← Crime House 24/7
Loading summary
Transcript15 lines
- [00:00]
Unknown Speaker 1
Foreign.
- [00:06]
Vanessa Richardson
This is Crime House. During the week of March 17, 1881, two career criminals broke into a Manhattan bank, stealing the equivalent of over $50 million in today's money. It was considered one of the earliest bank robberies in U.S. history. And nearly 200 years later, in 2010, another robbery made headlines when a college student in Nashville, Tennessee celebrated St. Patrick's Day by holding up a bank dressed as a leprechaun, making this week's theme Bank Heists.
- [00:53]
Unknown Speaker 1
Foreign.
- [00:59]
Vanessa Richardson
The Show I'm Vanessa Richardson. Every Monday we'll be revisiting notorious crimes from this week in history. From serial killers to mysterious disappearances or murders, every episode will explore stories that share a common theme. Each week we'll cover two stories, one further in the past and and one more rooted in the present. Here at Crime House. We know none of this would be possible without you, our community. Please support us by rating, reviewing and following Crime House the Show wherever you get your podcasts and for ad free and early access to Crime House the Show plus exciting Crime House bonus content, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. Once again, today's theme is bank heists will begin on St Patrick's Day in 2010, when a college student named David Cotton dressed as a leprechaun and held up a local bank in Tennessee. David and his getaway driver escaped with a bag of cash, but not with their lives. And it wasn't the only notorious heist from that week in history. On March 20, 1831, two men snuck into a Manhattan bank. They maneuvered their way through multiple steel doors before pulling off what's said to be America's first ever bank robbery. Both of these cases show the grim realities of bank robberies in film and television. These heists are packed with action and excitement, but the truth is they are high stakes and risky. And like you'll see in today's stories, they rarely go according to plan. Plan I've got some exciting news. I'm co hosting a new show from Crime House called Killer Minds, featuring forensic psychologist Dr. Tristan Engels. Each episode features a deep dive into the psychology of a notorious murderer. From serial killers to cult leaders, deadly exes and spree killers, Killer Minds is a Crime House Studios original. New episodes drop every Monday and Thursday. Follow wherever you get your podcasts.
- [03:28]
Unknown Speaker 1
If you have health insurance, you might be able to see a personal dietitian for $0 out of pocket. Nourish connects you with a dietitian that fits your needs covered by your insurance. Nourish accepts hundreds of insurance plans, and 94% of patients pay $0 out of pocket. Meet with your dietitian online and message them anytime through the Nourish app. With hundreds of five star reviews from real patients, you know you're in good hands. Find your dietitian@usenourish.com that's usenourish.com this episode.
- [04:00]
Unknown Speaker 2
Is brought to you by Lifelok. It's tax season and we're all a bit tired of numbers, but here's one you need to hear. $16.5 billion. That's how much the IRS flagged for possible identity fraud last year. Now here's a good number. 100 million. That's how many data points LifeLock monitors every second. If your identity is stolen, they'll fix it. Guaranteed. Save up to 40% your first year@lifelock.com podcast terms apply.
