Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-10-22
A BLOODY BANK BURGLARY
Three Burglars Killed and Four
Citizens Injured.
AT MEEKER, COLORADO
One of the Most Daring Wes-
tern Robberies.
Was Committed m Daylight and in Sight
OF Twenty Psopie--The Bank Surrounded
by Citizens and the Desperate Robbers
Met by u Fusliade of shots.


Denver, COL, Oct. Is. According to
the latest adviees from Meeker, COL,
which is so miles from the nearest
telegraph Office, the three men who
wero killed there, after robbing tho
bank. have not been identified. The one
who livod two hours after being shot
gave the names herein mentioned which
are believed to be fictitious 1t is thought
that one of the robbers is Thomas Me-
Carthy, who aided in robbing banks at
Telluride and Delta Those killed and
wounded in the battle between the citi-
zens and the robbers are:
Dsad-Charles Jones, leader of the
bandits, aged 40 years, shot through
the lungs and chest; William Smith,
rohber, aged 81 years, riddled through
the lungs and chest, shot through the
heart and number OF other wounds,
any Of which would have been mortal;
George Harris, robber, aged 30 years,
shot through lungs.
Wounded Deputy Game Warden w.
Fl. Clark. bullet in the right breast;
Victor Dikemap, shot through the
arm; @. A. Booth, scalp wound; W.
z. Herrick. finger shot off.
| The robbery was one OF the most
daring perpetrated in the West, occur
ring in broad daylight and at time
when there were 20 or more people in
sight. George Rooney, clerk of the
Meeker Hotel, had just entered tho
bank, which is located in tho general
store of j. w. Haggs, to make de-
posit, and stood talking to Assistant
Cashier David Smith. When be turned
to leave he felt heavy hand on his
shoulder, and, glancing up, was look
ing into the muzzle of a revolver. The
man with the revolver commanded
"hands up. At the same instant
two shots rang out and two bullets
whizzed past the head of the assistant
cashier, who threw up his hands. In
the meantime the two other robbers
had covered the crowd in the
store, compelling them to assem-
BILE in the eentre OF the room and
guarding both door ways. Then
Cashier Mnulton was called and one OF
the men said to him: "Open the safe
and be quick about it, At the point
of gun he was conducted to the safe,
which he opened and the contents of
the drawer, amounting to $700, were
emptied into a sack which the robbers
had brought with them. After getting
tho money the burglars quietly gathered
in all the firearms in the place, helped
themselves to the cartridges and then
the leader addressed the crowd-bank
officials, employees of the store and
customers who happened to be in the
, place-saying' their horses were stand
lug hitched outside the rear door,
which opens ON a side street, and that
for their own sake they would request
| that all go outside. The crowd filed
, through the doorway, followed by tho
/ robbers.
a The robbers were not aware that the
/ place was surrounded until all were
out The crowd that they had driven
!. from the store broke and ran for cover.
n The citizens OF the town had been
warned by the two shots fired in the
store, and, arming themselves to the
teeth, surrounded tho bank and quietly
awaited the appearance of the robbers.
: Deputy Game Warden Clark noticed
il that three horses were fastened at the
IS rear door and. surmising that the
d robbers would leave by that route stood
i short distance from the back doc,
q and centred more men at this place
j. than any other, not nsgecting, how.
Il ever, to keep the front door well
watched. When the robbers saw tn
they were cornered Jones raised rifle
he had taken from the store and free
G at Clark. Tho bandits were com
VI manded to hold up their hands, bu
}, answered with fusilade of shots from
:, dozen different directions. Jones and
,s Smith fell TO the ground, literal,
" riddled with bullets. They had beer
Q killed in the act Of firing. Harris
8. mortally wounded, held his revolve
and, still staggering, continued tn,
battle until he fell. The dead mel
we're removed to an undertaking estah
IS lishment, where an inquest was helt
N and verdict of justifiable homicid
n WAS rendered. The money was al
" recovered.
- 1t is believed here that the robber
Oh were members of the Mccarthy gang
to which committed numerous bank rob
10 berries in Montana, Washington an,
Colorado. 1t is also supposed that tn
man who robbed David ii. MofTatt am
the First National Bank of this city il
~ 1889 was a member of the gang. TIL
o. McCarthys formerly lived in an out-ot
% the-way place in Oregon, where the.
10 were regarded as wealthy ranchmen
A. A. In an attempt to rob the bank at Delta
~ COL, about year ago, John Nc
40 Carthy and his son were killed, bu
NA.,, M al