The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1903-03-05
WESTV|LLE
MURDERERS
Three Men in Jail at LaPorte Believed
to Have Blown the Bank Safe
and Killed Wesley Reynolds.

After nearly months of hard work and the follow
ing of nnumerabe clews the have under arrest
three who believed concerned in the
attempted robbing of the Smith bank at WeStvie and
the dastardy murder of Wesley Reynolds hank clerk
who herocaly gave his life in order to protect the
funds of the institution.
The men arrested Clarence Durham, aged 35 Elias
Wagner, aged 40; and Edward Clancy whose home in
Wanatah CLANCY is pal of Wagner and Durham, and
has been trouble several times before.
Both Wagner and Durham bad records especially
the former who is under indictment in the Laporte
county circuit for burglary grand and petit
larceny. He member of the notorious gang which
years ago committed many crimes this vicinity
including the robbng of Henry LOCKER at Union Mills the
holding up Of John Garwood on the highway south Of
town, the mail robbery Wanatah and rading of
farm houses and chicken coops. The gangs
wide field gave it the name of chicken thief gang.
The made by Sheriff Craft Detective Will
lam Winehart of the Lafayette City detective force
Thomas Burns, special Monon agent and J. M Hi the
Westve iveryman, who deputized for the occasion
by the sheriff of Laporte If the prove be the right
it viii be long before the dastardy murder of
Wesley Reynolds will be avenged
The sanguine FEELING of the detectives that they have
the guilty parties is shared by all the people, though
many believe and hope that mistake has been made
and that at last the robbers and murderes
earth Those who sceptIca guilt the
under argue that but professionals would
undertake such job that of blowing safe in the
Westvie bank. But the fanilarity with the location
the knowledge how rig could be obtained and just where
drive get away this averred by many
show that local talent the bottom of the case
1t is thought that the robbers had any intention
numbering the clerk but being resisted in their efforts
get the safe they had other choice than shoot him
down in cold bCd 1t also claimed by those who have
doubts about these being tne right parties that they
would have have remained vicinity long
they If they thought they not suspected
On the other hand If they did commit the crime it
to their interest skip OUTPUT remain long
enough in their old haunts to throw off any suspicion that
there might be and then quietly take their departure
after the excitement had cooled down.
The story of the attempted robbery of the Smith bank
at Westylle the murder cold blood of Wesley Re-
nods the bank clerk is Of too recent to
cesstate its republication in detail The robbers secured
booty. One of the bandits wounded by the lad,
who empted of his revove the robbers before be
forfeited his fe and although the murdeers traced
by the buggy which they stole from John Herrod and in
which they escaped. they not at that time appre
hended Officers and detectives swarmed the place but to
avail The family of which the lad was the manstay,
has been remembered by creation of fund.- known
the wesley Reynolds Memceia Fund"
Detective Burns stated in discussing the arrest of the
that the officers had sufficient evidence to hang the
custody and that there would be trouble in
convicting them.