The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1909-10-15
DEAD ROBBER
MAY Be LAWYER
CHICAGO POLICE TRYING TO
SOLVE MANS IDENTITY.
MAYBE WAS POLICE MURDERER

After SensationaIIy Robbing Bank in
Lake Shore Town Near Chicago,
Mysterious Highwayman, Driven at
Bay, Ends Life.
Chicago, Oct. 14.-Efforts to estab.
lsh the identity of the man who had
held up ID. Merksine's bank yesterday
and committed suicide to avoid cap
ture were made by the local police
authorities today.
In Highland Park the authorities
believe the robber was Lamar A. Har-
his, formerly an attorney in Los An
geles. The Chicago police are work
ing on the theory that the man may
have been Martin Becker, vino is want
ed in Kenosha, another northern shore
town, for shooting the Kenosha chief
of police last July.
Chicago, Oct IA fashionably
noon robbed the savings bank of ID. Nj.
Erskine and company in Highland
Park, ILL.,, an aristocratiC village on the
lake shore twenty-five miles north of
Chicago committed suicide by shoot
ing himself in the mouth when driven
to bay by the Highland Park mar
shall and posse of citizens.
A comparison of the robber who
had driven him to the bank in an
automobile, was captured Immediately
following the robbery of the bank
forcing the principal perpetrator in the
daring daylight crime to flee on foot.
He engaged in a running duel with
d, own Marshal John Sheehan who was
the target for many bullets from the
fugitive bandits revolver, one of
which went through the sleeve of his
coat.
After running several blocks and
failing to drive back his pursuer, the
robber ran into a shed closely follow
ed by Sheehan. When he saw Shee-
ian enter the shed with his revolver
levelled at his head, the fugitive put
the muz2le of ms own revolver in his
mouth and fired a shot which resulted
in his death almost Immediately
The robbery was conducted in de-
liberate and spectacular manner, the
bandit obtained $500 in gold coin ana
bills after he had forced John C. Duff
fly, cashier of the bank, and Miss Mel
lie Fitzgerald the boollkeeper. and
Joseph F. Richards, the receiving tel
Ter, into the cashiers cage.
Duffy Immediately telephoned the
marshals office across the street. By
! the time the robber reached the auto
mobile Marshal Sheehan was running
toward the bank. At the sight of
him, the robber broke into a run and
citizens held the chauffeur.
The chase after the fugitive was a
thrilling one, but ended in his suicide
within a few minutes. All the money
taken from the bank was found in his
clothing.
Chicago, Oct. IA - 1t was learned
tered at the Avenue House in Evans
ton, H., Wednesday night as 81, c.
Wilson, Milwaukee, Wis.," and that
the automobile which took him to the
Highland Park bank had been loaned
him by ]. f. Keelyns. wealthy miner
of Goldfeld, New, who lived in Evans
ton part of the year,
The man under arrest, believed by
the police to have been a confederate
of the robber, is Keelyn's chauffeur
His name is Fred Schwab, and he has
been a trusted employ of Keelyn's in
the west and in Chicago for several
years. Schwab declared he knew moth
ing of the character of his passenger
and had suspected nothing until he
saw him take to his heels after leaving
the bank Keelyn told the authorities
how Wilson had gained his confidence
in talk at the hotel Wednesday night
relating to him incidents of life in the
west of which he was familiar. He
told Keelyn that his home was in San
Francisco. When he sought to hire
an automobile, Keelyn suggested that
he take his. Keelyn also loaned him
his fur automobile coat, which the rob
Der was wearing when he shot himself