The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-08-26
DARING BANK ROBBER
A Reckless Bandit Secures
$1,000 in Ohio.
After Killing a Farmer, He Shoots
Two Others and Escapes.

A reckless bandit Of the Jesse James order
entered the Keystone Bank at Columbus
Grove, small town near Lima, Ohio, about
O'Clock on recent day and shot the cashier
and another man, terriorized the whole town,
and escaped with $1,000 that he took from the
bank
The man is described as about five feet
seven inches tall, Of heavy build, with full
face and small bla OK moustache. He wore a
black alpaca skull cap, Long alpaca sack coat,
blue striped trousers, and no vest.
He appeared to be about thirty five years
old. He jumped of a freight train that
morning. and going to the hardware store of
John Crawford asked to see some revolvers.
He selected two and asked the storekeeper
toload them When MI. Crawford had doae
80, his customer coolly pointed the pistols at
bis head and said.
"rll pay you in cold lead if you want me
TO-"
He then left the stors "a. went to the
keystone Bank near by. T. j. Maple is
cashier. He had opened the bank as usual
in the morning. A heavy business was ex-
pected, and he had taken out sl290 in green
backs and had placed them near the paying
teller's window. To protect money lying on
the counter plate glass about two feet high
runs around the top Of the desk.
Sitting on q chair in the lobby was 0. l..
Syford, big, strong man, and courageous.
Eis chair was tilted back, and he was chat
ting with the cashier, who was not yet busy.
Suddenly a man entered the bank. In
each hand he -four. shed a revolver. He cast
his eyes wildly about the room, and without
. word began shooting.
The first ball few harmlessly through the
air and lodged in the wall above the CASH
ler's head
Before Mr. Maple could make move to
secure the revolver that was always kept in
bis desk for such an emergency a second
shot shattered the bones OF his right arm.
from his chair, pierced in the side. Turning
to Syford, the desperate spoke for the first
time, and in foul language ordered him not
to stir or he would meet similar fate.
At this juncture William Vandemark ap-
reared on the scene. He was q prominent
farmer living in Union Township. He had
driven into town that morning with some
hogs and received check on the bank for
bis money.
The desperate man without word faced
the old farmer and levelled his revolver.
The unfortunate victim had turned half way
around when the ruff1an fired.
The ball struck him in the side just above
the thigh, and passed almost through his
body. He fell bleeding and senseless. Still
Syford sat Mortified and spellbound.
That evening VandemarS died. With his
reviewers the robber broke the plate glass,
and showing his arm through the ragged
aperture raked all the money amount
ing to about $1,000 and thrust it into
the side pocket of his long sack coat. By
this time several people had been attracted
by the sounds Of the shots. The desperate
realized that it was time for him to he
moving. Again brandishing his rovolverS
he dashed out on the street. There was
wild scattering on the part of the people.
No one was looking for thieves and MUIR
derers, and there was not q weapon in the
crowd. One poor fellow failed to get out OF
the way in time.
Henry Buck fell pierced by a bali from the
revolver that already scored two victims
''rm a second Jesse james,
The fellow ran down an Glley and was last
seen disappearing into big cornfisld at the
edge of town.
". r. Maple, brother of the cashier came
TO Lima. and the local police and citizens
from there and all towns near by went in
fruitless pursuit Of the robber.
1t has been learned that after the chase
was given up that night tho man stopped
with some laborers building pipe line about
two miles east of Beaver Dam, and at the
crossing of the Lake Erie Railroad at polnt
one mile west Of Bluffton.
He went into pasture and stole black
mare, four miles east Of Bluffton, and fol-
lowed farmer and bis family home who
had been attending show. With the ready
revolver he compelled them to get him q
meal. The stolen horse was tied to the
branches of tree by a rope halter during
his stay at this place and an attempt was
made to buy q buggy and harness or even
bride from the farmer, but in vain.