The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-03-07
A RUNNING FIGHT.
A Crowd of Fifty Excited Citi-
zens With Guns,
Follow Abel Bank Robbers Four
Miles.
BUGGY BROKE DOWN.
Robbers Killed and Captured
and Money Recovered.

ABEL, Iowa, March IA desperate
and partly successful attempt was
made to rob the Abel State bank yes
terday morning. A few minutes be-
fore 9 o'clock two strangers drove
into town and tied their team near
the public square. They got out and
without attracting any particular at
tention stepped into the bank. The
cashier S. M. Leach. had just taken
from the vault the currency
for the days business c. D. Bailey.
a leading merchant, was writing at
desk III the lobby. They were the
only occupants of the bank. One of
the strangers stepped up to the CASH
ier's window and said he wanted to
deposit some money. Almost at the
same instant the second robber, who
was behind, leveled a shotgun at
Leach and fred, the charge taking
effect in his shoulder. He then
ordered the cashier 10 hand over the
money. The latter handed over a
small sack of silver, and then, though
badly wounded, seized drawer con-
tanning about 50, 900 in gold and cur
reDcy and, staggering to the vault, he
pitched the money in and shut and
locked the door. Weak from loss of
O1OOQ A0 bAGA AC11 w G11O AOOA'
One of the robbers now sprang over
the counter and began shoveling all
the money in sight into sack, and
the one with the gun turned to Mr..
Bailey, who was still standing at the
desk, and fred a shot at him, wound
ing him in the neck He fell to the
floor and the robber fred at his pros
trate form, but missed him. By this
time crowd had gathered outside
and the two robbers, one carrying
the money and the other welding
the gun, made a rush for their buggy.
Fully fifty shots were fir at them,
but none apparently took effect.
They quickly got into their buggy
and still keeping the crowd st bay
drove rapidly away, Several men
eprang upon horses and followed and
a running fight of several miles
ensued.
About four miles south of town
the buggy driven by the robbers
struck a tree and broke wheel. The
robbers abandoned their rig and one
hid behind a bank. where he was
soon captured, and the other, with
the gun, ran into a barn near by.
The barn was surrounded, but the
bandit held the crowd at bay. He
was called upon to surrender, but
resolutely refused and said he would
never be taken alive. After a parley
the crowd partially united the cap
tured robber and compelled him to
set fire to the barn. The advancing
flames finally forced him to come out,
but he still refused to surrender and
the crowd of citizens fred a volley at
him. He fell dead, pierced by three
| bullets.
It was with the utmost difficulty
that the angry crowd was prevented
from wreaking vengeance on the
robber that was alive. But Sheriff
Payne hustled him into buggy and
drove rapidly back to town. A crowd
of several hundred had gathered at
| the Jail when the sheriff reached
there with his prisoner. There were
loud cries of shoot him. "hang
him." but the officer managed to
e1ude the mob and land his trembling
prisoner safely behind the bars The
captured man, or rather boy, for he
is only 10 years old, has made a COM
| plete confession. He says his name
| is Charles w. Crawford and his home
is near Patterson, in Madison county.
The dead robber is o. P. Wilkins aud
was released only few weeks ago
from the Minnesota penitentiary at
| Saltwater, where he served three
wears for robbery. They secured
| only about 5000 from the bank and
! the money was all found where their
buggy broke down.
It is not believed that either Bailey
or Leach is fatally hurt. Several
.citizens were hurt by scattering shots
| fred by the robbers on the way to
the buggy