The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-09-12

pot. Upon reaching point near the
depot the young men were then COM
manded to 60 into the depot and sit
down, and were earnestly warned
not to say word, touch key, or
make a move for the telephone.
Fearing that the depot was being
guarded the young men did exactly
as commanded, and there was hardly
stir in the little town until every
body was sure that the yeggmen
were we'll on their way.
From the depot the robbers went
one block west, one block north, and
another block west, and there crawl
ed, through a barbed wire fence
and disappeared over the hill in a
pasture that adjoins the town. The
work of robbing the bank was COM
menced about l o'clock and it was
3:O5 a. m.,. over two hours after
wards, before Sheriff J. V. Mason or
any other authority outside of the
town of Thayer were notified. Sheriff
Mason hurriedly procured an auto
mobile and had the driver, Chas.
Morgan, hasten with him to the
scene of the crime as fast as the
wheels of the machine would turn.
Lester Brown, the night watchman
at Alton, was taken into the automo-
bile as it passed through that place,
and together Mr.. Mason and Mr..
Brown commenced an investigation
as soon as they arrived in Thayer
Sheriff Mason first obtained a de-
scription of the robbers and then no
titled all of the surrounding country
to watch for them. Everything pos
sible was done before daylight, and
as soon as day dawned the officers
went over the trail that the robbers
had taken out of town and followed
it as far as they could. Diligent
search was made for tracks made
by an automobile, buggy or any
rain having fallen soon after the
robbers went over the ground no
tracks were visible. All trains were
also watched until 9 or 10 o'clock,
but nothing that was done furnished
any clue whatever, and the author
tiles are entirely in the dark as to
how the robbers got into the town
or how they travelled after making
their escape through the town.
Three of the guests of the hotel,
which is located south of the tracks
and considerable distance from
the bank, but from which a plain
view of the bank is afforded, stood
in the front window of the hotel and
watched the whole performance, and
other persons watched from their
homes. Among those who witnessed
the work were Mr.. and Mrs. Hill,
Mr.. and Mrs. Smith, Mr.. and Mrs.
Robeson, and Mr.. and Mrs. Briniger.
In checking over the books at the
bank this morning it was found that
the money taken was of the follow
ing denomination: Thirteen $40
bills, twenty-three $40 bills, ten IS
bills, one $40 gold piece, two $40
gold pieces, two IS gold pieces, and
about SIT in change. Mr.. Parsons,
president of the bank, stated that
the amount stolen was between $500
and $500.
The bank was we'll insured and
the loss is entirely covered. The
depot agent told this morning that
before leaving one of the robbers
asked him if Mr.. Parsons had any
other means, and on being told that
he owned farm and was quite we'll
to do, remarked that he would not
miss it.
The work is unquestionably that
Of professional safe-blowers, and Is
believed by many that they are MEM
bers of an organization that has
been conducting the bank robberies
all over the country.