The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-02-15
METAL FRAGMENT
LEADS TO PRISON
FRANK WILLIAMS, NOW IN STILL
WATER FOR BLOWING KARs.
TAD BANK, HAS UNIQUE
FATE.

st. Paul. Feb. l5.-rFrank williams,
heraIded as one of the most accom-
plished yeggmen Of the country, who
was sentenced to saltwater last week
10 serve ten years for blowing the
state Bank Of Ksrstsd. Mimi. owes HIS
fate TO tiny piece Of metal lodged
In mutilated $40 bill, almost invisible
10 the naked eye.
II was through the detective instincts
OF G.. p. Brown, chief of the service OF
the Interstate Bankers association,
that Williams Is now serving the limit
OF the state in state prison.
The bank at Karstad was blown on
the night of August IT. 1909, the booty
being $1,000. Mr.. Brown Immediately
took charge OF the case A hasty visit
TO the bank revealed the fact that the
yeggs had used too much nitroglycerin
In cracking the vault. The explosion
was terrific and the safe completely
wrecked. Local police made nothing of
the debris. but the agent realized that
many profound discoveries hung on
TRIES and he made careful survey of
the wreck and collected fragments of
currency.
Wstehss City Currency.
Then began a most exhaustive ex-
amination of the currency OF the lsrg-
er cities and towns of the state. From
the first the detective surmised that
Frank Williams alias Tom Tracy, alias
Harry Wesby, alias Dad Williams. a
gun man of the northwest who had no
mercy for friend or foe had something
a. L.
Mr.. Brown was not sure, entertaining
merely supopsition, but working up
on Il.
1t was in Minneapolis that Brown
ran across the FIRST bit OF evidence. He
believed Williams would come either to
ST. Paul or Minneapolis for good time
and the currency of both cities was
watched closely. A long watch was
finally rewarded when a mutiliated $40
bill turned UP at the Northwestern Ma
tional bank in Minneapolis Close ex-
animation proved that one of the frag-
ments gathered at Karstad fitted ex-
actly into one of the ragged edges of
the one cashed. ..- ......
Brown then new his man was in
Minneapolis. other bills came in and
other examinations were made. All be-
longed to some fragment the detective
possessed, and all were deposited in
the same bank. The depositor of the
money was discovered. The man was
a saloonkeeper and described the man
who cashed the torn bills to Mr.. Brown.
The description Tailed with that of
Williams. The latter in some manner
heard he was discovered and left the
city before an arrest could be made.
He went to WATERFOWL, S. D., and
twelve hours later Mr.. Brown was on
his way TO WATERFOWL.
Pursued and Pursusr Meet.
Pursued and pursuer were now in the
same town, both wary and watchful,
Williams secure in the belief that he
had lodged all his enemies until on
the evening of Sept 5, when he came
face to face with the detective on the
main street of WATERFOWL -.~s
Il want you was Browns saluta-
ton
Guess you don't" was the comeback,
and terrific but futile fight re-
suited. The minion of the law. how
ever, overpowered the yegg and took
him into custody Requisition papers
were made out and the outlaw taken
70 Karstad. His trial commenced Feb.
8. The evidence of the bankers associ-
alton was too strong. and he felt the
strong arm of justice.
Brown takes the matter as an every
day occurrence. He is an ordinary sized
man. cool headed and credited with
being one of the best of his craft in
the country. He is in possession of the
fragments OF currency which assisted
him in his work. These have been
pasted together.