The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-04-24
A CRANK AND A GUN
The Combination that a Bank
Teller Had to Face.
BUT THE GAME DID NOT WORK
The Would-be Robbers Arrest Develops a.
Singular State of Facts-The Shooting
Affair-Police Court

A crank and gun make bad combina-
tion, and that is what Cyrus L. Hawley.
the paying teller at the Utah National
bank, was called upon to face yesterday
morning.
1t was shortly before IL o'clock that a
neatly dressed man, about thirty years of
age, entered the bank. His overcoat was
thrown over his shoulder, and his right
hand was on his pocket. In his left hand
was sheet of paper, and walking briskly
up to the paying teller's window, he pre-
scented it to Mr.. Rawley. The latter cast
his eye over the paper and read these
words: "Give me $3.50
OR DIE THIS INSTANT"
Hardly realizing the situation, Mr.. Haw-
ley looked from the paper to his strange
Visitor and gaZed down the barrel of a re-
volver with which the man had him COW
cred. There was no longer any doubt as TO
the mans intentions, and in an instant the
latter slid from his seat and was safely en-
sconsed under the massive counter. The
visitor saw that
THE GAME WAS UP,
and turning quickly he left the bank. ].
e. Taylor, the insurance man, had wit
and concluded to follow the man, who
walked west on First South street at q
rapid pace. When near the middle of the
plock the man went into a store appar-
emily Tor the purpose OF going through the
block, but he came out and resumed his
walk down the street. Just then Marshal
Janney came along and Mr.. Taylor told
him what had occurred. The two men
then followed the fellow to the postoffice,
when the marshal
PLACED HIM UNDER ARREST
and escorted him to the police station. The
report OF the daring attempt at robbery
created big sensation, and a crowd col
lected at the police station to see the
prisoner. For long time he refused to
talk, but finally stated that his name was
Randolph and that he was a journalist by
profession. He claimed to have worked on
the Minneapolis Tribune, the ST. Paul
Globe, the Kansas City Times, the Evening
Mdil and latterly on the Post InteLigencer at
Seattle. He afterwards stated that he had
a wife and two children in Seattle, and had
been here but six weeks.
1t was ascertained later in the dav that
the man was q son of Mr.. Austin, the
president of the Salt Lake Construction
company, and when the old gentleman was
informed OF the affair he was
DEEPLY PANIED AND SHOCKED.
and lost no time in visiting the prisoner
whose name is w. G. Austin. The father
! stated that his son was a victim of drink
and at the suggestion of the family physi-
/ clan, came on to Salt Lake to enter the
keely institute.
TIE APPETITE FOR DRINK
had gained such a hold upon him that he
was occasionally insane from the effects of
] 6p nod :.
perate before. He left his parents resi-
dence yesterday morning, and kissed his
mother goodbye; but it is said he procured
a bottle of liquor as soon as he got up town.
Mr.. Austin is positive that his son
IS TEMPORARILY INSANE,
and was making arrangements last evening
to have his mental condition enQuired into
The prisoners general appearance in
! dicates that his fathers view is
correct. As before stated, he
is of medium height and build. His com
pleXion is very dark, and his hair and
beard jet black, and there is a wild glare
In his eyes, which alone would be warning
! enough for man to leave him alone The
concensus of opinion is in favor of the
fathers theory that the prisoner is tempo.
rarily insane through excessive drinking.
and all agree that be is a dangerous man.
This case
RECALLS A SIMILAR ONE
which occurred in Denver a few years ago,
when man succeeded in getting into
Dave Moffatts room in the bank. He had
bottle which he declared contained dvna
mite, and he swore he would blow I'D the
building and kill all hands unless the
banker gave him 5000 Moffatt called in
a clerk and gave the man the amount. The
latter then went out, and has never been
heard of since.