Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1901-03-01
+ RECKLESS bOY hOpbER.
He Takes Banks Cash and Steals
Train.
RASH ACTS AT FISHER, ILL
Arthur Heyer Takes 81 $40 from Banker
Vennum, Steals Train and L. A.
tempting to Escape When ovsrtakss
By Six Men and Arrested.

A reckless farmer boy armed with e.
long-barreled revolver, robbed bank.
stole a freight train, defied posse,
and in two hours put more thrills int
life in the sleepy village of Fisher, Ill.
Wednesday, than had been known In q
half-century of its existence. He 10
Arthur Heyer. % years of age. At 10
o'clock a. m, young Heyer entered the
private bank of Vennum Co. Only
one person. F. B. Vennum, was in the
bank Mr.. Vennum was busy counting
money and sorting out bills. He nod
ded to Heyer and went on counting.
When he looked again, he saw the
long barreled pistol within two feet OF
his head. The banker thought it was
a joke and said: Put that down; it
might go off," It'll go off sure IL
you don't pass over all the money
you've got in there" was the answer.
Il backed away" said the banker IN
discussing the affair later, but he just
kept coming, and backed me against
the wall I gave him $500 had on thu
counter but he wasn't satisfied.
You've got more than this he said.
He made me go into the vault ana
swore he would shoot me and lock the
door if l didn't bring out all the mon
ey. I brought out $500 and told him
that was all except some silver. To
h-ll with the silver' was his com
ment.
He began backing out of the place.
keeping me covered all the time. He
told me if l came out inside OF half
an hour 1 would be shot. as he had &
friend on guard. l gave the alarm
within five minutes
Two men observed Heyer leave the
bank, revolver in hand, and mount his
horse. They suspected a robbery and
met Vennum coming. In five minutes
a dozen armed men. several of them
mounted, had begun pursuit. Heyer
gallOped for half a mile toward the
Illinois Central station. He had pass
ed the station. when he saw freight
train coming in Slowly from the north.
He gallOped up, dismOunted, and caught
a car near the engine Running over
the top he leaped on the tender. and.
pulling the big revolver, levelIed it up
on the engineer and fireman.
Get out of that cab d-n quick" he
cried, 'Or I'll kill you both" The
trainmen jumped off.
Heyer entered the cab and pulled the
throttle open There was a clear
track ahead right past the station
By the time the pursuers had reached
the station and were following the
road north they were attracted by
shouts and gesticulatiOns of the evict-
ed trainmen. 1t was a heavy train,
but it soon began TO make speed. As
the engine puffed past the station Hey
er crouched down in the cab, holding
his weapon ready for instant use. The
pursuers were not yet aware the quarry
was in the cab. Before half the train
had passed they knew ii. The rate Of
speed was then nearly fifteen miles an
hour. Eight men attempted to board
the cabOOSe. Six succeeded, and thres.
of them were armed, one with a short
Winchester, with a magazine filed
with shells. There was one revolver in
the caDOOSe, In possession OF a brake
man. When Heyer observed the sue
cess Of the posse he hurried back over
the tender and tried to uncouple thu
engine This he found impossible to dc.
without stopping. When the train
slowed up Heyer jumped from the en-
CINE and surrendered. He was put liz
the caboose and the brakeman reversed
the engine and ran the train back tc
town.
The s1,620 was all recovered. The
only explanation Heyer would make
was: Il needed the money" His fam
fly is influential and prominent Heyer-
was Immediately taken before the viii
lage squire, where he was given pre-
iminary hearing and bound over to the
grand jury in $4,000 bond He could
not furnish bond, and he was taken
to the Jail at Champaign to await the
action OF the grand jury.