Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1895-03-13
BANDITS IN ABEL.
Many Citizens Are Injured and One OF the
Robbers Killed.

Robbers Killed.
Dies MONIES, Ia, March S.-Adel, Ia,
the county seat of Dallas county, 20
miles northwest of here, was the scene
of a. bold bank robbery Wednesday
morning, followed by the pursuit of
the amateur bandits, the killing of
one of them and the formation
of an angry mob which surged
about the county Jail Wednesday
night 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 receiv-
ing load of shot in his body, swung
shut the door to the vault and turned
the combination. AS result of the
battle which followed the attack on
the bank, the fight and pursuit of the
robbers, the following list of casualties
is recorded:
DEAD-Orlando P. Wilkins. robber from
Patterson, Madison county, Ia, aged 3d. shot
by pursuers.
INJURED-S. N. Leach, cashier of the Bank
OF Abel, seriously shot in left shoulder and
neck; G. d. Bailey, leading merchant of Abel,
shot In left shoulder; j. NJ Byers. prominent
citizen of Adel, shot in the hand and arm; r.
S. Barr. postmaster at Abel. shot in left arm;
c. L. Simpson. well-known citizen. and Cecil
Dexter. a boy of AdAl, slightly wounded.
DThe robbers were o. p. Wilkinsand c.
w. Crawford, farmers living in Patter-
son. A little after O'Clock Wednesday
morning they drove into Abel in a
buggy. Leaving the rig block
away they went to the bank.
Wilkins carried repeating shot
gun with six loads. They 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 remarked that they wished
to make 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
fred.
Cashier Leach staggered and fell,
but, rousing himself, flung the curren-
cy and gold on the counter into the
vault and closed the door. Wilkins
fired again, wounding Mr.. Bailey.
Then Crawford kicked in the door
leading behind the counter and he
and Wilkins scooped the loose silver
into sack. It amounted to $2s7. BY
this time Sheriff Payne, who was on
the street, had his attention attracted
and opened fire on the bandits.
They made a rush for their buggy,
Wilkins firing as he ran and wounding
the other citizens mentioned. The rob-
beers started to drive southwest across
the country. They were hotly pur-
sued, the hastily collected posse being
often within 200 or 800 yards of the !
fugitives. Many shots were fred, some
of which took effect in the horses
driven by Crawford and Wilkins.
After chase of nearly IL miles the
horses could go no further
and were abandoned by the bandits,
who separated at what is known as
Meals Crossing" There Craw
ford secreted himself in a clump
Of timber, but was soon sur
and surrendered. Wilkins |
took refuge in a barn, which was sur
To repeated orders to come
out he made no reply. Then Crawford |
was forced at the point of q Winches- |
ter rifle to carry can of kerosene, sat
lrate a straw stack near the barn and |
start fire. Wilkins did not shoot at |
MS comrade, and when the flames
closed about him made break across
The open space for the timber.
He had proceeded but a few yards |
when he fell pierced by a bullet from
/ rife held, it is said, by prominent
'armer named Pritchard. Then the
mob lost control of itself, and the body
vas riddled by bullets. The corpse of
he dead robber and his living COM
oanion were later taken back to Abel,
where Crawford made full confession.
lie claimed that he had been forced
nto the job by Wilkins, who threat
med to kill him if his nerve weakened.
The two left Patterson Tuesday and
pent the night with farmer miles
rom Adel