Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1895-03-12
DONE BY AMATEURS.

Rut Was Thwarted by Men OF Nerye-Ope
90 the Robbers Riddied with Bullets, and
The Other and Several Citizens Wounded.
DEs MoIsEs, Ia, March 6.-AdcL the
county seat of Dallas county, twenty
two miles northwest of here. was the
scene of bold bank robbery this
morning followed by the pursuit OF
the amateur robbers, the killing of one
of them and the formation of an angry
mob which surged about the county
Jail tonight and threatened to have
the life of the living robber.
The funds of the bank were saved by
the presence of mind of the cashier,
who, after receiving load of shot in
his body, swung shut the door to the
vault and turned the combination.
As result of the battle which fol-
lowed the attack on the bank and the
fight and pursuit of the robbers, the
following list of casualties is recorded:
Orlando p. wilkins, a robber from
Patterson, Madison county, Ia, aged
80; shot by pursuers.
INJURED.
S. M. Leach, cashier of the State
bank of Adel; seriously shot in left
shoulder and neck.
c. d. Bailey. leading merchant of
Adel; shot in left shoulder.
J. NJ. Byers, prominent citizen Of
Adel; shot in hand and arm.
r. 5. Barr, postmaster at Adel; shot
in left arm.
J. It. Simpson, a well-known citizen,
and c. S. Dexter, a boy, of Adel;
slightly wounded.
The robbers, Orlando Z. Wilkins
and c. w. Crawford, were farmers living
in Patterson. A little after o'clock
this morning they drove into Adcl in a
buggy. Leaving the rig block away.
they went to the bank. Wilkins car
ried u repeating shotgun with six
loads. They entered the bank just as
Cashier Leach was taking the money
from the vault. c. ID. Bailey was in
the bank at the time. Crawford re-
marked that he wished to make n de-
posit. Cashier Leach was busy at the
time, but turned with the inquiry:
"What is it?' As he did SO he looked
into the barrel of the shotgun held by
Wilkins, who Immediately fired.
Cashier Leach staggered and fell, but,
rousing himself, flung the currency
and gold ON the counter into the vault
and closed the door. Wilkins fired
again, wounding Mr.. Bailey.
Crawford kicked in the door leading
behind the counter, and he and Wilk-
ins scooped the loose silver into a
sack. 1t amounted to S267. BY this
time Sheriff Payne, v>ho was on the
street, had his attention attracted and
opened fire on the bandits. They made
rush for their buggy, Wilkins firing
as he ran and wounding the other cit
iZenS mentioned.
The robbers started to drive south
west across the country. They were
hotly pursued, the hastily
hundred yards of the fugitives. Many
shots were fired, some of which took
effect in the horses driven by Craw-
ford and Wilkins. After chase ol
nearly twelve miles the wounded
horses could go no further and were
abandoned by the bandits, who sep
arated at what is known as MEALS
Crossing" There Crawford secreted
himself in a clump of timber,
but was soon surrounded and surren-
dered. Wilkins took refuge in barn,
which was surrounded. TO repeated
orders to come out he made no reply.
Then Crawford was forced at the point
of Winchester rifle to carry can OF
kerosene, saturate straw stack near
the barn and start fire. Wilkins did
not shoot at his comrade, and when
the fines closed about him made a
break across the open space for the
timber. He had proceeded but few
yards when .he fell pierced by bullet
from rifle held, it is said, by prom
inent farmer named Pritcbard. Then
the mob lost control of itself, and the
body was riddled by bullets.
The corpse of the dead robber and
his living companion were later taken
back to Adel, where this afternoon
Crawford made a full confession.
He claimed he had been forced into
the job by Wilkins, who threatened to
kill him il his nerve weakened. The
two left Patterson Tuesday, and spent
Tuesday night at a farm five miles
from Adel.
Tonight the biggest crowd ever seen
there is upon the streets of Adel. Every
man carries rifle, shotgun, pistol or
club. Sheriff Payne has the Jail pro-
tected by large and well-armed posse.
1t is believed that in the course of the
night Crawford will be spirited away
to place of safety. All the wounded
are doing we'll.