Robbery Attempts

In 1921 four men got a ride in to Bruceton Mills with a local farmer on a wagon coming from Morgantown.  They asked the farmer many questions about the bank.  The farmer, being suspicious, called the bank cashier at the time, Jeremiah Thomas, and told him that the four men might try to rob the bank.  Two of the men hid behind a church while the other two men,( Named Moore and Madden), stopped at a house owned by the Benson family and stole some food and guns.  While they hid in the woods the men ate the food and then proceeded to the bank.  At the bank a group of men including Dr. DeFoe was waiting for them.  Moore the smaller of the two stood behind Madden and took a shot at Dr. DeFoe but missed.  Dr. DeFoe returned fire and shot Moore, who died soon after.  The same bullet snapped the suspenders off the pants of Madden.  Constable Benson then went to the church and arrested the other two men, one of which was carrying a bottle of liquid later determined to be nitroglycerin.

In 1923 a second robbery attempt was made.  The robbers entered the bank by forcing a window open, but once again the attempt failed because they couldn't get the vault open.  (See pictures below.)