Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-12-01
BOY BANDIT HAS
NARROW ESCAPE
GEORGE BENTON COMES NEAR
BEING LvNcAEp BY MAzo- !
MASlE CITIZENS.
ATTEMPTS TO HOLD UP ASSIST
ANT CASHIER OF PEG
PIES BANK.
Madison, Nov. "a.


After a bold attempt to rob the
Peoples bank at Mazomanie during
the noon hour yesterday, George Ben
ton, aged Is years, came near being
lynched by an excited mob of citi-
zens of that otherwise peaceful town.
He carried enough cartridges to shoot
up the whole town but after firing
three shots at his pursuers he gave
himself up. He was brought to Mad
ison last evening by Marshal Roch
and locked up IN the jaii.
He entered the bank Immediately
after the cashier had left for dinner
and at the point Of Colts six-shoOter
tried to hold up Miss Smith, the as
sistant cashier She screamed ana
fell TO the floor. Her outcries brought
number of people to the scene and
the boy bandit fled ! He fired twice
into the posse and once aimed direct
ly at Marshal Roch, the bullet almost
outskirts of the village and locked up
in the village jail.
In boyish sort of way Benton
spoke freely of his bold attempt in
the presence of Turnkey Thomas q.
Moran and Democrat reporter last
night. His parents are dead and ac-
cording to his story he has led The
life of a criminal for some time he
claims that he had q partner yester-
day but the latter remained at the
depot, block and half away from
the bank, and escaped on a moving
freight train.
Picked Pockets on Boats.
my partner and / used to pick
pockets on boats running between
Milwaukee and Chicago he SAID,
leaning against the steel bars of the
cell room. I'VE made speciality or
snatching ladies' purses. We operat-
/ ed at the docks and after we had fin
ished a job we ran into the boat ana
| hid ourselves.
| According to Benton his pal has
served two terms in reformatory for
picking pockets.
Met at Madison.
Il worked in Arena and went to
school there during my spare time,
he continued. my partner called on
to rob the bank at Mazomanfe. He
told me to get some equipment and 1
ordered a Colts gun and ESQ cart
ridges from the Siegel-Cooper COM
pany in Chicago. BY arrangement we
met at Madison on Thursday morning
and stayed there all day
Benton and his pal paraded the
streets of this city all day Thursday.
They wore belts filed with cartridges
and carried their guns under their
coats.
why did not your partner go with
you to the bank9" he was asked.
Because We were afraid we would
create suspicion, replied the youthful
bandit my partner remained at
the depot and ] went to the bank
alone. Just before ! got to the bank
saw the marshal walking down the
street.
Planned on Robbing Safe.
why did you not shoot Miss
Smith?" he was asked
q did not dare to- said Benton. II
did not want to shoot her / expected
to find a man behind the desk but he
had just left for homt. 1t was my in
tention to hit him over the head with
the butt of my gun and them rob the
safe"
Asked how many people joined IN
the chase, Benton said:
| Il guess the whole population of
the town was out / did not know
that SO many people lived in that
place
besides the SIX shooter Benton al
SO carried % revolver. IN the belt
he had placed Sc cartridges and his
pockets also were flied. He only had
a few dollars in change on his person
Benton viii be JIG years old in Jal,-
uary. He will be taken before Judge
Donovan in the municipal court this