The true northerner., 1897-08-25
', SLAIN BY ROBBERS.
Michigan Bank Cashier Is Shot at
His Post
Wound Received While Protecting
the Institutions Money from the
Thieves - Dies After Giving
Names of His Assailants.

Shepherd, Mich, Aug 23.-While de-
Tending the funds of the Farmers bank
\ Elmer Il. Struble, its cashier and the
president of this village, was shot and
fatally wounded by robbers early Sat-
urday morning. He died seven hours
later, but recovered consciousness suffi-
ciently to give the authorities the
names of his assailants, three in num-
ber. 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 ante-mortem statement.
The office gave evidence of a desperate
struggle.
Mr.. Struble left his house at four
Z O'clock and went to the bank for some
Spspers TO take to Mount Pleasant, in
tending to 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
b. L. A. Wisdom and Il. NJ. Taylor and
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 ut the south end of the store,
and a moment later heard something
drop. Investigation showed the door to
the bank office was open and Mr.. Stru-
bic was lying on the floor, alive but
unconscious. The vault door and the
steel 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 TO 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.
Mr.. Struble died at II o'clock, but
few moments before death he rallied
and made a statement that he recog-
nized the robbers and he gave the
names to the prosecuting attorney and
the sheriff. He said he forced the shoot
ing, as he refused TO give up the money,
and in the fight recognized his assail-
arts, who killed him to save themselves
from being known.
1t is reported that the robbery was
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
meeting Sunday at Mt. Pleasant to con-
suit 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 are
watched every moment. day and night,
and cannot escape. Arrests are likely
to take place at any moment.
There is great excitement among the
people here and at Mt. Pleasant and
lyncbing is freely talked by many. 1t
Is thought officers would not dare to
make arrests at this hour, as they could
not protect nurderers 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-
ney claims that Cashier Struble, q 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, and 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 not
exceed 5000. Many of the account books
of the bank are missing also, which
seems TO make it certain that the per-
pctrators of the crime were not ordi-
nary burglars.