1895, Big Bank Robbery Haul
There was a strange, weird bank robbery that occurred in 1895, November 22nd, at the Santa Fe Depot, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This story was found in the Highland Recorder, out of Monterey, Virginia, dated 22 November 1895, Friday, page 1: "A Big Haul Robbers Get Twenty Thousand Dollars Easily. Put the Agent To Bed."
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The agent was confronted by Robbers with pistols and made to open a safe and hand out the money, but some money money was saved. Thieves not excited, though. Why only the $20,000 and not the other $35,000 left in the safe?
This story comes as a special tot he news from Colorado Springs, Colorado, who said, "The express office at the Santa Fe Depot in Colorado Springs was robbed. Immediately after the departure of the night express at 9:42pm George Krout, the express agent, stepped from the platform into his office and was confronted by two masked men, who leveled revolvers at his head and ordered him to open the safe. This he did and they helped themselves to two packages of money containing $5,000 and $15,000 sent from Denver to Cripple Creek, the remainder of which as in the safe, but was not found. Officers were scouring the country in the hope of capturing the robbers.
The Wells Fargo Express Company had given out the following official statement regarding the robbers. $20,000 was sent from Denver to the First National Bank of Colorado Springs early in the afternoon.
The money was in currency of small denominations' nd was received about 4 o'clock, and too late to be delivered tot he bank. The package containing the money was placed in the depot safe, and both doors locked.
There was nothing to indicate its value. Evidently the thieves knew of its existence. When train No. 6 came in, about 9:43, there were the packages aboard with the currency, to the amount of $35,000, consigned to the same bank. These packages were delivered tot he agent and placed in the safe with the other.
After the train had departed, the agent, George Krout, went to the platform to straighten the trucks, which were standing there, and when he returned to the office he was met at the door by two masked men with drawn revolvers. The package containing the $20,000 was demanded, and the agent was compelled to open the safe and give it up. The agent said nothing about the remaining packages, and the robbers left at once. The standing rewards of $300 each for information or arrest of the robbers, of course, holds good, and the amount would undoubtedly be increased.
When Krout entered his office, after performing his duties outside, two men, on tall, the other short, confronted him with revolvers pointed at his head and commanded him to throw up his hands.
Krout, badly frightened, obeyed. Then on of the robbers, stepping close to the agent said, "Not a word from you. We want you to pen that safer and be quick about it. Hurry up."
Krout denied that there was any money in the safe. The revolver was pressed close to him, and he was told to open the safe, or suffer the consequences.
With trembling hands he slowly turned the combination. When the door swung open Krout explained that there was only one package there, and reaching in he picked up an envelope containing $20,000, which he handed to the short man. He then closed the heavy door.
The robbers, seeming satisfied that the agent told the truth, stepped away from the safe. Krout's action in handing out the $20,000 package and closing the doors of the safe saved the company $35,000.
During all this time the thieves did not appear in the least excited.
The robbers ordered Krout to undress himself and get into his bed. After he had done so, one of the robbers took pains to see that the quilts and comforters were drawn tightly over Krout's had and tucked down. Then Krout heard one of them say, "Now, open the door and see if there is anyone about."
Krout heard the door slide back and bump, and then one of the robber's said, "Wait now, we have missed something. Let us take a good long look over the place and see."
When Krout picked up courage to jump out of bed and go outside, there was no one in sight. An alarm was given, and by 11 o'clock posses was scouring the vicinity of the depot on the eastern outskirts of the town, but no trace of the robbers was found. Finally, two bloodhounds were put not he trail, and it was found that the men had gone along Pike's Peak Avenue through he heart of the city. On the theory that they would go to Cripple Creek, over the Cheyenne Mountain road, a posse started from the city to head them off. The depot agent was not 100 yards away from Krout's office while the robbery was being committed, but he did not see the robbers, and knew nothing about the matter until informed by Krout.
The express company's officials believe that the robbery was committed by A. J. Gray, alias Sam Wells, and J. G. Stuart, alias C. J. Starr, who was arrested for the theft of $16,000 from the express wagon at Cripple Creek April 11 (1895), and who recently in company with Tom McCarthy, escaped from jail in Denver.
R. T. Montgomery, who was a prisoner at the time of the escape, noticed the police at Denver several days ago that Gray and Stuart plotted when in jail to rob the express company again. The officials of the company believe that the robbers had an accomplice in the bank.
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