Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-24

Bank Robbers Driven From Long
view, Texas.


A fight took place between bank robbers
and citizens at Longview, Tex, yesterday
afternoon, which was similar to the famous
fight at Coffeyvilie. Kan, in which the
Dalton gang took part. Yesterday after
noon two rough-looking men walked into
the First National Bank, one clad in a
''slicker," with a Winchester concealed in
its folds. He handed the following note to
President Joe Clemmons:
HOME, May 23.-F'irst National Bank,
Longview: This will introduce to you
Charles Speckelmeyer, who wants some
money and is going to have it. b. Il F."
1t was written in pencil in fairly good
hand on the back of a printed poster. The
bank cashier thought 1t was an importunate
subscription to some charity, and started
to donate, when the robber pointed his
Winchester at him and told him to hold up.
The other robber rushed into the side
wire door and grabbed the cash. Tom
Clemmons and the other hank officials were
ordered to hold up their hands. The rob-
bers hurriedly emptied the vaults, securing
S2,c0o and quantity of unsigned Longview
bank notes, which may lead to their detec-
ttCn. While this was going on two of the
robbers were in the rear alley OF the bank
shouting at every one who appeared, and
were being fired on by City Marshal Muck
ley and Deputy VIII Stevens.
The firing made the robbers in the bank
very nervous, and they hurried the bank
officials out and told them to run to the
horses and mount. This was done in order
to keep the posse frcm shooting but as
bullets flew thick and fast, the bank men
tore loose and ran around the corner, with
several shots after them.
George Buckingham, who was shooting
at the robbers, was shot and killed While
he was down the robbers shot at him sew
eral times. City Marshal Muckley who
was shooting at another robber, received a
Winchester ball in the bowels. The ball
glanced from silver collars he had in his
pocket, which may save his life. The ball
passed through the cavity.
j. w. Mcqueen, saioonkeeper, was shot
in the body, and it is thought mortally
Charles s. Leonard v as walking through
the court house yard and was shot in the
leg. necessitating amputation.
Theodore Sims was shot in the left hand.
Deputy VIII Stevens was not hurt though
he stood in short range and killed one of
the robbers.
The bankers all escaped unhurt, except
Tom Clemmons. who in the scurfie with the
robbers, got his hand in the hammer of the
robbers pistol which came down and cut
hole in his hand. The robbers who stood
guard in the alley would yell at every one
who came in sight and shoot at him in
stantly. When the robbers rode away and
saw one of their comrades dead, they re-
marked: Poor Bennett is dead"
The body Of the dead robber was soon
Identified as George Bennett, a reckless
fellow, who had been at Longview some
months ago and married daughter of a
respectable farmer living near that place
but left her and went to the Indian terri
tory. The dead robber was dressed like a
cowboy, with high-heeled boots and spurs
and had on belt full of cartridges and
two double-action revplvers. His horse,
which was captured, had 300 rounds of
ammunition strapped to the saddle.
Another of the robbers, the man who
gave President Clemmons the note, was
identified by several He married a re-
spectacle young lady in Pamela county last
fall, but later went to Mexico, and has not
been heard of since until yesterday. He
was we'll known
1t is thought Bennett has a relative in
the gang. II so only one man remains to
be identified.
The robbers rode rapidly out of town,
displaying their firearms and the money
they had secured. An armed posse was
con in pursuit, and when last heard of
vas fifteen minutes behind them.
Deputy John Howard was shot at fifteen
times. but was not hurt. He emptied his
pistol several times, and wounded one of
the robbers IN the face.
No less than 200 shots were fired The
robbers started out of town, going by the
home OF George Bennett. They met a
farmer four miles north, and took
bis hat and gave him the old one, and told
him to tell the posse to come on, that they
were going to keep on the big road.