Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-04-08
AUTO BANDITS
LOOT GEORGIA
BANK;SH0OT2
Five Robbers Cut Wires at Sum-
merviIIe, Take $4,000 and
Escape After Gun Fight.

SCMMERVILLE. GA. April S.-The
posse in pursuit Of the bandits who
/ burglarized the Bank Of Commerce
early this morning returned here az 3
o'clock this afternoon. The hounds
received from Rome and Chattanooga
were not able to carry the trail after
/ they had crossed Chattooga river.
Members of the posse believe that
the burglars struck Taylor's Ridse,
going north, and a close watch is be
ing maintained.
Steve Garrett, one of the victims Of
the battle with the burglars, who Was
removed to a hospital in Rome is
considered in a critical condition
Deputy Sheriff VIII Alexander was
resting comfortably at 8 o'clock.
Five bandits shortly after mid
night blew the vault of the Bank II
J Commerce and escaped with $4,000 in
cash and about 1000 in stamps, the
latter belonging to the Summervil.e
Postofffce, after cutting all telephone
lines and shooting down two men.
A posse of % men, with blood
hounds, from Chattanooga and Rome
/ trailed them for several hours.
Summerville and vicinity are wildly
excited, and il the bandits are caught
violence is feared.
| The bandits fought desperate bat
tie in the streets with officers and citi-
zens before they succeeded in blowing
the bank vault.
The explosion that wrecked the
vault aroused practically every one in
! Summerviue. The shock was felt dis
/ tinctly a mile away, according to o..
\. Fletcher who thought it was an
earthquake.
The WORK OF the bandits bore evil
dence of having been carefully plan
/ ned and executed by professionals.
Cut Wires on Outskirts of Town.
The bandits rode here in an auto
mobile, stopping on the outskirts,
about midnight. They made a detour
Of the town on foot, cutting the wires.
after which they slipped into the main
| street on which the bank is located.
Pickets were placed IN the street
leading 10 tine bank, while others OF
the gang forced an entrance into the
bank building.
Before the robbers had finished
drilling the heavy steel vault door for
nitroglycerine, with which they blew
it open, they were discovered by Jo-
seph Beavers. who was in a drug
store near by. He turned a flash
light on them from his window. Inn
mediately there was a volley of shots
fired at him, and he extinguished his
| light.
| Beavers summoned WIN Alexander
deputy sheriff and jailer. and Al
Pless. who occupied an upstairs room
directly opposite the bank.
Shoot Deputy Three Times.
Alexander started to the bank and
had gone within fifteen yards Of the
pickets when he was fired upon, being
wounded three times-in the neck
near the jugular vein. in an arm
which was broken, and in the side.
/ Alexander staggered away I'm the
darkness, with blood streaming from
his wounds His condition is consll-
cred serious.
In the meantime, Pies~ had begun
a bombardneut on she bank buuduE
from his upper WINDOW Re fired p
shots with a .3S-caliber pistol. Sheriff
! Wimpee and chief of Police MalIicolt
had now reached the scene and join q
in the battle.
5. Garrett. living some distance
away, was awakened by the shooting
and started to the scene. believing
that a fire had broken out. il being
customary for the night police an
watchmen to give alarms of fire by
shooting their pistols
As Garrett turned the bank building
corner he was greeted. with a vol!ey
of bullets and an order to run and
. smut up yer yellin'." He lost no time
in obeying. Garrett was shot in oue
hand and a knee.
! Build Barrieade in Street.
The robbers got several rolls or
heavy wire from the store Of CIes-
horne Brothers located in the baak
building. and with this built a barr.
caCc Using this - breastworSs.
part Of the gang Tough, off the ai-
lacking party. while the others com
pleted the robbery before enough ci.s-
zens had arrived to seriously fute.-
rupt them.
When the bandits had blown the
vault they retreated to their auto
mobile. The booty consisted of about
SO 500 in silver and currency and the
$1,000 in stamps. all in ones and twos
put on the trail The Rome dogs came
alter
The tools with which the burglars
worked were stolen from tool house
of the Central of Georgia Railroad.
Every building in the vicinity oi
the bank to-day bears marks Of the
? battle Numerous windows We're sho,
out. while others were wrecked by the
explosion.
As soon as telephone lines could be
? repaired messages were sent to AN
= NEARBY towns and cities. Bloodhound,
D were ordered from Chattanooga and