River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1905-11-23

house at Lima which she was temper
Grily making her home. It was fixed
UP previously by the officers for the
meeting and arranged so that they
could hear the entire conversation be-
tween the three without being seen.
1t was a story and half house. A
hole was cut through the ceiling above
the room in which the meeting was
held, the lath and plastering being re-
moved, but leaving the paper on. This
was, however, perforated with small
holes so as to allow the sounds from
below to come through. Located in
this garnet, one could hear converse
ton held in the room below.
In this garnet previous to the meet
ing Of Mrs. Wilkins with Wilkins and
Bowsher three men were concealed
Deputy Sheriff Erect, Walter M. Scott,
the court stenographer, and a private
detective. Each of them had mega
phones. They could hear distinctly the
slightest whisper, and the court stem
ographer could transcribe every word
CT the conversation.
Wilkins and Bowsher, Mrs. Wilkins re-
newed her plea to Wilkins for his pay
rnent of the monthly alimony allowed
her by the court in the divorce pro-
ceedings. Both men were given to I'M
derstand that this must be paid.
Then began a discussion between
Bowsher and Wilkins as to the abili-
ties of each to pay and what they had
done with the stolen money.
How Robbery Was Executed.
At last the payments of the alimony
seemed to be arranged by Bowsher
agreeing to fix it, and then Mrs. Will
kins, for the benefit of the auditors
in the garnet above, guided the con-
versation into narration of how the
robbery was planned and executed.
'Tell us, Lige," she said, "how you
did the job at the bank. l have often
wanted to know" And then Bowsher
told the story of how he had taken the
money from the bank vault.
He had been around so long as
Janitor that he had learned much about
the mechanism of the vault locks He
was satisfied that he could allow him
self to be locked in the vault and then
work himself out again.
This is what he did on the night of
the robbery, using as his tools only an
ordinary wrench and screwdriver of
a common kind When Cashier Kalb
and Vice President Micheal were pre-
pairing that night to close up the bank
Bowsher slipped into the vault unob-
served and was locked in. By unfast-
ening thumbscrews and bolts to the
inner and outer doors he worked his
way to the bank Office again within
few moments after the officers left it.
With the combination to the inside
safe he secured the money, then, fixing
the vault doors and leaving the outer
enc ajar, he had the scheme fixed IT,
fasten suspicion on the bank officers.
This was the story he told, given
here in substance only. Every word
OF it, with the entire conversation be-
tween him and Wilkins and his wife.
was taken down by the stenographer
N the garnet above and convincing evil
dence of the guilt of the two men was
fixed.
Their arrest followed. For few
days each denied his guilt. Finally,
seeing the web so closely woven about
Linn, Bowsher confessed and, going
with the prosecuting attorney and the
sheriff to the bank, showed them just
how he had committed the robbery.
He allowed himself to be locked in
the vault, the combination locks to
10th doors and the time lock being set.
and in eight minutes he had worked
himself out.
Guilty Men Sent to Jail.
On the following day he appeared in
court, pleaded guilty and received his
sentence. Wilkins held out for few
days longer and then confessed to hA<-
inc received part Of the stoleh money.