The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-02-16
CONVICT coNFEssEs.
Paddy Carroll Tells How Springfield
Bank Robbery Was Done.

olouA dllS -. ~, f'eD. l4.@COntrary 10
:he usual custom of expert bank wreckers,
who decline to talk of their exploits and
methods. Paddy" Carroll. who with three
companions was recently placed in the
Sioux Falls penitentiary to serve long
terms for the robbery OF the bank OF
Springfield. 8. d., on the morning OF Oc-
tober last made a statement for publica-
ton. himself and companions secured
the sum of $500 in cash as the result of
the Springfield robbery. and escaped for
the time being by seiz.ng the team and
carriage of Mrs. DIR. Greenfield, of Avon,
who was visiting in Springfield the night
of the robbery.
Carroll's statement, which throws new
light on many features of the robbery, Is
as follows:
l left Parkston on Monday. October 2.
We reached Tyndall at about 8 O'Clock D.
m. At Tyndall we got hold of sack and
bought some canned goods. bread and beer
The. horse trader left this stun under the
railway bridge just below Springfield for
us and drove on across the Missouri and
into Niobrara.
We walked down from Tyndall to
for the water at this place. We Went
down to the bridge. ate lunch. went up
ter and then went up town. We waited
under large tree between SHOWS house
and the town for while and then went
up town and looked over the situation.
All day Wednesday we hid in the brush
along the river and not form from the
bridge.
Wednesday at about midnight we went
in the front door of the bank. At first We
tried to pick u hole in the side Of the
vault; We soon decided that, the would
then went to blacksmith shop and got a
heavy hammer. We soon had the locks
al! off and got at the safe.
gave the safe two light charges. but the
heavy one and it was Cuckoo"
We scraped the money into a sack and
found that We would have to have team
to carry. We planned on crossing the
river. but with the team we would have
to take another direction, so we decided
arst one we looked at. but they were too
heavy, and then we -an onto the Green
field rig and took it,
1t took US just two hours and thirty
minutes to drive to the grove east of Trip
The team was never put on the run a sin
gle minute. 1t was a good team, in fact
the best 1t has ever been my pleasure to
We were not more than forty minutes in
the bank. and we did not see single soul
When the money was dragged to the cor
with a slxteen-shot Winchester rifle stood
over it with Instructions to shoot everyone
that came in sight. This rifle we threw
into a creek while we drove over a bridge.
In the grove We turned the team into a
fence so that they could not get at water
while they were so warm. We then turned
the rig over SO that 1t could not be seen
from the highway.
We got into Trip and under the water
tank in time to catch the early morning
freight. We went to Mitchell and from
there to Woolsey. From Woolsey we went
to Tracey. Mimi. where we had break
fast on Thursday morning.
We were all old men and veterans at the
business. We had one big fellow with US.
| This is believed to refer to "Yorxie." who
was captured in Nebraska went through
Tyndall and stopped all day at Scotland
on the 21st of October. I registered at the
Star hotel in Scotland as Geo. Arm
strong"
have been at the business for twenty
two years. and as soon as I am out ex-
pect to go at 1t again. Tell Mrs. DR..
Greenfield that we wish to thank her for
the bananas that she left in the rig