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tlFUT A DEPOSIT VAULTOBBERS ROOTED UNINSURED BOXES OF MERRIAM STATE BANK.ohnson C09»*r Farmers Lost Liberty Bonds and Other Taper—Losers Have No Reoonrse Unless Robbers Are Caught.Johnson County farmers were the nsers when bank robbers tunneled into lie safe deposit vault of the Merriara »;utc Bank of Merriam Kas., early yesterday morning and took between $15,000 and $20,000 in Liberty and Baby bonds.besides notes, mortgages, farm deeds, oil and mining stock and many valuable papers that cannot be replaced.Roxie Tluerinn; a farmer, lost $5,000 in Liberty bcifads, $585 in Baby bonds, besides deeds, mortgages and other stock ;»f no value to the robbers, which he bought last night would total about *8,000. He is probably the heaviest loser. G. P. Siebenthaler, the grocer at Merriam, lost $800 in Liberty bonds, $2,000 in notes, and several thousands ft dollars in checks and other bonds. Dr. C. H. Loomis lost $4,000 in Liberty bonds. Other losses ranged from $1,000 to $50. Many farmers had placed their bonds In the box of some friend, and the twenty-five safe deposit boxes will represent more than twenty-five losers.Dltm'T MOLEST THE SAFE.As the robbers did not disturb the safe of the. bank, which stands in the front window, and only robbed the safe deposit boxes, which the bank insurance does not cover, the farmers were the nolo losers.The robbers entered the safe deposit vault by chiseling their way through the 12-inch concrete wall at the rear of the bank. No one in Merriam heard the bank roobers work, though it must have taken them at least two or three hours.After they had made a hole large enough for a man to crawl through, the robbers tntored, turned on, the electric light in the vault, taking care first, however, to see that the hole was covered so that no light was emitted, and then began rifling the twenty-five safety boxes. Thj locks of the boxes apparently were knocked off with a hammer.INTENDED TO SORT LOOT LATER.“The robbers appear to have simply gathered up the contents of the safe deposit boxes and to have thrown them into sacks,” Mr. Siebenthaler said last night. They not only took the Liberty Ronds in the boxes, but doeds, mortgages, mining stock, oil stock and a number of notes, all of which I think are of no value to them. The same was done with the other boxes. I cannot understand why they would take so much of little value, unless they simply carried everything away, intending to sort it at some more convenient place. Some mor*gages and papers were found on the floor in the room and 1 am inclined to think that they dropped these in hastily placing the contents of the locked boxes in sacks.”S. R. Batwell, president of the bank, was unable to make an estimate of the loss last night. He said ho had only last week purchased the controlling interest of the bank and that yesterday was the first day he had taken active charge and for that reason was unfamiliar with what was usually kept In the safe deposit boxes.BANK WAS BOBRED LAST SUMMER.The bank was robbed of $3,000 June 25. when three robbers held up the cashier in daylight. An attempt to rob the bank in a like manner was frustrated several weeks ago when detectives discovered the plot. John Steed, sheriff of Johnson County, was notified •it Olathe yesterday by several of the farmer# who were losers in the robbery. Mr. Steed said last night that be would notify the government sercret service men this morning.eitiatt€irAirti01vti8lt;WKtiv.tihS'ngflt;tiewgLCII.Vlt;
Newspaper Details
Kansas City Times
Kansas City, Missouri, US
Tue, Oct 28, 1919
Page 17
Full Page
Clipped by
Stephanie A.
GA, USA 02 Sep 2016
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