- [04:32]
Vanessa Richardson
It was around lunchtime on March 17, 2010, when a man dressed as a leprechaun wandered into First State bank in Gallatin, a town just north of Nashville, Tennessee. He wore a fake beard, sunglasses, and a top hat with a shamrock on it. On any other day it would have been a bizarre sight, but it was St. Patrick's Day and this customer wasn't the only person in the Nashville area feeling festive. So the bank clerk likely didn't think too much of it. At least not until the leprechaun pulled out a gun and pointed it directly at her. It's not clear exactly what he said, but the message was this was a robbery. The banking staff gave the leprechaun cash in a blue bag. Then he sprinted outside where a silver Toyota Corolla was waiting for him. As soon as he was inside, the Corolla took off. Its tires screamed as it ripped down the street, carrying the thief, who was actually 21 year old David Cotton, away from the crime scene. The getaway driver was his high school buddy, 20 year old Jonathan Ryan Skinner, and according to those who knew them, they were the last people you'd expect to be involved in a bank heist. That's partly because it didn't seem like they needed the money. Both David and Jonathan came from privileged backgrounds. They grew up in Brentwood, an affluent Nashville suburb, and by all accounts, they seemed like nice, well adjusted kids. David was known for his sense of humor and creativity. In high school he was involved in theater and did a lot of comedic writing and acting. It was a skill set he used to create a lively Internet presence. He made YouTube videos, some of which were satire skits about police dramas. Though it Wasn't all make believe. Apparently he used a real gun for a prop. But his gregarious personality was hiding something darker. Because in 2007, when he was 18, he acted out. Wearing a southwestern style blanket and a ski mask. David broke into two local elementary and middle schools. He and a different Accomplice stole around $25,000 worth of computers and other equipment. But it wasn't just the pricey stuff they were after. They also took some worthless items, like a big stuffed animal. David and his friend got away without anyone catching them. But selling the stolen items was a different story. After the burglary, they posted the items on ebay. Police saw the ads and were able to track them to David and his partner. David ended up getting a three year probation sentence for his part in the crime, though it's not clear what happened to his friend. It's also not clear what David's motivation for the robbery was or what his relationship with his accomplice was like after that. But eventually, David gravitated to a new partner in crime. His friend, Jonathan Skinner. Jonathan was loosely into theater as well. He and David had done a Christmas play together, which may have been where their friendship started. After the show wrapped, Jonathan would frequently drive David to school in the mornings. We don't know a lot about their friendship, but the two boys seemed pretty different. David was described as funny and creative, while people referred to Jonathan as quiet. He had aspirations of being a meteorologist and and by the time he graduated Brentwood High in 2007, he was bound for college at Western Kentucky University. David, on the other hand, was sticking around town. After graduation, he enrolled at nearby Columbia State College and got a job at a store called Battery Plus. But just like in high school, something was bubbling under David's happy go lucky exterior. In December 2009, 21 year old David once again did something reckless. On December 22nd of that year, David got in the holiday spirit and decided to put on a show. He dressed up in a Santa outfit, complete with a beard and hat. Then he grabbed his gun, the same one he used in his YouTube police skits. But this was no satire. He stormed into the SunTrust bank in Nashville and yanked his weapon out of a Santa sack. He proceeded to wave it in the clerk's face as he demanded cash. But witnesses said aside from the gun, David's actual demeanor didn't seem threatening. He was upbeat and even joked that he needed the money for his elves. It's not clear how much he got, but he filled up his Santa sack with cash. After his exit, details are a little harder to come by. Some reports claim he jumped in a gray car, while others say there was no getaway driver and he acted completely alone. Regardless of how he escaped, the plan worked and a few months later he'd do it again.
- [10:12]
Unknown Speaker 1
Whether you're traveling, advancing your career, or just love learning, speaking a new language can create incredible opportunities. Rosetta Stone makes it easier and more immersive than ever. Rosetta Stone helps you absorb a language the way you learned your first through real world context and conversation. No memorization, just practical skills you can use right away. For 30 years, they've been the trusted experts in language learning, helping millions of people get the chance to learn different languages. Rosetta Stone immerses you in the language from day one. No English translations, so you truly learn to think, speak and listen in that new language. Don't wait. Unlock your language learning potential now. Listeners of this podcast can grab Rosetta Stone's lifetime membership for 50% off. That's unlimited access to 25 language courses for life. Visit RosettaStone.com RS10 to get started and claim your 50% off today. Don't miss out. Go to RosettaStone.com RS10 and start learning today.
- [11:12]
Vanessa Richardson
Hey everyone, it's Vanessa with an exciting update. I have another new show from Crime House called Killer Minds. Featuring licensed forensic psychologist Dr. Tristan Engels. We're doing deep dives into the psychology of notorious notorious murderers, from infamous serial killers to ruthless cult leaders, deadly exes and terrifying spree killers. Along with immersive storytelling full of high stakes twists and turns. Dr. Engels will be providing expert analysis of the people involved, not just how they killed, but why. Killer Minds is a Crime House Studios original new episodes drop every Monday and Thursday. Follow wherever you get your podcasts.
- [12:00]
Unknown Speaker 2
This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game? Well, with the name your price tool from Progressive, you can find options that fit your budget and potentially lower your bills. Try it@progressive.com Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates Price and coverage match limited by state law. Not available in all states.
