Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1913-01-10
JOE kEARNs PARoLED.
Was the Man Who Held Up Brink
man Bank In 1906.

The man who walked into a New
ton bank, pulled gun in the cash
ier's face, walked out with $1,000,
across the street to a barber shop
where he got a shave and a bath.
then joined in the search for the
bank robber, has been paroled by Gov
ernor Stubs.
Joseph Kearns, the bank robber.
created a sensation in Newton in
1906 and later in the same year Great
ed even a greater sensation at Great
Bend. He fell into the hands of the
Officers after an innocent man had
been killed and was sent to the peni-
tentiary for from 10 to 21 years.
Kearns is young man belonging
to a highly respected family in an
other state. He came to Kansas from
Chicago and decided to become a bold
bad man. He dropped off a Santa Fe
train at Newton and walked to the
nearest bank. He stepped inside and
poked revolver into the face of
the cashier. There was no commo-
tion and no excitement. The cashier
handed over the money in sight,
$1,000, and Kearns quietly walked out
at the front door.
Before any alarm had been given
he stepped across the street to a.
barber shop. He was shaved and
then took bath. There was a COM
motion outside by this time and
Kearns Joined the crowd. He inuuir-
ed what the excitement was all about
and when told that a bank had been
robbed he feigned great surprise. He
helped search the alleys for the rob-
ber. The robber was not found and
kearns took train for Chicago in
few hours.
! He found robbing Kansas banks SO
easy that short time later he de-
cided to try it again. He went fur
ther west this time and dropped off
the train at Great Bend. As at New
ton he walked into the Brinkman
State bank and leveled his revolver
at the cashier A few hundred dol
lars were handed out and an alarm
was given at the same time. A crowd
gathered at the front door.
Kearns slipped out the back door
into an alley and found it was guard |
ed at each end. He ran up a back |
stairway into a millinery store on the
second floor. The crowd that had
gathered with firearms guarded the
front and rear entrances while others |
went to the roof. With high power
ed rifles they bored bullet holes thru
the roof in their efforts to kill the
rObber below.
One of these bullets went on
through to the first floor and killed |
an express messenger who was attend
ing to his own business. Eventually
the crowd closed in on Kearns and he
surrendered. He was given a hasty
trial and it was during this trial that
it was discovered he was the same
man who had pulled off the Newton
robbery. He was sentenced to from
10 to q years in the state peniten-
tiary.
Ever since he has been in the peni-
tentiary the family has been having
Influential people take the matter up
with Governor Stubs. Several prom
inent people in other states have ask
ed the governor fro Kearns' release.
Upon the agreement that the family
would take charge of him and see
that he behaved himself Governor
Stubbs granted the parole.
Great Bend people have good good
cause to remember Kearns, for he
furnished excitement of mighty
classy character with his robbery
here. Shortly after the bank opened
one morning a young man entered,
and approaching A. E. Taylor, pulled
revolver and ordered him to hand
over all the money in sight Natur-
ally, Mr.. Taylor complied with the de
mand but had presence of mind
enough to hand him a quantity Of
small bills and silver, not opening
the drawer where the bills of larger
denomination were kept. Frank
Brnkman was in the vault at the
time and when he came out, instead
Of complying with the robbers de-
mand that he also hold up his hands,
he stepped back into the vault and
pressed one Of the buttons OF the
burglar alarm. This frightened
Kearns and without waiting for any
, more money than that already given
him he backed out Of the bank, still
keeping Mr.. Taylor and Miss Lilah
Smith, the bookkeeper, covered with
his gun. Reaching the outside he
ran mast tn Tho allav and then start.