Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1897-08-28
SLAIN BY LoBBERs.
Michigan Bank Cashier Is Shot at
His Post,
Wound Received While Protecting
the Institution's Money from the
Thieves - Dies After Giving
Names of HIS Assailants.

Thieves - Dies After Giving
Names of His Assailnnts.
Shepherd, Mich, Aug 23.--While de-
Tending the funds of the Farmers bank
Elmer Il. Struble, it's cashier and the
president of this village, was shot and
urdny morning. He died seven hours
later, but recovered consciousness sutfi-
clently to give the authorities the
names OF his assailants, three in num-
Der. There is considerable mystery
concerning the murder. Mr.. Struble
was found in the banking office at six
o'clock with two fatal bullet wounds
near the heart and life almost extinct
lie had been shot two hours earlier. ac-
cording to his antemortem statement.
The office gave evidence of a desperate
struggle.
| Mr.. Struble left his house at four
| o'clock and went to the bank for some
papers to take to Mount Pleasant. in
| tending 90 return before business hours.
| The bank is located in hardware store
in the north end of the building, and
the living rooms overhead are occupied
W u, "a. NlSdoli anu VI. lay anu
their families. AT six O'Clock Mr.. Wis
dom came down TO open the store and
found the front door open. He went to
his desk at the south end of the store,
| and IL moment later heard something
! drop. Investigation showed the door to
| the bank office was open and Mr.. Stru-
BILE was lying on the floor, alive but
unconscious. The vault door and the
sreel money chest were both open. most
| of the books were taken. and all the
money was missing. except ten dollars
| in silver. which was found under the
| counter.
1t is supposed Mr. Struble was in the
vault when he was approached from be-
hind, and the robbers, seeing the money
| chest open. demanded the contents. Mr..
| Struble. it is believed, refused and
started out 10 escape or shut the safe
| door. He was then shot in the wrist
ana side, and while trying TO shut the
vault door was shot in the back. This
did not apparently render him easy
prey, as he evidently turned to fight
them. and then received the two fatal
shots near the heart.
| MIR. Struble died at II. o'clock, but
few moments before death he rallied
| and made statement that he recog-
| niZed the robbers and he gave the
names 10 the prosecuting attorney and
the sheriff. He said he forced the shoot
irg. as he refused to give up the money.
and in the fight recognized his assaii-
arts. who killed him to save themselves
from being known.
| ;s ol that tl,n rpI,hnrN ,yns
committed by several depositors who
fearing the bank was about to fail. fol
lowed Struble TO the bank, demanded
their money and upon being refused
shot the cashier and looted the bank.
Sheriff Mogg, deputy sheriff Estee,
Prosecuting Attorney Mcnamara. with
several other county officers, held a
meeting Sunday at Mt. Pleasant to con,
sul and make further plans for the cap
ture of Cashier Struble's murderers.
1t was decided that everything is being
done that will eventually lead to the
arrest of the guilty men. 1t is thought
that three prominent men in this vi
cinity are the murderers, but officers
| will not divulge names. They ara
watched every moment, day and night,
to take place at any moment.
There is great excitement among tho
| people here and at Mt. Pleasant and
lynching is freely talked by many. 1t
is thought officers would not dare TO
make arrests at this hour, as they could
not protect murderers against the sum-
mary vengeance of the people. Prom
inent detectives are expected to assist.
While the suspected men cannot es-
cape, Sheriff Mogg hesitates fearing
mob violence. The prosecuting attor'
ncy claims that Cashier Struble, few
minutes before his death. gave him the
names of three men whom he positively
identified as among his assailants. They
are all well-known residents of Isabella
county, aud are depositors at the Shep-
herd bank. Two of the three men ac-
cused in Struble's ante-mortem state
ment will be able to produce impregna-
bic alibis. The fact that the cashier
was under the influence of morphine
seems to detract somewhat from the
weight of his dying statement. John
L Ryan, owner of the bank, says the
amount taken by the robbers will moi
exceed $500. Many of the account books
of the bank are missing also, which
seems to make il certain that the per
pctrators of the crime were not ordi
nary burglars
Saved by n PIucIy Woman.
Seabright, N. j., Aug. 23.-Abou
noon Sunday there was great excite
ment in the surf in front of the 0ctagor
hotel. Two young women, more ven
turesome than the other FATHERS, swan
beyond the safety ropes. The under
tow was strong. and Miss Wilson wal
| drnMn doMnWard.r She screamed fol