The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1907-04-08
Ephrata Bank Bandits
Captured by Cowboys
Daring Desperado Taed and Trapped Four Valiant Vague
ros-Brought First to Wenatchee and Removed to
Waterville to Await Trial.

attempted, left her house and went
out in the black night to the Ephrata
hotel and gave the alarm.
J. M. Pierce and Deputy Sheriff A.
! A. Lyle had been awakened by the
noise and were the first to respond.
| They ran one block and with the
/, Pioneer store for protection began to
shoot in the direction of the bank.
Since nothing could be seen in the
darkness their aim was imperfect.
| Later, after another charge had ex-
ploded, light appeared in the bank
and at this shot after shot was fired.
Then another charge resounded and
| the large doors of the safe were
heard to fall upon the floor. fierce
duel followed this, about 100 bullets
being exchanged. Again the light
appeared in the bank and again shot
after shot was sent at the light.
Meantime another charge had been
placed and ignited. This charge must
| have taken off the steel cap of the
safety vault door and sent it whirling
through the bank. Again the light
appeared in the building. The rob-
bers went closer in the hope of gain
ing the money wanted, only to find
they had yet several inches of steel
between them and their booty. One
held the light while the other used
large, heavy bar, obtained from the
| Great Northern section house. A
small crevice was made at the bot
tom of the vault. Into this more
nitroglycerine was placed and an
other discharge was heard. During
the preparation of the last charge the
bullets from the officers came too
thick for the robbers, and after look
ing to see if the last charge had open
ed the vault. they left without get
ting anything for their trouble. Seven
different charges of nitrOglycerine
were exploded on the vault. Look
l
vels how it could have stood the re-
peated attacks, yet the safety vault
has only a small hole in the bottom
Another charge would have given the
robbers the cash which they were
looking for, but the shots rained in
upon them too fast.
Dodged Bullets for an Hour.
The robbers worked about an hour.
There were four of them engaged
One held a position on the north az
another on the south corner, while
the remaining two worked upon the
SAFE ]. L. Pierce. who lives not ten
feet away from the bank building,
attempted to come out, but was told
to stay where he belonged. This he
did without being told a second time.
After leaving the bank the despera-
does went south, coming back about
three blocks east of the bank build
| ing. Here they turned east and went
across country. A large posse under
i Deputy Sheriff Lyle left early Sat-
/ urday morning and went through
the country east of Ephrata. Friday
night one of the banks patrons
called after the bank had closed and
left $50 for deposit today. This the
robbers took Two different mel
| found $40 on the trail of the four
robbers, which reduces the sum to
| $50.
| E. c. Davis, who is cashier, has
been in Ephrata only week. He says
that everything looks all right so far
as he can see.
! The Capture.
| After a short, sharp chase the rob-
bers were captured at p. m. at Will
low lake, about eight miles east of
Ephrata. They were disarmed and
drought back to Ephrata about 1 $50
p. m. j. T. Heron, Oscar Finney,
Press j. Common and John Smith,
who were in pursuit, are horsemen
ranching in the Moses coulee coun-
try. They had just been told by
sheep hearders that no suspicious
character lurked about when black
spot was seen to move in the sage