(The following article appeared in the Friday, March 15, 1889 edition of the Malone Franklin Gazette).

 

Bank Robbery At Norwood

 

On Saturday last the people of Norwood were treated to a sensation in the shape of a genuine bank robbery. The particulars of the robbery are as follows:

F. L. Smith, cashier of the Norwood bank, was alone in the building about noon, when Charles Phelps, the post office clerk, entered and asked for some stamps. Mr. Smith stepped into the vault to get them, when Phelps quickly closed the door and turned the combination, locking the cashier in. The robber then turned to the money drawer and took all the paper money that it contained, $278, leaving several hundred dollars in silver. The amount would ordinarily have been much larger on Saturday, but business had been light that day, and the robber's booty was probably not nearly as large as he had expected it to be. Phelps had made arrangements to have a horse ready, and with it he started at once for the Canadian border, about 75 miles distant. Meanwhile a customer entered the bank and saw what had happened. He heard the cashier calling to him from the vault, and, being instructed as to the combination, released him. Prompt action was taken to prevent Phelps crossing the border, but nothing was heard of the robber until the midnight train arrived and he was discovered as one of the passengers. He had gone by a continuous route to Brasher Falls and taken the train there. Hoping to ride through Norwood at midnight without being detected and then go on to Ogdensburg, where he could easily cross into Canada, but parties on the train who knew him had learned of the robbery, and upon arriving at Norwood he was delivered over to the officers. Only about $11 of the amount stolen was found on Phelps' person. He was kept in charge of two officers over Sunday, and was taken to Canton jail Monday to await the action of the grand jury, which meets in June. Phelps is a young man and a native of Norwood. He has fallen into bad habits of late, and is said to have become an opium eater.

 

(The following from the Friday, March 22, 1889 edition of the Malone Franklin Gazette)

 

Charles H. Phelps, who robbed the Norwood bank, was upon examination found to be insane and has been taken to the asylum at Utica.

 

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