Today in History: North Dakota bank blasted with dynamite, burglars get away with $3,600

On this date in 1909, burglars dynamited the safe of the First State Bank of Englevale, stealing $3,600 in cash and escaping undetected, leaving extensive damage and limited clues.

Here’s the complete story as it appeared in the paper that day:

Gaining entrance by forcing the front door, burglars this morning dynamited the safe of the First State Bank of Englevale, a small town thirteen miles southwest of Lisbon, secured $3,600 in currency and made good their escape, leaving practically no clue behind which can be used by the authorities in detecting the yeggmen.

Not until 5 o’clock this morning was the robbery discovered despite the fact that sufficient dynamite was used to wreck the safe, blow out the plate glass front and tear a hole in the brick work in the front of the building.

The majority of the stock of the bank is held in the estate of the late H. F. Opfer of this city. J. L. Opfer, a son, who is transacting business in the cities at present, is vice president, while E. G. Opfer of this city is a director.

Suspicion at first pointed to three strangers who were seen at Englevale last evening, but this theory was shattered when two of the men were located at Verona and they satisfied the authorities that they were not the men wanted. No train leaves Englevale during the night and no strange autos were seen about the village.

The bank building is a one-story structure surrounded by business houses with no one sleeping in the neighborhood. According to the report received by E. G. Opfer this morning, some residents recollect hearing an explosion about 1:10 a.m., but thought nothing of it and failed to investigate.

At 5 o’clock Wm. Norum, cashier of the bank, arose and saw the shattered front of the bank from his home, and coming to the scene found the condition of affairs.

Tracks of a pair of ponies entering the village from the west, and returning in the same direction, were discovered this morning. Fresh footprints were also found along the railroad track and it is suspected that when one of these clues is followed up that the guilty parties may be apprehended.

The loss of $3,600 in cash, as well as the damage to the building and safe, is fully covered by insurance. Notes and books of the bank which were also in the safe were not touched.

The burglary was reported at the office of Sec. W. C. Macfadden of the North Dakota State Bankers’ association, and every effort will be made to locate the robbers.