Altoga Bank
ROBBERS WRECK AND LOOT BANK VAULT AT ALTOGA
McKinney Courier, September 7, 1912
Two Men Are Supposed to Have Been Implicated In the Midnight Job. Only $1,200 Secured.
Between 1 and 2 o’clock this morning the bank of Altoga was wricked by dynamite and all the funds in the bank, at the time, which amounted to $1,200, secured by robbers, who made good their escape, leaving no clue as to their identity.
The bank is located in the general merchandise store of Dr. W. T. Dunn, who is cashier of the bank. The institution is an unincorporated concern, but is thoroughly responsible, and has always done a good business. Considerable of the stock is owned by McKinney people, president L. A. Scott of the Collin County National Bank, being one of the principal stockholders. Through Mr. Scott it is learned that the bank’s loss will amount to about $1,200, which was all the money in the bank at the time of the robbery. This loss, he states, will be made good to the depositors, as the bank was fully protected by insurance. Even if this had not been the case, the depositors would not sustain any loss, as they would be paid in full to the amount of their deposits by the stockholders.
The robbers, of which it is believed there were only two, evidently had hoped to make a clean get-away before the alarm could be given to other places. They had cut, as they supposed, all the telephone wires entering Altoga, but evidently was not well acquainted with the local conditions, as they left one, and really the most important, line intact.
The explosion which wrecked the vault, and threw the door of the inner safe a distance of one hundred feet through the wall of the building and into another nearby house, aroused a number of citizens, among them Mr. Dunn. They hurriedly dressed and went to the bank, where they found the place open, the vault torn up and the money gone. The unimpaired telephone line was put into service and such officers as could be reached at the surrounding towns were notified. Owing to the fact that telephone connection could not be secured with the sheriff nor any of his deputies at their homes, it was some time before they could be reached.
City Marshal McReynolds of Princeton was one of the first officers aroused, and he immediately began a watch in his town. At about 4 o’clock, the telephone operator and night agent for the Katy railroad at Princeton, saw a man emerge from underneath the cotton wharf at his station and walk around near the depot, seemingly on a tour of inspection of the telegraph and telephone cables. He then returned to the cotton wharf. Marshall McReynolds soon after discovered two men stealing away from the wharf, and when they failed to respond to his command to halt, he fired several shots at them, but does not believe that he struck either one of them. In their flight, however, they dropped a tow sack, which, upon examination was found to contain a small tin bucket, a sealed baking powder can, some sticks of dynamite, small bit of fuse, a loaf of rye bread, and some cheese. The tin bucket was identified by Cashier Dunn as one which had been in his store. This plainly connects the two men fired upon by City Marshal McReynolds with the robbery at Altoga.
In their flight from Princeton the men went southeast in the direction of Culleoka, since which time they have not been heard from.
As soon as connections could be had with the sheriff’s office, Sheriff Robertson, Deputy Burgess, Constable Will Kerby, City Marshal John McKinney, Night Watchman Jim Barnett, Deputy Constable Pete Hinslee and Tom Chambliss left for the scene in three autos, owned by Dr. Knight, C. J. Smith and Joe Burger. They arrived at the scene at about 5:30, but found slight clues on which to work. City Marshal McKinney and Constable Kerby immediately secured horses, and started in the direction which the men had taken. Nothing has been heard from these officers, hence it is believed that they are on the trail of the robbers, and will follow it until they make a capture.
Officers at all the surrounding towns have been notified, and are on the alert.
The county officers are also scouring the country, and there seems to be little, if any chance for the robbers to get away.
McKinney Courier, September 7, 1912
Two Men Are Supposed to Have Been Implicated In the Midnight Job. Only $1,200 Secured.
Between 1 and 2 o’clock this morning the bank of Altoga was wricked by dynamite and all the funds in the bank, at the time, which amounted to $1,200, secured by robbers, who made good their escape, leaving no clue as to their identity.
The bank is located in the general merchandise store of Dr. W. T. Dunn, who is cashier of the bank. The institution is an unincorporated concern, but is thoroughly responsible, and has always done a good business. Considerable of the stock is owned by McKinney people, president L. A. Scott of the Collin County National Bank, being one of the principal stockholders. Through Mr. Scott it is learned that the bank’s loss will amount to about $1,200, which was all the money in the bank at the time of the robbery. This loss, he states, will be made good to the depositors, as the bank was fully protected by insurance. Even if this had not been the case, the depositors would not sustain any loss, as they would be paid in full to the amount of their deposits by the stockholders.
The robbers, of which it is believed there were only two, evidently had hoped to make a clean get-away before the alarm could be given to other places. They had cut, as they supposed, all the telephone wires entering Altoga, but evidently was not well acquainted with the local conditions, as they left one, and really the most important, line intact.
The explosion which wrecked the vault, and threw the door of the inner safe a distance of one hundred feet through the wall of the building and into another nearby house, aroused a number of citizens, among them Mr. Dunn. They hurriedly dressed and went to the bank, where they found the place open, the vault torn up and the money gone. The unimpaired telephone line was put into service and such officers as could be reached at the surrounding towns were notified. Owing to the fact that telephone connection could not be secured with the sheriff nor any of his deputies at their homes, it was some time before they could be reached.
City Marshal McReynolds of Princeton was one of the first officers aroused, and he immediately began a watch in his town. At about 4 o’clock, the telephone operator and night agent for the Katy railroad at Princeton, saw a man emerge from underneath the cotton wharf at his station and walk around near the depot, seemingly on a tour of inspection of the telegraph and telephone cables. He then returned to the cotton wharf. Marshall McReynolds soon after discovered two men stealing away from the wharf, and when they failed to respond to his command to halt, he fired several shots at them, but does not believe that he struck either one of them. In their flight, however, they dropped a tow sack, which, upon examination was found to contain a small tin bucket, a sealed baking powder can, some sticks of dynamite, small bit of fuse, a loaf of rye bread, and some cheese. The tin bucket was identified by Cashier Dunn as one which had been in his store. This plainly connects the two men fired upon by City Marshal McReynolds with the robbery at Altoga.
In their flight from Princeton the men went southeast in the direction of Culleoka, since which time they have not been heard from.
As soon as connections could be had with the sheriff’s office, Sheriff Robertson, Deputy Burgess, Constable Will Kerby, City Marshal John McKinney, Night Watchman Jim Barnett, Deputy Constable Pete Hinslee and Tom Chambliss left for the scene in three autos, owned by Dr. Knight, C. J. Smith and Joe Burger. They arrived at the scene at about 5:30, but found slight clues on which to work. City Marshal McKinney and Constable Kerby immediately secured horses, and started in the direction which the men had taken. Nothing has been heard from these officers, hence it is believed that they are on the trail of the robbers, and will follow it until they make a capture.
Officers at all the surrounding towns have been notified, and are on the alert.
The county officers are also scouring the country, and there seems to be little, if any chance for the robbers to get away.
