Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1902-10-31

PRAIRIE CITY BANK ROBBERY
Nold Gang Robs the State Bank. Getting
Away With About $4,000 While Guards
Keep tho Night Watch aud Two Clti-
sens FROM Giving Alarm.

Prairie City. Oct. 2S.-Four or five
unmasked men attempted to rob both
the Zachary bank and the State bank
Of Prairie City at this place last eve
ming The first attempt was unsuccess-
full, owing to the fact that night
watch who sleeps in the rear Of the
bank awakened, and, getting up, struck
light, soaring the men from the build.
ing. The watch looked about and
saw no one and decided that he had
been unnecessarily alarmed. The rob-
bers went from the Zachary bank
about 1880 a. m. to the State bank of
Prairie City, about block away, and
forced open the front door with a
crowbar. In front of the bank while
they were at work upon the door the
night Waterman. Alex Elskin, came
upon the men and asked them what
they We're trying to do. He was con-
fronted with three loaded revolvers
and told to keep mum on penalty of
his life. Five shots were fired to
brighten the night Waterman and the
robbers broke open the front door Of
Little & Gill's hardware store and
rushed the marshal into the building.
where he was kept under guard until
after the robbery had been commit
ted. DR.. S. B. Clifford. dentist, and
DR.. w. P. McConahey. q practicing
physician, who room in building
across the street from the bank, ware
awakened by the shooting and rushed
to the windows to see what was the
matter. DR.. Clifford started to shout
an alarm. but was quickly silenced. A
loaded 44-calibsr Colt was presented to
his face and he was told that his life
was worth much less than go cents"
il he uttered cry. While the rob-
berry of the bank was being committed
the mig watch stood powerless be
hind the barred door of the hardware
stoor, and the doctors were required
to keep their place in their rooms
under penalty of being riddled with
bullets. No one else knew of the rob-
berry until after the men had made
their escape toward the southwest.
1t was 1880 this morning when the
alteration occurred between Night
Watch Eiskin and the robbers. For
three hours the men worked at the
safe in the State Bank of Prairie City.
Eight explosions were distinctly heard
by the three men who were held under
guard. Shortly after O'Clock this
morning the robbers succeeded in get
ting into the bank safe and looting it
of every dollar in cash. The sum total
of the haul is $4,000, of which $500 was
in silver and III, balance in currency
and gold. Not dollar was left in
the safe except the pennies and nick
els.
There is absolutely NO clue to the
identity of the robbers. The impress
sion prevails here that the deed was
committed by Missourians, who rode
across the Iowa line and had been
hiding or several days in the brush
southwest of this city along the Des
Moines river The robbers took
southwestern direction from this city.
Neither the night watch nor the physi-
clans who were held under guard were
able to give description this morning
OF the men who had committed the
crime.
There were at least four men and
DR.. Clifford is of the opinion that
there were FIVE. Two men remained
on the outside to guard the prisoners,
while the other two or three men
worked on the safe in the bank. The
safe is valued by the officials of the
bank a, $3.50 and is total wreck. 1t
cannot be repaired.