The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-04-03
NEATLY FOILED.


An Attempt to Rob a Texas Bank Neatly
and EfectualIy Frustrated by Shrewd
Detectiye-The Principal Robber Killed
in the Act-One of His Accomplices Sue
ceeds in Escaping.
WICHITA FALLS. TEX. March q.
Yesterday afternoon there occurred here
one of the most daring attempts at bank
robbery the country has ever known.
Charles E. Bagley, Willy Hays and boy
eighteen years of age, named Frank Par
menter, and John kinkaid, a member OF
the Ranger force, constituted the party,
the latter playing in with the party to trap
them. The plans have been forming for
several weeks, but were not perfected
until last night, when Kinkaid, being in
their confidence and getting the plans.
informed Lieutenant Schmidt fully as to
the entire scheme, and the latter notified
Colonel j. G. James, cashier of the bank,
of what was going to be attempted.
Sergeant Grimes was stationed in the
bank vault, and Ashly James, cashier of
the bank, was at his counter, no one else
being in the bank at the time appointed,
but for some reason the attempt was not
made until half an hour later.
While Parmenter and Hayes were out
side near the bank entrance holding the
horses, Bagley and Kinkaid entered. They
passed through paSsageway around the
counter, Bagley in the lead, smoking a
pipe. As he entered he told Mr.. James
he wanted some New York exchange, and
James told him to stay in front of the
counter; that they did not allow any one
to come behind. Bagley answered, 81
will come, anyhow" and took his pipe
out of his mouth and put it in a case.
When he had passed around to railing,
separating the business from the other
part of the room, he drew his siX-shooter,
covered James and continued to walk
around to an entrance to the inclosure
where James was, and where the money
and vault were.
When he covered James he called on
him to throw up his hands, which James
did. Bagley had bag in his hand, and
told James to put all his money in it.
James did not comply Immediately,
and Bagley said: g. - YOU, | will
kill you if you DON'T" and at the same
time presented his pistol to James heart,
as if he would shoot.
At this movement Sergeant Grimes fired
the contents of double-barrel shotgun
into the robber, and Kinkaid followed
with a six-shooter. Bagley staggered and
fell riddled with balls. One pistol shot
entered near the left nipple. Lieutenant
Schmidt and another ranger were sta
toned across the street in the route they
were expected to take on their retreat.
A book agent by the name of Wear was
in the bank at the time the robbers en-
tered, and was talking to James, who eX-
cused himself to attend to those gentle
men. Wear went towards the door, but
stopped to see what was up, and suspect
ing how matters stood started to run
across the street, when Parmenter called
to him to stop, and he not needing he
emptied his pistol at him, and the teller
of the bank, who was stationed in the
store across the street, hearing the shots,
ran out, and seeing Wear running from
the bank, supposed he was one of the
robbers and presented his Winchester,
and told him to throw up his hands,
which Wear did, calling out, 81 am not
one of them"
Lieutenant Schmidt fred at Hayes, who
started to run, out did not wing his man.
One of the rangers empticd his pistol at
the boy at close range, but did not hit
him. The boy Parmenter told his pals as
they entered the bank that he would be
there dead or alive when they came out,
and was captured at his post and did not
finch under the fire of the rangers. Kin
kaid, Sheriff Davis and others are still
in pursuit of Hayes, who has not yet been
captured, and as he is well mounted he
may not be overhauled soon. 1t is said
he is wanted at several places for rob-
berry. 1t is supposed he is wounded.
The coroner's jury at the inquest OF
Baglev, who lived for two or three hours,
brought in the following verdict:
E'We, the jury, tind that the deceased,
Bagley, came to his death by wounds
made with shot from the pistols or guns
of some of the ranger force while he was
engaged in an attempt to rob the bank OF
John q. James, and that the rangers were
justified in said killing; and we commend
Captain Schmidt and Rogers, Grimes and
Kinkaid for their elIicaciouS action in pre-
venting the robbery
Among the jurors was brother-in-laW
of the James boys, who is citizen of this
place.
One of the men of the gang he's been at
tending stage stand on the Scynourronte,
and it was intended to have him come, to
divide the party, and rob the Bank OF
Henrietta at the same hour, but he was
lame and could not go there, so the Hen
rietta scheme was abandoned. Rangers
started for this man yesterday. Parties
are out from Henrietta to capture Hayes,
and it is hardly possible that he will be
able to make good his escape.