During the night of Monday, Jan. 6, 1902, robbers entered the National Stock Yards Bank in East St. Louis, Ill., holding two watchmen captive while they dynamited two safes and took $10,400 in cash, bonds, and stamps. East St. Louis Police, the St. Clair County sheriff and private detectives began investigating, but were not able to obtain any evidence that would help identify the thieves.
St. Louis Chief of Detectives William Desmond, who was not able to participate in the investigation because of jurisdictional concerns, told the St. Louis Post Dispatch the robbery was “one of the most remarkable that ever came under his observation.”
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