The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-04-18
One Of the Most Daring Bank
Robberies in the History
ofthe State of Kansas.
PUT CASHIER I'm VAULT
AND TAKE THE CASH
Officer and Business Man First
Think 1t Practical Joke, but
Are Locked in Vault and
Bandits Lcisurely Loot
the Institution and
Depart.
: oFFEYvILLE. KAN, April IT,
Tho Citizens State Bank at

OFFEYvILLE. KAN, April 17.-
The Citizens State Bank at
Chautauqua. twenty-five miles
~ west OF Coffeyville. was robbed
OF about $4,000 to-day by two
men. The men entered the bank and
forced Cashier c. c. Walterhouse and
'Del" Easley, business man. to go
into the vault. The bandits locked
them in, secured all the currency In
sight and escaped to the Usage hills.
across the line in Oklahoma. Four
posses are in pursuit.
Late tonight 1t is reported that of
ficers have surrounded the two rob-
bers in the hills fifteen rni;es south
of Chautauqua. No attempt will be
made to take tho men until tomorrow
morning.
lis an Outlaw Country.
The robbery was one of the most
daring ever executed In this part Of
Kansas, the scene of many bold hold
ups on the part. Of the Dalton. Starr and
other gangs of outlaws, who from
time to time have made their rendez-
vous In the mountainous country of
nearby Oklahoma,
Cashier Walterhouse had scarcely
opened the bank at Chautauqua this
morning and placed his currency or
the counter ready for the days busi-
ness. when the two robbers entered.
The only other person In the place was
Del Easley.
The robbers. both of them we'll
dressed. made their way leisurely to
the cashiers window. One of them was
man we'll known about town, and
when he commanded Walterhouse and
Easley to throw up their hands, the
latter two took the matter in the light
of Joke. The serious intentions of the
robbers were realized moment later,
however, when they both drew their re-
vo!yers. and. pointing them at their
victims. ordered them to get into the
vault. Without further ado Walter.
house and Easley complied. The rob.
bers Quickly slammed the door shut
and then leisurely went about their
business of looting the bank.
Took Things Easy.
First they drew down tho 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 the front en-
trance and up the main street.
One Of the men carried gunnysack.
Several persons who knew the man
spoke to him II a. friendly manner.
Nothing in the appearance Of the rob-
bers indicated the part they had just
played.
block away they mounted horses
that they had had tied at the curbing, and
rode off. After going a few blocks
from the centre OF the town they di-
rected their horses south toward the
Oklahoma Kansas State line, and
whipped them into a gallop.
The robbery was not discovered until
half Al hour later, when ]. II. Edwards.
president of the bank, entered his Of
flee. After releasing Walterhouse and
Easley from the vault, President Ed
wards gave the alarm locally and to
surrounding towns. Within another
thirty minutes posses had been made
up in Chautauqua and at Elgin and
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