- [12:31]
Vanessa Richardson
In December of 2009, 21 year old David Cotton dressed in a Santa costume and held up a Nashville bank. He escaped with an unknown amount of cash and left the police scratching their heads. They had security footage so they could see David waving the gun around and forcing the teller to put cash in the bag, but his face was concealed by a white Santa beard. David seemed to have gotten away with it and three months later in March 2010. He tried it again. This time he got his friend Jonathan Skinner involved. Jonathan was 20 by this point, and we know almost nothing about how or why he agreed to join David's next robbery attempt. There were reports that David drove off in a gray car after the Christmas robbery. Since Jonathan drove a silver Corolla, it's possible he was involved in that heist too. But we don't know for sure. What we do know is that what happened next was shocking. The morning of March 17, 2010, around 11:30am, David spoke to his boss at the battery store on the phone. The context of their conversation is unknown, but it seemed pretty normal because before David hung up, he said, see you tomorrow. Just an hour later, he was waltzing up to the Fifth Third bank in the Nashville suburb Gallatin. He wore full leprechaun attire, a fake beard, sunglasses and a shamrock adorned top hat. He was also wearing a vest and shorts. To the untrained eye, he looked like any other St. Patrick's Day reveler. Only his costume concealed something much more dangerous. When David walked inside the bank, he hesitated. The place was really crowded, which was risky, so David went next door to the less busy First State bank instead. By the time he got inside there, it was just before 12.30pm Shortly after he entered David, he pulled out his gun. The banking staff cooperated with David's demands and within minutes they'd filled a blue bag with stacks of cash. David grabbed his haul and raced outside. Jonathan was there waiting for him behind the wheel of his Corolla. When David got in, they took off. It seemed like David had once again gotten away with it. He had no idea that a witness had followed him out the door and was already alerting the police. The witness told the dispatcher exactly what direction the robbers were headed in. Thanks to their intel, patrol cars converged on the Corolla. Within moments. Jonathan tried to lose them by whipping through residential streets, but it was no use. Which could be why David decided to take matters into his own hands. At one point during the chase, Jonathan pulled over and David leaned out of the passenger window. He aimed his gun at the oncoming police cars and fired twice. One of the shots hit the front of a cruiser, bringing it to a stop. David was about to shoot again, but there were other patrol cars racing towards them and Jonathan seemingly got spooked. He sped off as the authorities once again gave chase. Apparently, David kept firing out the window as they drove. One witness thought he heard about 20 shots go off in total. But the police didn't give Up. And David and Jonathan decided to try something else. The cops were all over the roads, and they were in a highly populated area. The best chance they had was to slip away on foot. About three miles from the bank, Jonathan pulled over, and the two jumped out of the car. They left the money, but David kept a tight grip on the gun as they raced through a cluster of houses towards a nearby field. Still, the police were on their tails. Some already had dogs out. At least one witness said they tried to quickly clear residents out of the area. It was a chaotic, urgent scene. Eventually, the police surrounded David and Jonathan, who were standing in the middle of the field. David still had his gun in hand when he apparently whispered something to Jonathan. No one heard what was said. But then, out of nowhere, David turned the gun on himself and pulled the trigger. Jonathan then tried to grab the gun himself, but. But he didn't get the chance. The police opened fire, killing him, too. When the shots quieted down, the two young men lay dead in the middle of the field. Once things were settled, the police searched Jonathan's Corolla and found the cash from the robbery. None of it made sense. Everyone was desperate to know who the leprechaun and his accomplice were and why they'd tried to rob a bank. The Gallatin police, the FBI, and the local sheriff's office quickly launched an investigation. Once they'd identified Jonathan and David, they searched their homes. At this point, they still didn't know he'd held up the local bank back in December. But when they found a Santa suit at David's place, they put the pieces together. Then investigators reviewed the footage from that robbery and realized that the gun matched the one used in the St Patrick's Heist only three days after David died. Authorities confirmed that he was responsible for both robberies. But despite the nature of Jonathan and David's deaths, there was an outpouring of public support for them and their families, partly because their crimes were so hard to believe. Even though David had gotten in trouble in 2007 for burglarizing those schools, John. No one thought he was capable of something like this. Certainly no one guessed he would turn to violence. In an attempt to make sense of it all. Some of their friends started a Facebook page where people could post any positive memories about Jonathan and David. As of this recording, there are still 243 members. Almost nothing is known about their motivation for the robbery, which. Which is what makes it so confusing. We just have to live with the fact that it'll always stay a mystery and the knowledge that whatever their reasons were, it wasn't worth it. Coming up, a bank robbery that preceded the St. Patrick's Day robbery by nearly 200 years. When two thieves snuck into a bank in Manhattan in 1831, they were more focused on getting away than making history. But their legendary heist was one for the record books because some consider it the first bank robbery in American history.
