floor and putting the rings in their accus- tomed places on her fingers. She then told him to bring her watch. After inquiring which it was, he took it to her, put the chain around her neck and left it there; and it was not taken afterwards. Her father's watch was also returned the same way. But Eugene's watch-a very valuable one-was carried off.

The booty for which the expedition was organized having been secured, it only remained for the robbers to make their escape, after having imprisoned their victims in such a manner that no alarm could be given for several hours. And this they proceeded to do. Eugene, the cashier, was bound to a chair, and he and his father

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were tied back to back, as the two women had been. Before this was done, however, one of the robbers asked where the hammer and nails were kept. Mrs. Smith told him she didn't know, when the robber swore an oath or two and told her that she lied. One of the party then went down stairs to find the needed articles and in a little time came back with a few tenpenny nails, which it was afterward discovered he pulled from the pantry walls. With these nails they proceeded to fasten the door leading to the back staircase. This door swung into the room occupied by the family, and the robbers drove four nails into the casing at its edge, so as to fasten it very firmly. They stripped the bed which the girl had occupied and placed it against the little window near the floor so as to prevent a ray of light from shining through. They proceeded to remove every lamp from the room; but at the earnest solicitation of Mrs. Robinson and in view of what they believed to be her dangerous condition, the heart of her particular attendant relented and it was finally agreed that one of their dark lanterns should be left burning on the stand at the head of the bed. The same kind soul also placed her camphor and water ready to her hand, and insisted that she should not have her hands manacled. Handcuffs were placed on her ankles, however, and she was tied to the bed with strips torn from one of the sheets.

All this being arranged, one of the party made a little speech to the captives, telling them that the house would be watched until morning, and that if anybody went out of it he would be killed. He also hinted that if they moved, tipped over a chair, or anything of that sort, some train might be fired and something very dreadful might happen. The burglars then left the room. They locked the door leading to the front stairs, and secured it further by driving a couple of tenpenny nails into the casing on the outside. In driving all these nails they used a hammer which they found down stairs. Afterwards a heavy sledge hammer, which they had taken from P. G. Lyon's blacksmith shop, was found at the head of the stairs.

The robbers then passed down the stairs and out the front door, which they slammed behind them and locked on the outside, throwing away the key. They at once loaded themselves and their booty into their vehicles, which they had left in the shed of the Episcopal church, and drove rapidly out of town in the direction of Elmira.

The villains had indeed gone; but the bound, imprisoned and terrified family were helpless until the coming day should bring suspicion, inquiry and relief from the neighbors. For about an hour they remained silent and irresolute, imagining and dreading some further calamity if they attempted to help themselves. At last, however, the women began to talk in whispers, and it was agreed that Mrs. Robinson should make an effort to get up and cut the cords which bound the others. She succeeded without much trouble in loosening the cords which bound her to the bed. In the meantime Mr. Robinson and Eugene had hitched their chairs toward the bed. Mrs. Robinson got up, and hobbling as well as she could with her shackled feet, reached her husband, took his knife from his pocket, cut the cords which held the gags in the men's mouths, and then proceeded to sever the ropes which bound them in their chairs. This was not a very rapid job, but it was finally accomplished, and the father and son were free, except that their hands were still manacled behind their backs. And now the work went on more rapidly. Eugene took the

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knife, and sitting on the floor he soon succeeded in cutting the cords which bound his sister and the girl. The captives were now all free to see and to talk, although the four stronger ones still had their hands bound behind, and Mrs. Robinson was shackled by stout steel handcuffs.

But how were they to get out of their prison and arouse the neighbors? Looking around the room, they happily found a new large screw driver which the burglars had left behind. With this the two men went to work to bend back the nails which fastened the door leading to the back staircase. Hampered as they were they took turns at this work, standing on a chair to reach the upper nails; and after much tiresome labor they were rewarded-the door came open and they were free to pass out. Then they looked at their watches and it was 2:45 o'clock.

The next thing to be done was to get the colored man Joe up and send him for the neighbors. They could not take the dark lantern to light them through to Joe's room, for they feared the house might still be watched from the outside, and the movement of the light be seen. So Mrs. Smith and Eugene started in the dark to awaken Joe. Mrs. Smith stated that she was afraid at each step that she might feel the touch of a burglar, and one can easily imagine how a frail woman at such an hour and under such circumstances, might feel. Nevertheless the heroic woman and her brother went through the back hall and into the dark room beyond. Here Eugene went to the low window to see if there was any suspicious movement outside, while Mrs. Smith, carefully feeling her way with her foot at each step, slowly went toward Joe's door. At last it was reached, and summoning all her resolution, she opened it, went into the room and placed her hand on the fortunate colored man who had not been molested by the burglars. She told him that the bank and house had been robbed, and that he must get up and dress himself at once. Joe did so; and he soon made his appearance clad and in his right mind but very badly frightened. Mr. Robinson requested him to go down stairs, get out of the window of his bedroom, climb over the fence, and call up Judge Williams. Joseph demurred; he couldn't do that for love nor money; he would surely be gobbled up by some of those awful robbers, and there would be no more Joe! It was finally arranged that Eugene should make the proposed trip and that Joe should go along to act as hands for him. And so the two departed on their errand, and succeeded in reaching Judge Williams' house without mishap *.

The Judge was quickly aroused and soon made his appearance. By this time Mr. Robinson's family had got down stairs; but no lamps belonging to the house could be found nor any matches, and the Judge was obliged to go home to get a lantern. It was afterward found that the burglars had gathered up every lamp in the house, except the chandeliers, and placed them in the woodshed.

The alarm having been given, the news spread rapidly through that part of the town, and before daylight many citizens had congregated at the scene of the crime. Blacksmiths were sent for and the gyves were cut from the limbs of the members of the family. It was found that nobody had been hurt except the father, John L. Robinson, whose face had been cut in the struggle with his captors.

The news of this high-handed crime spread rapidly and caused a profound

* It was afterward learned that one of the parties was stationed at the door of Judge Williams' home, armed with a heavy club, to strike him down in case he heard any noise and came forth to investigate.

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sensation. Everybody was excited. At first the family of the banker was looked after and their wants provided for. This caused a delay of fully two hours before pursuit was thought of. Attention was then turned to this important matter and an organization was effected, but it was 6 o'clock before any one left the borough to pursue the robbers. It was quickly learned that they had fed their horses at the Episcopal church shed, and that one horse they drove wore a circular shoe. This was an important clue. Information soon came that the party of six men had passed down the road toward Tioga, and it was also learned that the robbers drove into Elmira between 8 and 9 o'clock in the morning, having covered the forty-two miles in about six and a half hours.

In their flight they seemed to have been daring, if not reckless. They threw out parts of their disguise, which were afterwards found, at various points along the road; and they drove for miles by the side of the only telegraph line which con- nected Wellsboro and Elmira at that time and never attempted to cut the wire. But it seems that good luck, or something else, favored them in their flight, for the message from Wellsboro advising the Elmira authorities of what had occurred was delayed at Corning for several hours, and did not reach Elmira until two hours after the robbers had arrived there !

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History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, Part 43

Author: Publication date: 1897 Publisher: Harrisburg : R. C. Brown Number of Pages: 1454

Author:
Publication date: 1897
Publisher: Harrisburg : R. C. Brown
Number of Pages: 1454