The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1906-10-26
BANK ROBBERS
FIGHT WITH POSSE
CUT WIRES, GET ALL FIREARMS
IN TOWN AND CRACK SAFE
FOR $4,5oO.
COMEDY IN MINNESOTA Town

Minot, N. D, Oct. 24.-After cutting
the telephone wires and securing all
the guns and ammunition in the town,
a gang of robbers for an hour held at
bay at / o'clock yesterday morning the
citizens of Sawyer, while they looted
the Sawyer State bank of $4,000 in
bills and currency.
Reports reached Minot late last
night that the bank robbers have been
surrounded by posse about six miles
north Of Sawyer and that fusillade
was in progress.
About twenty-five Minot men left OH
500 train last night to help Sheriff
Lee and his deputies capture the ban
,ysiits. The Minot men were all heavily
armed with Krag- -Jorgensens and said
they will fight the robbers to the last
ditch.
Cornered in Field.
The robbers left Sawyer on loot.
walking along the 500 railroad track
of the robbery, and at 2 o'clock
,erday afternoon left with a posse
-, search of the hold-up men.
The robbers secured guns and am
munition from Brassett & Lund's hard
ware store. They exploded eight
charges of dynamite and shot OUT
nearly all the window lights in the vi
cinity of the bank
Fred Fulber, well known citizen.
was knocked down and carried to a
box car and locked in by the robbers
l., J. 1, In,
ed consciousness.
The burglars began work about l
o'clock and several citizens were
awakened by the first explosion. On
arriving at the bank they were met
with a fusillade of bullets coming from
several directions.
Pursued by Sheriff.
More citizens gathered, but owing to
lack of organization they were re
pulsed. The burglars had a man at
each corner of the bank building,
willie a fifth man worked at the safe.
About s o'clock last evening it was
announced that members of the Saw
yer posse had cornered the bandits in
a field near Sawyer
Citizens of Northwestern North Da-
kota are aroused over the wholesale
robberies during the last few weeks.
1t is probable that the authorities will
organize with view to suppressing
this form OF violation of law.
Comedy in Minnesota.
Little Falls, Mimi, Oct. 24.-An at
tempt was made Sunday evening 70
rob the bank of Swanville at Swan
vile, nineteen miles west of this city,
which seemed more like an opera
bouffe than a robbery. The robbers
pried open the front door of the bank
and attacked the brick wall of the safe
deposit vault with picks and crowbars.
While at work here they were heard
by a citizen, who shot out of his win
dow with a revolver and bawled lusti-
sly for help. Help came in the form OF
the village marshal carrying a repeat
Ing rifle and villagers armed with hay.
forks and other primitive weapons.
An attempt was made to induce this
party to lead an assault on the bank,
but the posse couldn't be convinced of
the utility of the scheme, and the rob-
bers were left to their work undisturh-
ed.
Y Tells the Sheriff.
Finally some one telephoned to the
sheriff in this city, nineteen miles
away, asking him to come out and
save the bank. The sheriff advised
them to form gang and Jump" the
robbers, but received the mournful re-
sponse that the gang wouldn't 60
Finally. apparently frightened at
their own wickedness, the robbers de-
camped without obtaining any money.
as they had been unable to pierce the
strong box. The vault is wreck.
Bloodhounds will be put on the trail
of the bandits.