- [20:07]
Unknown Speaker 2
This episode is brought to you by Universal Pictures. From Universal Pictures and Blumhouse, come a storm of terror. From the director of the Shallows, the Woman in the Yard. Don't let her in. Where does she come from? What does she want? When will she leave? Today's the day. The Woman in the Yard only in theaters March 28th. Ryan Reynolds here from IT Mobile I don't know if you knew this, but anyone can get the same Premium Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying. It's not just for celebrities. So do like I did and have one of your assistant's assistants switch you to Mint Mobile today. I'm told it's super easy to do@mintmobile.com.
- [20:53]
Vanessa Richardson
Switch upfront payment of $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 per month required intro rate first three months only.
- [21:01]
Unknown Speaker 1
Then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See full terms@mintmobile.com.
- [21:10]
Vanessa Richardson
If nothing else, robbing a bank takes a lot of courage. For David Cotton, that courage came in the form of misplaced bravado. And for the two thieves in this next case, they were literally walking into the unknown. On the afternoon of March 20, 1831, 34 year old James Honeyman approached the City bank on Wall street in New York City. The bank was closed for the day, but James wasn't there to make a deposit. With his co conspirator, 36 year old William Murray at his side, the two men shoved a set of keys into the front door and swung it open. The next morning they would walk out the same way they came in, only $248,000 richer. And they'd make history in the process. This massive heist came after a lifetime of smaller crimes, at least for James Honeyman. Although that might not have been his real name. He also went by James Wynn or Edward Smith. The short blond thief was born in South Carolina in the late 1700s, but he grew up in Bridge, Britain. During his adult life in London, James worked as a leather merchant. He also ran a pub that was popular with rough criminal types. We don't know when James became a criminal himself though. He was arrested for committing a felony in 1826, when he was around 30. The nature of his crime was unclear, but after his conviction he was sent to a penal colony in Australia. He was sentenced to remain there for the rest of his life. But it wasn't all doom and gloom for James. During his incarceration, he befriended a fellow prisoner, William Murray. William was around 32 at the time he hailed from Scotland. His path to the penal colony was also murky, but it seemed like he got caught robbing a bank in Glasgow and was sent to Australia, which was a British colony at the time. But neither man was planning to stay there long. They joined forces and in 1827, a year into James incarceration, they managed to escape to London and once they got back, they continued to work together. Over the course of that year, James and William became notorious thieves in the uk, which meant it wasn't long before they were back on the authorities radar. In 1829, they ended up fleeing across the pond to the US. James and William both had wives and children by that point and brought their families with them. And they chose New York City as their landing point. In the 1800s, Manhattan was vastly different from the metropolis it is today. It had no official police department, just appointed city marshals, constables and officers in charge of a citizen's watch. The city was also just starting to introduce gas lighting, so at night it was full of shadows and dark corners. All to say, there was a bit of lawlessness to it, which James took full advantage of. Sometime around 1830, about a year after he arrived, 33 year old James robbed a store in Brooklyn. He had an accomplice, but it wasn't William, and it seems like James didn't have the same chemistry with his new partner. The two got caught, although James was acquitted due to lack of evidence. After this experience, it seems like James and William reunited. In 1830, the two decided they were going to rob a bank. After scouting a few different places, they settled on the City bank of New York in Manhattan. It had fewer guards, so it was theoretically easier to get inside. But there was more to it than evading some guards and strolling out with the cash. Inside the bank, there were seven doors between the entrance and the vault. James and William had a plan for that, though. Reportedly they made wax impressions of each lock, which they used to create duplicate keys. And then after the bank closed on the afternoon of March 20, James and William made their way to Wall street and approached the City Bank. After they made sure nobody was looking, they took out their homemade keys. Then opened the front door and and walked right in. It wasn't that easy though. Once they were inside, one of the seven interior doors almost ruined the entire operation when it slammed shut behind James. Neither man could get it open again. All of a sudden, the entire operation was at risk. James was inside that compartment for around two hours before William got him out and the