Do you think Geraldo would be interested in this?Attention Geraldo Rivera,
I know in the past you have been interested in John Dillinger’s history,
I have a “relative“ who has been storing a safe that was robbed by John Dillinger back in the early 1900‘s.
Lets start with how my relative came across it.. He had a friend that bought it from the City of Clayton and couldn't afford to move it, so my relative helped move it to his pull barn over 20 years ago. It has not been exposed to any direct outdoor elements. He has used it to store odds and ends. Like a bucket of coins.. He's never really spoke of it because he would like his privacy to remain intact...
I feel that it is a really neat piece of history that I‘d like to see preserved. The condition is fairly good.. Although the outside has been painted you can still see the original paint underneath and can see the banks original lettering. Which says " The Farmers Bank" in 1 1/2" print and under it, it says" Hazelwood, In" in 1" print.
Height 6ft (ground to top) Width 40" and Depth 37"
The inside is in good shape with "touch" up paint also. There is a round safe on the bottom and hasn't been open for a very long time. As far as both of these gentlemen know since prior to the robbery. If so.. God only knows what inside. I'm going to research locksmiths here and see what we can do to get it open.. I have a top Safer Cracker who resides in Indianapolis, In has done work for the US military and a top US Safe Cracker that lives in Dallas, TX looking into what it would take to get this thing open.
The owners did give me book that has some printed info on the history of the banks opening in the late 1800”s. The is book " Complete Index of The History of Hendricks County" edited by John R. Mc Dowell.. Indexed by Ruth Dorrel with the assistance of Carolyn Kellum and Others. Printed by Starken Printing Company
Plainfield, Indiana. December 1977...
I will include small information on the robbery and it reads" Ethor V. Milhon started a private bank in 1898 and in 1905 helped organize it into The Farmers Bank of Hazelwood. This institution served the community many years until it was consolidated with the Clayton Bank. This bank, The Farmers Bank of Hazelwood , was robbed by the notorious John Dillinger gang. The Clayton Bank Town Board now use the safe fro the Hazelwood Bank'...
My relative said there were two of the exact same safes. He doesn't know where the other is.
I plan on writing a "little" history story on this once I have everything in proper order.
I've not contact to many people on this so, I'd love to hear what you think..
Our intentions is to sell it when the time is right.
I have posted emails at many other locations so if you can find me and your interested I’d love to send you pictures.
2007-04-06
11:45:23
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3 answers
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asked by
Dustie C
1
in
History