The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-03-07
CHANIlGBAAi ROBBERS
Desperate Battle Between Citizens
and Two Desperadoes.
ONE OF THE ROBBERS SHOT DEAD.


Shot Two Men ana Fled with Less Than
$500.
ABEL, Ia, March IA desperate and
partly successful attempt was made to rob
the Adel State bank yesterday. Two
strangers drove into town and tied their
team near the public square. They got
out and without attracting any partiou-
lar attention stepped into the bank. The
cashier, S. NJ. Leach, had just taken from
the vault the currency for the days busi-
ness, and @. ID. Bailey, a leading mer-
chant, was writing at desk in tho 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 the same
instant tho second robber leveled a shot
gun at Leach and fired, the charge taking
effect in his shoulder. He then ordered
the cashier to hand over the money.
The latter handed over small sack of
silver and then, though badly wounded,
seized a drawer containing about 5000 in
gold and currency, and staggering to the
vault he pitched the money in and shut
and locked the door. Weak from loss of
blood he then fell to the floor. Ono OF the
robbers now sprang over the counter and
began shoveling all the money In sight
into sack, and the one with the GIN
turned to Mr.. Bailey, who was still stand
ing at the desk, and fired a shot at him,
wounding him in the neck. He fell to the
floor and the robber shot at his prostrate
form, but missed him.
By this time crowd had gathered out
side and the two robbers, one carrying the
money and the other welding the gun,
made rush for their buggy. Fully fifty
shots were fired at them, but none appar-
entity took effect They coolly got into
their buggy and, still keeping the crowd
at bay, drove rapidly away. Several men
sprang upon horses and followed, and a
running fight ensued.
About four miles south OF town tho
buggy driven by the robbers struck a tree
and broke q wheel. The robbers, still
closely pursued, abandoned their rig, and
one hid behind IA bank, where he was soon
captured, and the other, with the gun, ran
into q barn nearby. The barn was sur
rounded, 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 parley the
crowd partially united the captured rob
ber and compelled him to set fire to the
barn. The advancing flames finally forced
his confederate to come out but he still
refused to surrender, and the crowd of cit.
izens fired volley at him. He fell dead,
pierced by three bullets.
1t was with the utmost difficulty that
the angry crowd was prevented from
wreaklng vengeance on the robber that
was alive, but Sheriff Payne hustled him
into a 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." chang
him." but the officer managed to elude the
mob and land his trembling prisoner
snfely behind the bars
Tho captured man, or rather boy, for he
Is only 10 years of age, has made COM
plete confession. He says his name is
Charles w. Crawford, and his home near
Patterson in Madison county. The dead
robber is o. p wilkins, and he was re-
leased only few weeks ago from the Min
nesota penitentiary at Saltwater where
he served three years for robbery. Craw-
ford says their only weapon was repent
ing Winchester shotgun, carried by Will
kins, and the testimony of witnesses bears
out this statement. He claims to have been
cocreed into assisting Wilkins and says he
went to Indianola last Monday morning
for the purpose of robbing the bank there,
but he refused at the last moment, after
reaching tho town, and the job was aban-
doned. Their team was stolen from the
prisoners uncle w. w. Crawford. of
Madison county. They secured only about
$500 from the bank and this money was all
found where their buggy broke down.
1t is not believed that either Bailey or
Leach is fatally hurt. The latter received
afull charge of shot in the shoulder, MAX
ing bad but not dangerous wound
Bailey was shot in the neck, the flesh and
skin being torn away almost to the wind
pipe. He will recover unless inflainma-
tion sets in. Several citizens were hurt
by scattering shot fired by the robbers on
the way to their buggy. Postmaster r. S.
Barr stepped out of the postof1ice just as
the retreating robbers passed The latter
ordered him inside, but before he could
comply fired at him, one shot striking his
forearm and another piercing his hat and
grazing his forehead. ]. NJ. Byers, ]. NJ
Symcocke and boy named Decker We're
also slightly injured.