The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-09-21
WAS DESPERATE
TRi6D HulDUP
John W. Morgan, Whose Father
Moved to California q Year
Ago, Came Back East,
Went Broke, and Grew
Desperate.
ROANOKE, VA, Special. -

Times prints the following,
Disguised according to his dime
novel idea OF a bad man and point
ing a revolver at the paying teller
at $3.50 Friday morning, John w. Nor
gan, SeVenteen-year-Ol native OF
Fincastle, boldly attempted to rob the
Citizens National Bank, of Laurel Nd.
He was prevented from accomplishing
his purpose by the prompt and uneX-
pected appearance OF the assistant
cashier who fired two shots at him.
When captured Morgan at first re-
= fused to give his correct name and
place Of residence, but after repeat
ed questioning broke down and con-
tesSed' giving a story of the robbery
and brief history Of his life. News
received from Fincastle cOrroborates
his confession, and il was learned that
the details Of his early life were cor
rectly given.
He was born in FincastIe. and last
January moved with his father to
MoJave, Cal. He bore an excellent
reputation in his native town. where
he was regarded as one of the best
boys in the neighborhood. His moth
er is dead and his grandmother, Mrs.
John Morgan, lives at Laurel, where
the boy made his attempt at robbery.
Morgan had been seen lettering
near the bank before its doors open
ed. He had on a long linen buster,
such as is used by automobiles, and
a blue cap. He stood on a corner
; apparently reading a paper, with a
bundle wrapped in newspaper under
his arm. No one needed him as he
, seemed harmless.
! About $3.50 o'clock he walked into
the bank, having covered his face
: completely with a cheap mask, COM
monty called a false face" Mr..
l Harry a. Black, merchant Of Lau-
! rel and customer Of the bank, stood
near the paying teller's window max
q ing deposit.
The youth walked straight to this
] window and leVeling a pistol at the
r mead OF Mr. A. Leroy Bevans, the tell
er, commanded:
Hands up.'
Neither Mr.. Bevans nor Mr.. Black
, TOOK the command seriously. Their
hesitation seemed TO arouse the ire
OF the hiShwayman.
Come. be quick; hands up, or I'll
blow your brains out" he said in a
husky, but determined, voice
Looking down the muzzle of a re-
volver was too much for Mr.. Bevans
ana up went his hands. Mr.. Black
tried TO edge toward the door only
a few feet away.
stand where YOU are" he was COM
manded. Ii you move Ill shoot you.
too"
Then the thief pushed a linen bag
about a foot square through the open
b ing toward the now thoroughly fright
= ened teller.
t Put an the money you've got in
I the drawer into that bag. and do il
= quick, was the next command. "But
hrSt give me that pOcketbook" the
D inner ordered, as he espied a fat-look-
- ing wallet on the tcller's counter
You don't want that. 1t contains
- nothing but discount notes. II is Of
i no value TO anyone but the bank -
[ Mt. BeVans managed TO say
D 1es' DO want il. Pass it over
e rlsht away, was the stern reply.
n nan hn oh
e toI was heard right at hand. The
S hlShHayman hesitated but a second.
{ ne turned and leaped for the door
e at THIS unexpected interruption. AS
ne uld SO another shot rang out, when
I ne cropped the wallet and his mask
4 ana IeapinS down the steps. fed mn
r the street with the agility of "A daar
s close behind came Mr.. George W.
r NateIs, Jr', cashieS Of the bank, with
pistol in his hand. He. too. cleared
e the bank steps at bound ana start
eu IN pursuit. But the highwaVman
Was 700 quick. He had jumped a
renee near by, and was soon lost TO
sight In the thick shrubberv.
How Rubber Heels Figured
cashier Waters was seated i'm tho
Dook-keepers room CALCULATING. inter
est when the man entered the hank
he heard the talking and knew from
SnS Zones 'hat something was wrong.
Selzlng a loaded revolver from the
: desk he hurried to the door LEADING
to the bank. He had only fax
steps to go and the rubber heels ON
ms shoes made his tread noiseIess. He
TOOK IN the situation instantly and
, fired point blank at the robber but
missed. The second shot also failed
10 mt. The bandit was out of view
e before he could fire again
< Mrs. Della Cooper found some one
was IN the loft of her barn, on the
outskirts OF the town. The discovc~y
was made by some children who 81 a.
the opening of this loft covered with
the brown buster. Mrs. Cooper start
3 eu up the ladder with a Ratchet &c
lhNeSuSate. She had scarcely placed
; her foot on the first rung when Nor
, gan shouted down.
Don't come up, lady; I'm herei'
Ana as Mrs. Cooper FASTENED toward
her house he leaped down the ladder
ana scurrled across the yard at full
speed.
I didn't want anybody hurt for
me, he said, least of all a woman. %
y As he flew across the yard he was
: seen by Howard Smith. Jr.. a strap
/ ping younSster of IS years, who al
once gave pursuit. Again Morgan dis
appeared from sight. Smith kept up
D the search and found the bandit lock
eu IN an clubhouse in the rear of the
, Episcopal graveyard.
Then Morgan came out and surren-
dered to this other youth without the
slightest resistance. lie did not have
his pistol, having left il with the dus-
ter in the loft of Mrs. Cooper's barn.
The armed men soon gathered and
Morgan was taken to the bank and
handcuned. Here he was placed in a
. back room under the care OF COnsta-
BILE Valentine Kaiser.
; Mr.. Nahle attempted TO sweat the
, prisoner. who ut first told q weird
tale. He said his name was Henry
Jackson and that he came from Ari-
iona. having only been in the East
? about two days. He landed i'm Wash
b ingtOn with so cents in his pocket
b and spent Monday night there. he
said. Becoming desperate. he de-
clared. he determined TO rob some
thing or somebody 10 get money. He
, bought the mask Tuesday and took
the electric car for Laurel
II went to the bank with the mask
S and bag wrapped in a newspaper and
carried another paper in my hand
which 7 pretended TO read. I adjust
ed the mask when going up the bank
steps. holding the newspaper in front
OF my face as a screen.
II was not frightened; 7 was too
desperate. Those unexpected pistol
shots took my nerve. The last shot