News: Greenwood (06 Nov 1902)

Contact: Stan
Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Brown, Van Kamp, Woodkey, Sperbeck

----Source: NEILLSVILLE TIMES (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) 11/06/1902

At about two o’clock on Tuesday morning a terrific explosion in the center of the usually quiet village of Greenwood (Clark Co., Wis.) awoke many of the citizens thereof to a realization of the fact that safe-blowers had made them a visit. Hastily gathering up their firearms, many of the braver ones hurried to the main street, and found, as they centered in around the bank, that that institution - the Greenwood State Bank - had been broken into, the safe door blown off, the safe pillaged, and the robbers had escaped. So strong an explosive charge had been used on the safe that part of the door was thrown by the explosion through the plate glass front and nearly across the street. The report that the bank was fired by robbers and that it and its contents were destroyed was untrue, the bank books being found by the bank officials, and although the bank presented a terribly demoralized appearance, it was fully insured in an eastern casualty company, and as soon as the loss is adjusted and the safe, etc., replaced, business will go on as usual.

The loss given out is $2,000. The exact figures are withheld.

The robbers tied Dr. Brown’s door over the bank, making him a prisoner, and warned him to keep quiet when he stuck his head out of a window. Messrs. Van Kamp and Woodkey almost stumbled over a robber, who was lying down, and when he told them to go home they got, but stopped and shot at him in the dark, and he shot back. Cashier Sperbeck got downtown, but nobody dared close in on the scoundrels, who had to use explosives four times before they got at the money. They then went to their rig and escaped west or north, driving over the river bridge on the run. Brown said he thought the building was going to pieces. No clue is found that has any value, although detective are on the hunt for the perpetrators of the daring robbery.

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