Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-14
ROBS BANK AND
COMMITS SUICIDE
WHEN CAPTURED
FASHl0NABLY CLAD BANDIT
ENDS HIS LIFE
ARlsTocRATIc VILLAGE SCENE
OF BOLD CRIME
Highwayman Rides Up in Automobile,
Holds Up Three Persons and
FIees-chauffeur Taken
Alive
tBy Associated Press. ]

HHICAGO, Oct. 1S.-A fashionably
dressed bandit who today robbed
~ the Savings bank of d. M. Frs
kline & Co., in Highland Park, Ill, an
aristocratic village on the lake shore,
25 miles north of Chicago, committed
suicide by shooting when driven to
bay by the Highland Park marshal and
a posse of citizensO
A companion who had driven him to
the bank in an automobile was cap
tured Immediately following the rob-
berry, forcing the principal perpetrator
to flee on foot. He engaged in run
ming duel with Town Marshal John
Sheehan.
After running several blocks, the rob-
Der dashed into a shed closely followed
sby Sheehan. When the fugitive saw
he was caught he eluded arrest by TAX
ing his own life.
The man arrested, who appeared in
the guise of a chauffeur, refused to
disclose anything concerning his own
or his companions identity.
The robbery was spectacular. The
bandit obtained about $500 after he had
forced Cashier Duffy, Miss Nellie Fitz-
gerald, the bookkeeper and Joseph F.
Richards, the receiving teller, into the
cashiers cage just after the close of
business for the day.
Drive Up to Bank
In the morning the automobile bear
ing the robber and his chauffeur drove
up to the bank. The man who is now
dead entered the bank and inquired
of Cashier Duffy whether Mr.. Will
liams" was within the bank.
Duffy said he knew of Mr.. Viii
liams at Libertyville, ILL.,, some miles
west of Highland Park. The visitor
thanked him and left the bank.
He drove away and returned a little
after 2 p. m. He entered the bank
while his chauffeur remained outside
in the automobile.
did you find Williams?" asked Duffy
when his visitor re-entered.
mo, he was not there" the stranger
replied.
Cashier Duffy then became suspici-
Gus. and his visitor went to the street
/ and conversed with the chauffeur, re-
turning again to the bank, while Duffy
closed the front door.
The side door he left open for the
stranger to depart. Fearing something
was wrong, Duffy hurriedly took
large sum of money and locked it in
the vault.
CONFRONTED ny 0oDpeT
Several hundred dollars still were in
his cage. AS he entered the cage Duffy
was confronted by the robber. who
covered him with a revolver.
'Call everyone in here into that cage,
said the bandit, "or I'll blow your head
off Hurry up"
Duffy complied.
Miss Fitzgerald and Richards came
into the cage while the intruder helped
himself to all the money in sight. He
carefully tucked the gold and bills into
his pockets and then exclaimed: IF
any of you attempt to follow me l
will kill you"
He started for the door and Duffy
quickly telephoned the marshalrs office
across the street. BY the time the rob
ber reached the automobile Marshal
Sheehan was running toward the bank.
Then began the thrilling chase.
All the money was recovered.
Robber Identified
Tt was learned tonight that the dead
bank robber had registered at the
Avenue house in Evanston wednesday
night as 81. C. Wilson, Milwaukee,
Wis.," and that the automobile which
took him to the bank had been loaned
him by j. e. Keelyn, a wealthy mining
man of Goldfeld. New, who lives in
Evanston part of the year.
The man under arrest is Keelyn's
chauffeur His name is Fred Schwab
and he has been trusted employe of
Keelyn's in the west and in Chicago for
several years.
Schwab declared he knew nothing
about the character of his passenger
and that he had suspected nothing
until he saw him fleeing from the bank.
Keelyn told the police that Wilson
had gained his confidence in a talk at
the hotel Wednesday relating to him
incidents of life in the west with which
he was familiar. He told Keelyn his
home was in San Francisco.
Today when he sought to hire an
automobile Keelyn suggested that he
take his. Keelyn also loaned him his
fur automobile coat, which the robber
was wearing when he shot himself.
In the pocket of the coat later were
found cards bearing the names of Lee
Harrison and "McBrayer Harrison" ;"
These are believed to be aliases of the
dead man, as Keelyn asserts the cards
were not in the coat when he loaned 1t
to Wilson.
Schwab is held by the authorities
pending the inquest, but he declared he
would be able to clear himself of any
suspicion relating to the bank robbery.
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