The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-09-25
Regular Jesse James Crime Is
Perpetrated at Valley
Springs, 8. D.
GOT AWAY WITH THE CASH
Minnehaha County Bank Loses About
,OOO-Sensationa and Dramatic
Capture of a ToWn-The
Robbers Escape.

citizens or the town, DdIlu VI UeS-
perate robbers between 2 and 8 o'clock
A. m. Saturday blew the safe of the Min
nehaha County bank, wrecking the In
terror Of the building, secured between
$500 and $1,000. and escaped on a hand
car, which they took from the tool
house Of the Omaha Railway company.
They departed In the direction Of Sioux
Falls, thirteen miles distant.
At daybreak posse Of citizens head
ed by Editor Charles Hill left here, and
two hours later Sheriff Huston, Deputy
Charles Voelsch and Policeman Tim
Doney Of Sioux Falls. who were sum-
moned, headed another posse which
went to the north. Up to noon today
no trace of the gang had been found,
not even the hand-car on which the
robbers escaped has been discovered.
The affair was conducted in regular
Jesse James style. Shortly after 2
o'clock the town was aroused by heavy
explosions, nine in number. Druggist
T. L. Skillman, who resides across the
street from the bank, was the first man
on the scene. AS he hurried into the
street he saw six or eight men in and
around the bank, which was filled with
smoke. He had barely stepped out of
doors when a masked man showed a
gun in his face.
Ordered Hands Up.
up with your hands!" he command
ed. You can't butt In here"
Skillman obeyed. The robber whis-
tied and was soon joined by one of the
men from the bank.
''There'll be hell to pay pretty soon,"
said Skillman's captor, land we'd bet
ter fix this man."
Don't do 1T; I've got better PLAN
the other robber said. selling the drug
gist's arm.
The robbers with Slillman between
them started on run toward the rail-
road track. They hurried to a box car
and pushing open the door. picked
the druggist UP bodily and hurled him
through the opening. Then they closed
the bank near which place they en-
countered Cashier NJ. s. Hetland and
his two sons, who were hurrying to the
scene. The robbers Immediately -four
ished their guns and ordered the men
to fall back. The Hollands were un-
armed and obeyed. .
By this time citizens, hurriedly DRESS
ing. were running here and there in the
streets. Whenever they came within a
block Of the bank they were met by
heavily armed men who ordered them
back on the pain Of death. The town
had evidently been picketed. One citi-
zen, falling to understand the situa-
ton. attempted to break through the .
line and was fired on He retreatedt
hastily
Town Was Excited.
In the meantime the news had spread i
that the town was in the hands of des- !
peradoes and the widest excitement
prevailed. Women and children, half
dressed, ran screaming and crying |
through their homes and the men
hastily got out such armament as they
had and prepared for battle. Doors were
Dolted and barricaded and from the
upper windows of the residences, a
heavy fire was poured in the direction
Of the bank
In the dim light of lamps which the
robbers used in the wrecked building.
the citizens could see half dozen men
hurrying about in the ruins, busily
working on the safe, which had been
blown almost to pieces. The robbers
tackled the vault, but were finally COM
PEELED to retreat owing to the approach /,
of a party Of the nervier citizens who
came as close as they dared to the
bank
From behind buildings and trees the
citizens fired volley after volley in the
gang fled. In the confusion they es-
capped toward the railroad track.
From his place In the boxcar, where
he had been locked a half hour before,
Druggist Skillman heard the band as
1T ran past in the direction Of the tool
house. There was a crash Of wood as
the robbers beat down the door with a
sledge and in a moment the handcar
went up the main track, propelled at
high rate Of speed by the robbers.
The car went westward toward Sioux
Falls.
Safe Blown to Pieces.
It was perhaps half hour before the
citizens dared to enter the bank. When
Cashier Hetland made his way into the
building, he found the safe blown to
pieces and the cash drawer containing
nearly $1,000 5Ttaed. Papers and books
were strewn about in the wreckaEe.
The explosions had smashed the bank
furniture and fixtures and some of it
had been hurled through the windows.
The robbers had attempted to break
into the vault, but had failed. There
was, between $4,000 and $4,000 In the
vault.
Cashier Hetland had placed the 81, 900
in the safe on orders Of the National
Bank association which had advised II
that gang Of desperate cracksmen
We're working toward Sioux Falls
Alter the excitement had abated
somewhat, Skillman's cries for help
were heard and he was released from:
the box car in which he had been q
! prisoner for more than an hour Skill
man was able to give but a meager
description of the two men who cap
tured him. Only one was masked-the
man who held him up.
AS quickly as possible q posse Of
citizens under the leadership of Charles
Hill. editor Of the Valley Springs VI
dette, was organized and heavily armed
left at daybreak following the Omaha.
tracks toward Sioux Falls. Sheriff,
Iuston and deputies arrived about 8
o'clock and headed another posse
which went to the north.
The gang is supposed to be the one
operating in this vicinity the past
weey. Wednesday night the safe Of
the postoftice at Tea was blown open
and s25 and q lot Of stamps taken. The
explosion aroused the citizens but the
robbers escaped without being seen.
Thursday night the Rock Island depot
at Sioux Falls was entered. The rob
bers opened the safe without the use
OF explosives They overlooked bag
O. money In the pigeon hole es q desk