heist resumed. Despite the heart pounding setback, William and James were able to get to the vault and the millions of dollars it contained. They shoved all they could into bags they brought, which was still a lot. James and William managed to take around $248,000. Today that'd be worth about $52 million. Then they hurried from the bank check just as the sun was rising. They even locked the place up behind them and disappeared into the city. James and William had just pulled off the impossible. For what might have been the very first time in the country's young history they'd executed a successful bank heist. But neither one was prepared for what came next. At the crack of dawn on March 21, 1831, 34 year old James Honeyman and his partner, 36 year old William Murray, strolled out of Manhattan's Citibank. Both were wearing large capes that concealed the bags of cash they'd just stolen. As planned, they brought the loot to William's house where they divided their shares. Then James took his portion of the money to a room he'd rented at a boarding house where William joined him later. But there wasn't much time for them to sit back and admire their handiwork. Back at the bank, a teller had arrived to start his workday. There was no sign the robbers had been there, so he didn't reach realize anything was wrong. That is, until he went into the vault. It must have been obvious that there was a bunch of money missing because he reported the robbery right away. The press caught wind of the crime the same day it was discovered and quickly printed headlines about the heist. They even promised a reward for anyone who could bring the thieves to justice. But at some point, New York's high constable, Jacob Hayes heard about it too. Without a formal police force to rely on, it was up to him to uphold the law in Manhattan. Hayes knew there was a chance the thieves might make a run for it. So one of the first things he did was reach out to constables, including one in Philadelphia. Hayes asked him to keep an eye on anyone arriving from out of town in case the criminals fled there. Then Hayes started to build a suspect list. He had years of experience with New York's criminal underbelly and all its biggest players. One of those people was James Honeyman, one of the robber's many aliases. He was on Hayes radar for the robbery he'd recently committed in Brooklyn. And Hayes suspected James had robbed the bank in Manhattan too. Within the next few days, Hayes got a warrant to search James home. But he didn't find the cash there or James. He also didn't find any evidence that connected James to the robbery. It may have felt like a dead end, but it wasn't long before Hayes caught a lucky break. A few days after the heist, an accomplice who'd helped William and James make the duplicate keys ratted the robbers out. That meant the thieves identities were no longer a question. Now all Hayes and his crew had to do was find them. Back at the boarding house, James and William were still biding their time and getting their affairs in order. Five days after the robbery, on a Thursday, James moved about a third of his share to the home of his brother in law, William Parkinson. He told Parkinson to watch over the money and keep it safe. Parkinson was happy to oblige and hid the cash under a brick in his fireplace. On Saturday, almost a week after the heist, James moved some more of the money. He took one of the trunks full of cash from his room as he left the boarding house. He told the landlord he'd be back soon for the others. He had no idea this small interaction would have devastating repercussions. James, landlady at the boarding house, Mrs. Bangs, had heard about the robbery and was already suspicious of her tenant. James only left his room at night. And the same man, William, visited James every day, sometimes twice. It was certainly odd, but the kicker came when one of Mrs. Bang's maids told him. She looked through James keyhole the other night and she she saw the men counting cash. Now when she heard James was taking a mysterious trunk away and intended to move the others, she worried the bank's cash was inside. At that point, she contacted Constable Hayes. Hayes and his son, who was an aspiring detective, rushed to the boarding house. James was still out, so they went into his room and picked the lock on one of the trunks. When they opened it, they found a bunch of James's clothes and under that was a pile of cash. Bank officials would later confirm it was their missing money. But at that point, Hayes didn't need confirmation. He knew they'd found the stolen loot and he was about to arrest the man who'd taken it. Hayes and his Son stayed in James room for three hours while waiting for him to return. Eventually, he swung the door open, waltzed inside and walked right into Hay's handcuffs. He was hauled out of the boarding house and brought straight to a judge. James refused to talk to Hayes or anyone else and asked to see a lawyer because of his tight lips. Authorities also arrested his wife as a suspected accomplice and questioned her too. She was adamant that she didn't know about the robbery. But she was still