The copper era and Morenci leader., 1914-09-18

through the office and back of the
fixtures. AS soon as he had covered
both Balfour and me the other man
came around also and covered both.
The smaller man then put his gun up,
pulled open the cash drawer and took
from under his coat a large duck sack
and held it open. The other man then
said to me: Get over there, kid, and
put that currency in the SACK which
1 did very promptly.
'The large man, who was the
spokesman (the other man never
spoke while in the bank) said they
did not want the silver which was in
dered to get into the vault, followed
''The smaller man again held open
the sack and 1 was ordered to put in
all currency in sight, which was done.
"The large man then asked: .Aint
you got no gold?' told him no. and
was called many different kinds of a
liar and other names that would not
look well in print.
"The hold-ups were then told that
there was a small sack of gold mixed
with the silver, but that unless the
sacks were opened that neither of the
bank men could identify it.
THE large man then ordered me to
throw all of the sacks in the safe
on the floor. This was done and as
soon as the sack of gold was dropped
the large man said: We want that,
put it in the sack After it was put
in he asked if there was anything more
and was told nothing except the sill
yer. He said, We don't want that
damn stuff, it is too heavy to get
away with, we have all we want
when he said that the small man
fNv rs fIe Io1d
it in his left hand, and again drew his
gun.
They then started backing out OF
the vault. Balfour said to them:
Fellows, if you are going to lock us
in, don't throw the combination as we
are the only men in town who can
open the vault You can keep us
from getting out by simply turning the
wheel on the front of the door until
the bolts are turned into the Slots
The big man laughed and said AL
right, boys, l won't throw the combin-
alton, but we got to lock you up to
make our getaway. They then clos
ed the door, turned the wheel so that
we could not get out, but as they
promised, did not touch the combin-
alton
TN getting out of the bank they
turned over table which was piled
with books, ETC., overturned several
chairs and knocked some of the
silver off the counter. They left the
bank through back door, crossed the
street, mounted their horses and rode.
on
They had hardly gotten out of the
bank when Tom Dees, who works for
Wilkey just across the street from the
bank, rushed into the front door of the
bank and asked if anybody was in
and if everything was alright. We
could hear plainly and told him that
we were to certainty both in, but
that the bank had been robbed and
we were locked in the vault Dees
then rushed out and the first man he
met was Mr.. W. F.. Willis to whom
he told of the robbery Mr.. Willis
came in and let us out of the vault. "
sTeIegrams have been sent by the
sheriff's office to all the surrounding
towns and Sheriff Wheeler and his
keeping a sharp look out along the
border, lin the event the robbers went
towards Mexico. A rancher who ar
rived in Clifton on Wednesday after
noon stated that he was camped at the
mouth of Sardine creek on, Tuesday
night and that on Wednesday morning
about daylight, two armed men rode
by his camp. He had just started a
camp fire and was making coffee at
the time, but the men rode by without
stopping or speaking. This story
would appear to confirm the fact that
two strange men rode through Cliff
ton at 2:30 a. m. and that these were
the same parties. 1t is the belief of
the sheriff's office that the robbers are
headed for the Mogollon country.
.