is first the safety deposit vault. This is two stories in height and built of concrete and steel; the walls being practically impregnable and absolutely fire-proof. Within this outer vault is the safety deposit vault, itself of design and material to defy all dangers from fire and robbery. Added to this, the best electric system of burglar and fire alarm in the market has been installed.

In another vault is the safe, in a cabinet which is also electric lined. The system of alarms are operated by a time lock device, which makes it impossible for any one, whether employee or outsider, to enter the vault without ringing the bell. Besides being fire and burglar proof the safety deposit vault has other protective features for papers and valuables stored therein.

Much might be written about the successful career of B. Dansard & Son's State Bank. Perhaps the greatest compliment that can be paid to the management, is the statement that at no time during its existence was there a time when it could not meet every obligation. It has weathered many financial storms, and its policy while progressive, has ever been careful and conservative, so that it has well merited the unqualified confidence reposed in its integrity and stability.

At the present writing the officers are: Boyez Dansard, president; Benjamin Freidenberg, vice-president; Benjamin Dansard, cashier, and Carl Kiburtz, assistant cashier. The directors are: Dr. P. S. Root, Benjamin Freidenberg, Boyez Dansard, Benjamin Dansard, E. L. Dansard, and E. R. Gilday.

CHAPTER XXVII

CRIMES AGAINST BANKS

THE BANK OF RIVER RAISIN-THE CRIMINAL-THE CASHIER-FIRST ADVANCES IN PLOT-ATTEMPTED MURDER-WOULD-BE MURDERER SENTENCED-CASHIER RECOVERS-FIRST NATIONAL BURGLARY AND ROBBERY-BURGLARY OF LA FOUNTAIN & LORANGER BANK

The history of banks and banking in Monroe is an interesting one, though it necessarily embraces some of the unpleasant incidents, and encounters a limited number of the dangerous episodes which beset the course of financial institutions. With the exception of Detroit, no other city of Michigan has a longer or more varied banking record. It has an interesting past, as it has a prosperous present, and a richly promising future.

Yet a tragedy of most somber hue has a place in its annals, which, even in the early days when it was perpetrated, the circumstances of its enormity and black treachery, aroused not only this quiet community on the Raisin, but caused the most profound sensation in the general public.

THE BANK OF RIVER RAISIN

The story as told by a still living resident of Monroe, is vividly remembered and clearly narrated, which runs as follows: In the early "forties" for several years, the "Bank of the River Raisin" was one of the most stanch and important in the commonwealth of Michigan. The bank occupied a building of its own, on Washington street, at the northwest corner of the public square, the site now occupied by the Park Hotel. It was decidedly a striking and substantial structure of brick, two stories in height, having a row of heavy Corinthian columns along its front reaching the height of the two stories. (See illustration in chapter on "Banks and Banking.')

The bank usually carried quite a large amount of specie and currency to meet the demands of business of the growing town, for the mail, express and telegraphic facilities of three quarters of a century ago were not such as they are today--and it was not, as now, possible to provide for an emergency on an hour's notice. Silver coin, the principal circulating medium, was transported between Detroit and Monroe in kegs or boxes, by stage or by private conveyance as required, a mode of transportation offering excellent opportunity for highwaymen to practice their vocation,-though "hold-ups" were rare. At the time when a special temptation was offered, which led to the crime referred to, the bank was known to have in its vault an unusually heavy amount of cash.

THE CRIMINAL

There lived in the town a man of dissolute habits-a "black sheep" in a most respectable family. He had no regular occupation-but occa

sionally worked at the trade of a tinner-in fact one of the class who spend a part of their time looking for trouble and seldom fail to find it without the aid of a microscope.

THE CASHIER

At this time the cashier of the bank was Mr. Lewis Hall, a young man of high character, who was custodian of the bank's funds. He was also quite interested in the reformation of the ne'er-do-well, who we will call Wells, and on many an occasion had extricated him from difficulties, and was constantly using his influence to direct him towards a better life.