thrown in a cell for some time. And thanks to their silence, James, partner in crime, was able to make a break for it. It's not clear how, but William Murray got wind of his partner's arrest before Hayes could get to him. When he did, he got out of town as fast as he could. But Hayes was right on his tail. When he went to Williams last known address in New York, Hayes was told he'd gone to Philadelphia. By this point, it was April 1831. At least 10 days had passed since the robbery. They'd recovered most of the money in James's room, but there was still some missing. Hayes assumed William had it and wanted to catch him before he spent it. So Hayes made the trip to Philadelphia himself. He tracked William down fairly quickly and brought him back to New York. But just like James, William refused to talk. So even though Hayes had a big victory on his hands, he had another problem. A chunk of the money was still missing and some city officials accused him of stealing it. Ironically enough, Hayes biggest defenders were the two men he'd just put behind bars. Both William and James basically said the accusation was ridiculous. They even admitted they'd hidden the money themselves before William was caught in Philly. They still wouldn't say where they'd stashed it though. And that didn't change when their trial started a few weeks later on May 13, 1831. The Cash Hayes found in James's trunk was enough evidence for the jury to find James and William guilty. According to one source. The jury didn't even leave their seats to confer. Both men were given five years of hard labor at the maximum security Sing Sing prison in upstate New York. It was the most severe sentence available for grand larceny. And that was that. James and William were shipped off to serve their sentences and life in New York went back back to normal, with many assuming the remaining cash would never be found. Only that wasn't the case. Later that year. In September 1831, James's brother in law, William Parkinson, made a huge mistake. He brought the money James had given him to a bank. He was trying to exchange big bills for smaller ones. The money must have had some distinguishing mark on it because the teller recognized it as the stolen cash. Someone at the bank called Hayes and Parkinson was quickly arrested. His confession was just as fast. In exchange for immunity, he admitted that James had given him $37,000 and told Hayes he'd hidden it in his tool chest. But just because the case was closed, that didn't mean it was forgotten. Many consider it to be the first ever bank heist in the United States, although others claim there was one in Philadelphia even earlier. But regardless of its place in the lineup, it had a big impact on New York City and the country. At least one element changed in banking as a result. The fireproof metal safe was introduced just three years later in 1834 and became a staple in the American banking system. Until that point, vaults were simply protected by locked doors. But the extra security hasn't stopped would be bank robbers looking for a massive score. If anything, it's just made them even more desperate. Despite how it's portrayed in the movies, bank robberies aren't usually the work of quick witted criminal masterminds. For people like David Cotton and Jonathan Skinner, it may be a crime of impulse. For James Honeyman and William Murray, a crime of last resort. But most of the time, robbing a bank just isn't worth it. A 2006 analysis revealed that bank robberies are some of the most frequently solved crimes in America. So that begs the question, why do it? William Murray and James Honeyman robbed their bank at a time when almost no one had ever done it. Why would they choose a bank? Was it only the money or was there something else at play? And when it comes to David Cotton and Jonathan Skinner's story, it's clear they didn't need the money they stole to survive. So it's possible the robbery fulfilled something else in them. Maybe a thirst for adventure. Or maybe the long odds are what excited these criminals to begin with. But as all four of these robbers found out, it's not a gamble worth taking. The show is a Crime House Original Powered by Pave Studios At Crime House, we want to express our gratitude to you, our community, for making this possible. Please support us by rating, reviewing and and following Crime House the Show. Wherever you get your podcasts, your feedback truly matters. And for ad free and early access to Crime House the Show plus exciting bonus content, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. We'll be back next Monday. The show is hosted by me, Vanessa Richardson and is a Crime House original. Powered by Pink Cave Studios, this episode was brought to life by the Crime House the Show Team Max Cutler, Ron Shapiro, Alex Benedon, Natalie Pertzovsky, Lori Marinelli, Sarah Carroll, Kate Murdoch, Claire Cronin and Russell Nash. Thank you for listening. What drives a person to murder? Find out from a licensed forensic psychologist on Killer Minds, a Crime House original podcast. New episodes drop every Monday and Thursday. Follow wherever you get your podcasts.