The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-03-07

WHISKERS were BLAZING
An Iowa Desperate Smoked Out OF a
Barn.
BODY RlDDLED WITH BULLETS
After Seriously Wounding u Bank
Cashier the Robber Is Surrounded in
Barn which Is Set on Fire-ilis
Companion Captured.

Des Moines, Ia. March 6.-The Adel
State bank. at Adel, twenty miles west
of here was robbed at 8 o'clock this
morning by two men, who shot and Sc
riously wounded Cashier s. Nj. Leach
and customer named Bailey, who
was standing at the window when they
entered. The cashier had just unlocked
the safe and vault and both Leach and
Bailey had their backs to the door when
the robbers entered and opened fire.
The desperadoes then entered the vault
and carried away the entire contents,
supposed to be $4,000, and jumped into
u buggy at the door and drove west to-
ward Redfield.
The robbers We're overtaken five
miles south of Adel. Being hotly pur-
sued. they left their buggy, and one hid
in brush heap, and the other took
refuge in u barn. The former was
quickly captured. The man in the
barn. however, refused to come out.
and the posse set fire to the structure.
The robber remained inside until his
clothing, hair and whiskers were blaz-
ing, then rushed out, gun in hand. The
mob yelled: Throw up your hands"
he refused, and u volley from a dozen
guns riddled his body.
An envelope in his pocket was ad-
dressed Landers Wilkers. Paterson,
Madison county, Ia, which the other
robber says is his true name. Before
the mob was aware of it, the sheriff
had the second robber in his buggy
and hurried him to Adel Jail, where he
is locked up. The excitement is intense
and the prisoner may be lynched.
The second robber says his name is
C. w. Crawford. He is 19 years old
He says Wilkers forced him to join
in the robbery by threatening to kill
him on the spot unless he did.
Bank Funds Saved.
The funds of the bank were saved by
the presence of mind of the cashier,
who, after receiving load of lead in
his body, swung shut the door to the
vault and turned the combination. Fol-
lowing are the casualties so far re-
corded:
Dead-Orlando P. wilkins, robber,
from Patterson, Madison county Iowa,
| aged 80, shot by pursuers.
Injured-S. NJ. Leach, cashier of the
bank, seriously wounded in left shoul-
der and neck; c. d. Bailey, merchant,
shot in shoulder; j. NJ. Byers. promin-
ent citizen, shot in hand and arm; r.
S. Barr, postmaster shot in left arm;
]. L. Simpson, citizen, and Cecil Dexter,
| boy, slightly wounded.
The robbers, Orlando p. wilkins and
! c. w. Crawford, We're farmers living
| in Patterson. A little after s o'clock
| this morning they drove into Adel in a
| buggy. Leaving their rig block away
they went to the bank. Wilkins car
ried a repeating shotgun with six loads.
! Then entered the bank just as
Cashier Leach was taking the money
from the vault. C. d. Bailey was in
the bank at the time. Crawford re-
marked that they wished to make a
deposit. 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, wound
| ing Mr.. Bailey.
Then Crawford kicked in the door
| leading behind the counter and he and
| wilkins scooped the loose silver into
q sack. 1t amounted to $267. BY this
time Sheriff Payne, who was on the
street, had his attention attracted and
opened fire on the robbers. They made
a rush for their buggy, wilkins firing
as he ran and wounding the other citi-
zens mentioned.
An Exciting Chase.
The robbers started to drive across
the country. They were hotly pursued
the hastily collected posse being often
within two or three hundred yards of
the fugitves. Many shots were fired
some of which hit the horses driven by
the fugitives.
After a chase of nearly twelve miles
the wounded horses could go no fur
ther and were abandoned by the ban
dts, who separated at what is known
as Meals Crossing" There Crawford
secreted himself in a clump of timber
but was soon surrounded and he sur
rendered.
wilkins took refuge In a barn, which
was quickly surrounded. To repeated
orders to come out he made no reply
Then Crawford was forced at the point
of q winchester rifle to carry a can OF
Kerosene, saturated a straw stack neai
the barn and start fire. Wilkins did
not shoot at his comrade and when the
flames closed about him made a break
across the open space for the timber
He had proceeded but a few yards
when he fell, pierced by n bullet Their
the mob lost control OF itself and the
body was riddled with bullets. The
corpse of the robber and his living com.
panion were later taken back to Ade
where. this afternoon, Crawford made
a full confession. He claimed he had
been forced into the job by wilkins
who threatened to kill him If his nerve
weakened The two left Patterson
Tuesday and spent last night with 9
farmer, five miles from Adel.
Tonight the biggest crowd ever seer
there is upon the streets of Adel Ever,
man carries a rifle, shot gun, pistol ol
club. Sheriff Payne has the Jail pro
tected by large and well-armed posse
IT is believed that in the course of tht
night Crawford will be spirited ava,
to a place of safety. All the wounded
are doing well.
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
The dynamite cruiser Vesuvius sale,