Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1896-10-17
INSANE NAN IN THE BANK
Cashier Kerney Has an Exciting Moment
During the Afternoon.
THOUGHT A ROBBERY WAS CONTEMPLATED
Desperate Looking Stranger Makes Il
Bee Line for the Vault of the
CnttIcmnn's Bank, but Is
Headed on,

The Cattlemens bank, on the corner Of
Main street and Fifth avenue. was the scene
Of an exciting incident yesterday afternoon.
Cashier Kerney protected the banks funds
by The prompt use Of his big Colts revolver.
About 8 o'clock In the afternoon tall,
powerfully built man, dressed in rough
clothes. with a weatherbeaten face covered
with short iron-gray beard, walked back
ward and forward in front OF the bank sew
eral times and was noticed by the cashier
glancing furtively into the building Sew
eral customers were In the bank at the time
and when all had left the stranger suddenly
entered and walked rapidly to the door lead
ing in the rear of the counter and in direct
line to the open vault The door happened
TO be unfastened and the stranger was in
side the cage and surrounded by piles OF
gold, silver and paper currency before Cash
Ter Kerney fully realized his presence. But
he acted with decision and courage. In an
instant he had the fellow covered with big
revolver
What do you want?" inquired the cashier.
why, | want joe" was the strange
answer made by the man as he backed away.
There is nobody of the name OF Joe here
but there's a Johnny with a gun, and he'll
use IL II you don't get out OF here in sec
ond," said the cashier.
81 want my partner, Joe. I saw him GO
in there not a moment ago." said the man
pointing to the door of the vault Kerney adj
vanced toward the man with the revolver
pointing directly at his breast The man
backed out through the wire gate and
Cashier Kerney turned to the telephone and
called for the police. A moment later officer
Peterson came along and was stopped by the
crowd that was beginning to collect in front
OF the bank caused by the report that the
cashier was standing OFF a robber at the
point OF revolver. Some one had seen the
affair through the window. Peterson seized
the man just as he was escaping from the
building and placed him under arrest. He
was quickly searched for arms, but nothing
in the shape OF a weapon was found. The
patrol wagon was called and he was taken
to the station.
Before the officer left the bank corner with
his prisoner 1t was becoming evident that
the man was insane. At the station this sus.
picion was confirmed. The old man became
very abusive and insisted upon going out
and hunting for Joe. Papers in his pockets
showed that his name was o. w. Smith and
that he was an inmate OF the Soldiers Home
at Marshalltown la. Among his papers was
q Through dated July 49, and good for sixty
days issued by the commandant at the Mar.
shalltown home Joseph Ratiken The com.
mandant is the Joe" for whom the old man
vac ~ pelsisteHtly searchlns. smith is
man of about 60 years of age. He came t.
the Kiel hotel just before dinner yesterday
and registered from Marshalltown. There
appeared to be nothing wrong about him
until after dinner. The Cattlemen's bank Is
on the opposite side of the street, and Smith
was observed to be sizing II up very care
fully half an hour before he made hi.
strange break.
The old man thinks he Is In Monmouth
| ILL.,, and says he left Davenport In company
with his friend Joe yesterday morning. II,
had nearly SO in cash in his pockets. but
nothing to indicate that he had been recent,
travelling on the railways