FIRST ADVANCES IN PLOT

One evening as Mr. Hall was sitting in the public room of the Exchange Hotel, Wells appeared at the door and called Mr. Hall out. He informed Mr. Hall that he was bringing a keg or two of specie from Detroit, to deposit in his bank, that he had met with an accident a short distance north of the city and asked his assistance in bringing it to the bank, also stating that a lantern would better be obtained at the bank, for he had secreted the silver in the woods, and it could be more easily found with a lantern. (This was apparently done for the purpose of ascertaining if Hall had the keys to the bank.)

THE ATTEMPTED MURDER

The lantern having been procured, the two men drove northward; arriving at the spot where the silver was alleged to have been concealed, they entered the woods which grew thickly along both sides of the road; not many steps had been taken, when Hall, who was carrying the lantern, heard a sharp though not loud noise resembling the snapping of a percussion cap.

Startled slightly, Hall asked of his companion, "What was that noise, Wells?" He replied, "I stepped on a dry twig and broke it. Directly Hall heard a pistol shot (this time the percussion cap had not missed fire) and felt the sting of a bullet, and turned quickly upon. Wells, crying,What in the world are you doing, man; you've shot me!" The other explained that he was trying to get his pistol out of his pocket and it was accidentally discharged.

Still unsuspicious, Hall said, "Well, you had better be more careful. I am not hurt much, but I don't want any more accidents.'

Hardly had he uttered the words than a second shot was heard, and a bullet took effect in Hall's body, and brought him to the ground. "Are you trying to murder me, Wells? What does all this mean? Take me back to town at once. I am badly hurt."

Wells helped his victim up and to the wagon, unhitched the team and started back to Monroe, driving rapidly until reaching the river, when, instead of crossing the Macomb street bridge, as he should have done, he drove down a short but steep incline leading to the river, which was occasionally used for watering horses, or to reach a fording place, when the water in the stream was at a low stage.

Hall cried out, "Where are you going, are you crazy, man? drive me home at once!"

The river was crossed, and the wagon driven south on Macomb street, but instead of stopping at Hall's home, which was in a small house at the southwest corner of First and Macomb streets, known now as the Armit

age corner, he drove past, crossing Second street until opposite the present Waldorf house.

Hall, thoroughly alarmed, managed to throw himself from the wagon, and then to painfully crawl to his home. Here surgical aid was summoned and the alarm given. Wells coolly drove his team to the barn where he had procured the outfit earlier in the evening, made no attempt to escape, went to the "Exchange" where he lodged, and after visiting the bar, retired to his room.

WOULD-BE MURDERER SENTENCED

By the arrival of daylight, the report of the affair had been spread through the village, and a crowd gathered at the hotel, demanding that Wells to be turned over to them. But the city officers had already secured Wells and put him safely in jail. He adhered to the story of accidental shooting and showed a hole in his coat pocket where the bullet had cut through, but it availed him nothing. He was tried at the next session of the circuit court and sentenced to the state prison, at hard labor for twenty years. After the expiration of his sentence he is supposed to have gone to the Pacific coast, where he is said to have been seen by an acquaintance.

CASHIER RECOVERS

Mr. Hall recovered from his wounds, but carried one of the bullets in his body during the remainder of his life. The theory of this attempted murder and robbery, coupled with the outrageous circumstances of ingratitude and treachery towards his only friend, is, that Wells had in some way learned that there was a large amount of money in the bank, and that Mr. Hall carried the keys to the bank and its vault, devised this desperate scheme to decoy Hall to the woods, as he did, there to shoot him to death, possess himself of the keys, loot the bank, and escape with his plunder in the wagon which he had hired for that purpose. Of course there were no kegs of specie to be conveyed to the bank, they had no existence, whatever, except in Wells' false story. The plot which was a most diabolical one, must have succeeded had not Wells lost his nerve and courage, like the arrant coward that he, desperate scoundrel, was.

