The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1895-03-15
A ROBBERY in IOWA
AN IuClDHxT SIMILAR TO ran
K0ATMFIBLD AFFAIR,
The Cnshler Of . Baak aad h Mer.
chant at Adel, Iowa. Are Dhet by
Two Mea-Citlsens Take . Hand
and Several Are Isjared.

Adel, Iowa, March S.-A desperate
and partially successful effort waa
made to rob the Adel State bank. A
few minutes before 3 o'clock two
strangers drove into town and tied
their team near the public square.
They got out, and without attracting
any particular attention stepped into
the bank. The cashier, q. NJ, Leach,
had just taken from the vault the cur.
rency for the days business. c. d,
Bailey, leading merchant, was writ.
Ing at o desk In the lobby. They were
the only occupants Of the bank. one
OF the strangers stepped up to the
cashiers window and said he wanted
to deposit some money. Almost at
the same instant the second robber.
who was behind, leveled shotgun at
Leach and fired, the charge taking
effect In his shoulder. One Of the
robbers now sprang over the counter
and began shoveling all the money In
sight into a sack and the one with the
gun turned to Mr.. Bailey, who still
stood at the desk. and fred a shot Mt
him, wOunding him In the neck, He
fell to the floor and the robbcr shot at
his prOstrate form but missed him.
BY this time crowd Ind gathered out.
side, and the two robbers, one carry.
Ing the money. and the other welding
the gun. made a rush for their buggy.
f'uily hfty shots were fired at them.
hut none apparently took effect. They
coolly got Into their buggy and still
keeping the crowd at bay, drove rap.
IDLY away. Several men sprang upon
horses and followed and
Running Fight
Of several miles ensued. About four
miles south Of town the buggy driven
by the robbers struck tree and broke
wheel. The robbers, still closely
pursued. abandoned the rig, and one
hid behind bank, where he was soon
captured, and the other, the one with
the gun, ran into barn near by. The
barn was surrounded but the bandit
held the crowd at bay. He was called
upon to surrender but resolutely re-.
fused, and said he would never be
taken alive. After a parley the crowd
partially united the captured rohber
and compelled him to set fire to the
barn. The advancing flames finally
forced the robber to come out, but
he still refused to surrender, and the
crowd of citizens fired Il vollcy at him.
he fell dead. pierced by three bullets.
1t was with the utmost difficulty that
the angry crowd was prevented from
wreaklng vengeance OH the r0bber who
was still alive. But Sheriff Payne
hustled him into a buggy and drove
rapidly back to town.
The captured man, or rather boy, for
he is only nineteen years Of age, has
made a full confession. He says his
name is Charles w. Crawford and his
home Is near Patterson, Madison
county. The dead robber Is o. r.
Wilkins, and was released only a few
weeks ago from
The Minnesota Penitentiaey
at saltwater. where he served three
years for robbery. Crawford says the
only weapon was repeating Win
chester shotgun, carried by Williams,
and the testimony of the witnesses
bear out this statement. He claims
to have been coerced into assisting
wilkins, and says they went to In
dianola last Monday morning for the
purpose Of robbing the bank there.
but he refused at the last moment af-
ter reaching town, and the Job was
abandoned. They staid last night with
q farmer living few miles southeast
Of here. and drove to this town this
morning. The team was stolen from
thes sladssgn.ssr slRaEdlssssnsr's uncle, ". w. Crawford
1t is not believed that either Bailey
or Leach is fatally hurt. Several citi-
zens were hurt by scattering shots by
the robbers on their way to their bug
gy. Postmaster r. s. Barr stepped
out Of the postoff1ce just as the retreat
ing robber passed. The latter ordered
him inside, but before he could com.
ply. fired at him. one shot striking his
forearm and another piercing his hat
and grazing his forehead. !. NJ,
Byers. ]. NJ. Slmcock and a boy
named Cecil Becker were also slightly
injured. There is still considerable
talk Of lynching crawford.