Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-10-30
Bloodhounds Sent for and are on
the Trail.
THUGS BOLD WORK NETS NEAT sum
Use Dynamite to Open Vault and Safe
Town Filled With Excited FAR
mers Armed With Shot Guns-May
Be Hiding in Dense Woods.

Prairie City, October 2S.-(Special)
The State bank of Prairie City was
robbed last night of something over
$4,000. mostly in silver and the rob-
bers escaped without detection. One
man did the work while three others
patrolled the streets.
Five dynamite shots blew open the
vault and the safe.
The burglars worked from 1 to
o'clock this morning.
The lnree men in the streets were
seen by Alexander Erskine, the towns
night Waterman, who was cornered in
hardware store and held there by
one of the burglars.
The burglars fred one shot at En-
skine who carried lantern and who
was unable to give an alarm.
Dentist Clifford, whose office is in a
room above dry goods store, and Dr..
McConnaughey were also able to see
the burglars who were in the street,
but nothing could be done to raise any
alarm at ell.
The burglars used system of sig
nails when anyone approached the
bank.
After the robbery, the men were
seen going southeast across the town
park and disappeared. 1t was expect
ed they would take freight train No.
PAL on the Rock Island, but they did
not do SO.
There was time lock on the safe
in the vault and the burglars had to
blow open both the vault and the safe.
They entered the bank by breaking
the door. There is a lodge room above
the bank but no living apartments.
The same men were heard at anoth-
er bank two blocks west at / o'clock
this morning, but they did not break
into it.
Dentist Gives Alarm.
AS soon as Dentist Clifford saw the
men depart he ran down to the tele-
phone and sent in word to the central
office about the burglary and the oper-
ators turned in general alarm all op-
er the country.
Town Filled With Excited Farmers.
The farming community hereabout,
therefore heard of the burglary as
soon as the people in town knew about
it and by daylight the town was al
most filled with farmers armed with
shot guns and revolvers, ready to join
in any organized pursuit of the rob-
bers which might be made under di
Tection of the officials.
Bank In Prominent Place.
The bank is the State Bank Of
Prairie City, and the building is locat-
ed on the corner of the public square,
one of the most prominent locations in
the town. A. X. Moller is president of
the bank and his son, Albert is cash.
Ter. They We're notified shortly after
4 o'clock and with the citizens entered
the bank for examination. They found
that the robbers had secured about
$4,000 in silver coin and valuable pa
pers. The exact amount of the loss
could not be made known until after
an examination of the books.
Waterman cornered.
Night Waterman Erskine did his
duty so far as he was able He was
cornered by the robbers before he
knew what was up. When he was in
the hardware store guarded by the
robbers one of them fired shot at
him to intimidate him. The bullet
was found in the wall this morning.
Three Mems Work.
The officers think that the work
was done by three men who were seen
in the town last Saturday, having no
apparent business here. Two of them
were particularly noticeable, one be-
ing tall and the other short, and the
short man having very white face
and hands and had the appearance of
( having been recently released from
the penitentiary.
Boodhounds Sent For
Had the dentist, and the doctor been
able TO reach q phone. the central Of
flee could have given the alarm With
success. The Knoxville blood hounds
have been sent for and will be placed