Mr. Hall was restored to his position in the bank and lived for many years in Cleveland, Ohio.

FIRST NATIONAL BURGLARY AND ROBBERY

Another sensational incident in the banking experience of Monroe, was the burglary and robbery of the First National Bank, on November 24, 1875, which stirred the city to its very center. It was one of the boldest and most successful crimes of the kind that had occurred in Michigan in years. The story is told in the Detroit Free Press of the 25th of November, the day following, which, somewhat abridged s here given: "The business portion of Monroe was electrified this morning by the report that the First National Bank had been burglarized at an early hour, and a large sum of money taken. Entrance to the bank was first thought to have been effected through one of the front doors which it had been customary to keep closed and locked. The supposition is that the thieves were in the bank during the day previous, and unperceived, unlocked this door, in the hope that it might escape notice, when closing the bank at night, which would afford them easy and noiseless entrance. This theory was logical because the door was

partly open, and the glass panel unbroken. A young man named Durell, watchman, who slept in the directors' room in the rear, connected with the banking office by two doors, was awakened, he states, by the opening of the front door, and with his revolver in hand, partly rose, and peered through the connecting door into the bank, while the robbers, three in number, suddenly confronted him with their pistols, and commanded silence, and bound him securely, bandaged his eyes, and carried him into the front office. A wagon was heard to drive up the street door, and directly two or three bundles or bags were brought into the bank, and active operations at once began.

"There was no vault in this bank, but the funds and other valuables were kept in two large safes, which, while formidable in appearance, were very old-fashioned affairs, which would offer no great obstacle to the skilled burglar. In one of these which stood in the rear room, was a large amount of currency, bonds, and some specie; a portion of which was on special deposit at owners' risk, totaling some $25,000 or $30,000. This safe was at once attacked, the hinges knocked off with sledge hammers, the plates drilled and what must have been a large quantity of powerful explosives, forced into the door. When all was ready, the operators all retired into the front room, when, almost immediately a terrific explosion took place, shaking the building to its foundation and shattering the safe, woodwork and glass windows. The inner compartments of the safe were opened by the means of crow bars and chisels and access gained to the funds, which were removed, to the last dollar; within a quarter of an hour, the bound watchman said, the entire gang, with their plunder were leaving the place.

"Just before the work upon the safe began, two of the robbers explored the building, stairway, and hall on the second floor. Here they found an old man named Phillips, who had taken refuge there for the night; him they secured and took inside the bank, placing him alongside the watchman, neither of the two captives were treated harshly they state. Near the bank is a livery stable in the office of which was a watch dog, which they silenced with a ball from one of their revolvers. There were two men sleeping there, who were bound fast, and cautioned to make no sound, on peril of their lives.

"The scene of the explosion in the bank was one of utter destruction and wreck. The heavy door of the safe was blown against the opposite. wall of the room, fifteen feet away, and debris of all kinds filled the space. A clock which hung in the room stopped at 2:30, doubtless indicating the time of the explosion. Tools of the burglars were left scattered about, together with tin cans and boxes. There were probably fifty people sleeping within a hundred feet of the bank building; but not more than five were sufficiently aroused to realize that something of a startling character was going on, but none of these investigated the cause. It is supposed that the burglars, after leaving the bank scattered in different directions. The wagon heard by Durell, was again heard leaving the bank, where it had evidently remained, during the robbery; this probably conveyed away a part of the gang, while a hand car that was missed in the morning from the railroad station, took the remainder. The horse and wagon had been stolen from a farmer near Monroe, and was left by the thieves about three miles from the city."

No trace of the burglars, further than this, was ever found, though two or three arrests were made of suspects, and not a dollar of the money recovered. Taking into consideration all the circumstances of the robbery, the location of the bank, in the very heart of the business section, the apparently reckless manner of procedure of the criminals and their leisurely treatment of the job, the risks taken, it may be classed