The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-03-29
Robert Brown, Barnes Bank
Cashier, Shot to Death.
Daring Daylight Robbery in
Washington County Town.
ROBBER KILLED BY POSSE
is Believed to Have Been Men,
ber of WymOre Gang.
Citizens Declare He Was in the
Village Yesterday.

Barnes, Kan, March 29.-Robert
P. Brown, cashier of the Barnes
State bank, was shot and instantly
killed at 9:45 o'clock this morning
by robber whose name is unknown.
and who was afterwards killed by a
posse block and one-half from the
scene of the bank robbery.
The president of the bank, e. "
Potter, was in his office in the insti-
tuition at the time of the robbery.
but knew nothing of the affair until
the shots were fired in the adjoining
banking office. 1t Is said that the
robber came into the bank alone, but
it is believed he was accompanied
to the outskirts of the city by other
men 1t is declared that after the
killings strange men were seen DASH
Barnes.
Cashier Brown was alone in the
banking office at the time of the
holdup. President Potter was in his
office in an adjoining room. The rob-
Der walked up to the counter, COW
ered the cashier with a revolver and
demanded the money on the counter.
The cashier reached beneath the coun-
ter, secured a revolver and fired at
the robber the shot lodging in the
wall of the bank. The thief imme-
diately opened fire on the cashier
who fell dead with two bullets in his
body. President Potter emerged from
his office just in time to see the rob
Der grabbing money from the counter.
Dashing into the street, the thief
lied with scores of citizens at his
heels. He turned and fired several
times, but none of his shots took eff
feet. A block and a half from the
bank he fell dead with a bullet from
one OF his pursuers' guns having
pierced his body.
Stolen Money Recovered.
When the body of the robber was
searched $50 in gold and 5000 in
silver were taken from the pockets.
This is the money that he took from
the counter of the bank after the
killing of Cashier Brown.
The dead robber was a man about
80 years of age, of little more than
medium size and smooth shaven. A
few persons here declare that they
saw him in town yesterday in COM
pany with another man. 1t is believed
the other man was one of those seen
riding away from the outskirts of the
town shortly after the robber was
killed.
1t is believed that the men were
members of the Wymore gang of bank
robbers, who have been operating ex-
tensively in this section of the state
for the last few months.
The body of the robber is at a To-
cal undertaking establishment, where
VI VI peOpIe are viewing To-Day.
Besides few who declare that they
saw the man yesterday, there is no one
who has ever seen the man.
Bert Brown, the murdered cashier,
was a man 40 years of age, highly re-
spected in this community, and with a
wide acquaintance in banking circles
of the state. He leaves a wife and
three children. Mrs. Brown is suffer-
ing from shock, but is not believed to
be in a dangerous condition.
When the robbers body was taken
to the town Jail and examined but one
wound was found. bullet had en-
tered the left side just below the
heart The fatal shot is believed to
have been fired by James Clark. IT
years old, a clerk in local store, who
led the chase.
City Marshal E. w. Davidson, who
was one of the pursuing posse. identi-
fled the dead robber as one of two
strangers who had been in Barnes
yesterday. 1t is the belief the second
man had tied horses on the outskirts
of town and that the robber was MAX
ing for this point when shot