The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-04-23
LOCK CASHIER IN
VAULT, LOOT BANK
Two Robbers Pull Off Extreme
ly Bold Piece Of Work
In Kansas.

Coffeyville, Kan, April 20.-Two men
entered the Citizens State bank at
Chatauqua, 25 miles west Of Coffey-
vile, at $3.50 o'clock this morning,
locked Cashier c. c.. Walterhouse and
Del Easley, a business man. in
the vault, secured all the currency
in sight, about $4,000, and escape. in
to the hills across the line into Okla
homa. Four posses are in pursuit and
as the roads are muddy, 1t Is believed
the robbers will be captured.
The robbery was n of the most
daring ever executed in this part Of
Kansas, the scene OF many holdups
On the part OF Dalton. Starr and other
gangs of outlaws who from time to
time have made their rendezvous in
the mountaious country of nearby
Oklahoma.
Took II as Joke.
Cashier Walterhouse had scarcely
opened the bank at Chautauqua and
had placed his currency on the counter
ready for the days business. when the
two robbers entered. The only other
person in the place was Del Easley. The
robbers, both we'll dressed. made their
way leisurely to the cashiers window.
One of them was a man well known
about town, and when he commanded
W~alterhouse and Easley to throw up
their hands the latter two took the
matter in the light of a joke. The SER
ious intentions of the robbers were re-
allied q moment later, however, when
they both drew revolvers and, pointing
them at their victims, ordered them to
get into the vault. Without further
ado Walterhouse and Easley complied.
LeisureIy looting.
The robbers quickly slammed the door
nh,,k n-1 kHnr 1nIcttrnIu Nxynnt nhntIf
their business Of looting the bank. First
they drew down the window shades
facing the street and locked the doors
to prevent interference. When they
had scraped up all the money in sight
they walked out of the front entrance
and up the main street. One man car
ried a gunny sack.
Several persons who knew the man
whom W~alterhouse n Easley say Is
a we'll known Chatauqua character.
spoke to him in a friendly manner.
Nothing in the appearance of the rob-
bers betrayed the part they a just
played. A block away they stepped
into a buggy behind a team they had
tied at the curbing n drove off. After
going a few blocks from the center Of
town they directed their horses south
toward the Oklahoma-Kansas state line
and whipped them into a gallop.
Robbery Discovered.
The robbery was not discovered until
half an hour later, when J.. M. Edwards,
president Of the bank, entered the Of
fee. After releasing W~alterhouse and
Easley from the vault. Edwards gave
the alarm.
Within another 30 minutes, posses had
been mado up in Chautauqua, Elgin,
Sedan. Kan, and Pawhuska, Okla, all
contiguous to the scene Of the robbery
and from three sides armed men began
a hot chase after the robbers.
Cashier Walterhouse states positively
that one of the robbers was William
Tenant. aged 20, formerly Of CHATEAU
qua, who recently escaped from Jail at
Nowata, Okla, where he had been held
on a charge OF horse stealing. Tenant
some time ago borrowed a small sum
OF money from the bank, Walterhouse
said. When Tenant entered the bank
this morning Walterhouse supposed he
came to renew h note or take it up.