The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1892-08-04
SHE SWOONED.
A Lady's Experience While in
Charge of a Western Bank,
Robbers Demand the Funds - She
Faints and the Thieves Escape
with q Large Sum.
DETAILS or THE Ell RENO ROBBERY

DETAILS OF THE Ell RENO ROBBERY.
Ell RENO. o. T., July 29.-From
the system and smoothness by
which the robbery of the El
Reno bank, on Wednesday, was
committed 1t is supposed to be the work
Of the notorious Dalton band. At 10
o'clock a stranger with q SLOUGH hat
pulled down over his face entered the
bank Of El Reno and stepping up
to the cashiers wicket engaged
Mrs. 8. W. Sawyer. the only person In
the bank at the time, in conversation
regarding some town property. While
thus engaged . second stranger en-
tered and going 70 the rear entered the
directors room, and stepping up to
screen door pushed the latch back, and
coming up behind Mrs. Sawyer pre-
seated a gun to her head and told. her
If she uttered word of alarm he would
blow her brains out.
The Woman svoonsd
The situation so frightened her that
she swooned and fell in the middle of
the floor. While she was UNCONSCIOUS
the robbers hastily entered the vault
where the money was lying in On open
safe, and, packing 1t in the saddle
bags they had with them, hurriedly
left by way of the front door, and
mounting their horses that were
standing near the edge of the pave
ment rode off at a rapid gait down
Rock Island avenue and disappeared
over the hill towards the Canadian
| river. The work was done so swiftly
and with such dispatch that they were
up and away before any alarm was
sounded, although hundred men were
in hot pursuit in less than twenty min
utes after the robbery was committed.
Took $4,000.
In the vault there was one package of
bills amounting to $1,000, another con-
tanning $4,000, another of 81, 900 and
smaller packages and silver amounting
to about $4,000. The robbers gutted
the bank, even going to the daily
change drawer and taking out all the
money there was in that.
Many Men Early in Pursuit.
As soon as Mrs. Sawyer regained con-
sciousness she gave the alarm and in a
minute the streets were filed with
men carrying all kinds of firearms.
The robbery occurred at an hour
when banking business was dull
and very few visitors were going
to the bank, although the
streets and stores were filed with
teams and people, and less than a
block away g large gang of men were
at work laying the water-works mains
and gang Of men were at work on a
brick block on the opposite side OF the
street.
Work Of the Dalton Gang.
Mr.. Sawyer, the president of the
bank, was absent in Oklahoma City
and the bank was left in charge of his
wife and a woman assistant, and they
had just opened the vault and were
preparing for the days business
when the robbers entered and
made away with nearly every
cent. That it was the work of
the Dalton band there Is little
doubt, and it is apparent that the rob-
bers had information from some one
in this city as to how to enter the bank.
who would be there, how to go in and
what direction to take to elude
pursuit. They left town in the
direction of the Wichita reserva-
ton, where it is believed the Dal-
ton band has a rendezvous and for
which they always make for after
committing robberies. It is down In
the Granite mountains in gorgss and
narrow defiles and where it will be an
impossibility for a small posse to effect
a capture. The robbers did not have
over twenty minutes start, and Dep
uty United States Marshal Madsen
with large posse and Sheriff Shelby
with his deputies, augmented by fully
200 citizens on horses, are hot in pursuit,
and the probability is that the robbers
will be intercepted while making an at
tempt to cross the Canadian river,
which they are compelled to do to reach
their rendezvous. The bank of El
Reno was one of the strongest institu-
tions in the territory and the robbery
will not effect it in the least