Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-07-14
BANK ROBBERY
TALE UNFOLDED
MARTIN is ACCUSED OF BEING
LEADER IN M0NR0VIA JOB
GEORGE A. BEATTY TELLS HOW
$4,000 WAS OBTAINED
Safe Expert on Trial Declares That
He Gave Combination to Fellow
Worker In Course of
Business

George Allen Beatty, whose confess
sion to participation in the robbery OF
the First National bank of MonroVla
of $4,000 December IA last led to the
arrest of Charles S. Martin and Ern-
est w. Sundin, was the principal VII
ness against Martin yesterday IN inc
latter's trial before jury in Judge
Davis criminal court.
According to Beattys story, Martln'
who was a bank safe expert and en-
Moved with the witness in construct
ing the vault for the Monrovla pank'
was the first person to suggest the idea
Of the robbery, a suggestion, said the
witness. which neither he nor Sunoln
took seriously until Martin insisted
that he was in earnest and could give
them the combination of the safe.
Agreement Is Made
"Then Sundin and 1 agreed to go IN
with him." said Beatty. Martin saln
he would go to Ventura and remain
several days, so that suspicion would
not point in his direction. He left De
cember IL, and that evening Sundln
ana I went To Monrovia by street car,
looked over the bank, but got cold
feet and returned to Los Angeles"
Beatty said another trip to Monro-
via was made the following night, Dut
he and Sundin again became 1rlght-
ened, and when they came back 10 Los
Angeles Sundin suggested that they
take another man into their commence
A man named Hatfield was engaged
by Sundin, and the three men rode TO
Monrovia in an automobile, reaching
there about o'clock in the evening or
December IA Three hours later sun
din and Hatfield carried the tools with
which to effect an entrance into the
bank to the rear of the building, Whlle
Beatty drove the automobile to po-
sition directly opposite the bank ana
turned on the gasoline so that the noise
made by the machine would drown the
sound of the men working at the win
dow.
Story of Robbery Told
"When the window was pried open
Hatfield and Sundin assisted me to get
inside" continued Beatty. land, with
the aid of the combination given me by
Martin, / opened the two inner doors
of the vault and burglar proof chest.
| took all the currency and gold, leaV-
ing only a torn 81 bill and the silver
The money and tools were given TO
Hatfield and Sundin after / locked the
safe, following Martins instructions
to leave everything in such a way that
suspicion would be directed against
some person employed by the bank.
Joined the two men, ana we came 10
Los Angeles in the automobile"
Beatty said he stole about $27 ,0OO
which was divided into four parts at
Sundin's office on South Broadway, one
share going to himself one to Hatfield
and aonther to Sundin, the latter also
being given the custody of Martins
portion of the money.
Following Beatty's testimony, Sun
din, who also has confessed to his part
In the robbery and applied for a pro-
stationary sentence, was called to the
stand, his testimony corroborating that
of Beatty. He will again be a witness
when the trial is resumed today.
Hatfield disappeared Immediately
after the robbery, and no clew to his
whereabouts has so far been discov-
cred.
Martin Denies Charge
1t is contended by Martin that he
knew nothing of the robbery until he
returned from Ventura. He says he
gave the combination OF the bank safe
to Sundin in the regular course of
business.
"Sundn was employed in the office
of the PARCELS Safe company, agency
for the Diebold Safe and Lock COM
pany, by which l was employed, said
Martin yesterday. ut was my duty to
give him the combination of each safe
where / supervised the construction,
this Information being made a matter
of record in the company's office. When
I gave the MonroVia bank combination
to him I supposed it would be used for
this purpose"