Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-08-05
WILL C. LOOMS TELLS OF LOOT
ING OF BANK At NORTH
LIBERTY, IOWA.
HARD UP FOR MONEY,
PAL ENGINEERS THEFT
Lays Large Part Of Blame For Bold
Robbery to Smith, Iowa City Man,
Arrested at Detroit-says Smith
Wanted to Use Severe Methods if
Cashier Made Resistance.
Special to Times Republican.

.
ability turn over to the johnson county
authorities today his prisoner r. w.
Smith, whom he arrested in Detroit,
Mich, Tuesday evening. Smith is ac
cused OF being one Of the auto bandits
who robbed the North Liberty bank on
the afternoon of July Is. He has
several aliases but this is the name
he is now known by.
Will c. LOOMS, the other man ar
rested accused OF the crime, has been
in jail at Davenport and probably viii
be turned over to the Johnson county
officers. While in custody n the police
station at Rock Island soon after his
arrest on July 81 he made fun con-
fession of his part in the crime. LOOMS
is only 26 years old and was born in
Henrietta, Mich When he was Is he
was committed TO the reformatory.
He said his mother was working in a
factory and could not look after him.
so sent him there. In 1913 ne came
to Rock Island and worked in an
automobile garage and later went TO
Geneseo, Ill., where he worked in a
garage. He afterward returned TO
Rock Island. He said that while he
had met Smith before he did not be-
come personally acquainted with him
until about two months ago.
Tells of Robbery.
Concerning his connection with the
robbery and associations with Smith
he said:
We'll. about the time met Smith
and got to talking with him and as
soctating with him I was pretty hard
up for honeywell not exactly hard
up but anxious TO have money so
could make good 10 my girl what
told her I was supposed to have. and
one day I mentioned 10 Smith that
wished knew where 1 could get some
money and he said he knew, and
asked him about it and so he told me
that he know Of a place down there
a bank down In Iowa, where we could
easily stick 1t up and get money. We
talked about it for a month. and one
night he came to my room in Daven-
port about IL o'clock. I had just come
honle and he wanted me to go to Iowa
City on that 7-eonething train in the
morning. he said his mother lived
there and we could get car and go
to this place and he insisted on 60
ing right then and there and said he
had 1t all fixed"
In response to questions he told OF
y. leaving Davenport at 2 a. m. on Mon
Z day Of July II and of going to Iowa
City where they stayed at the home
of Smiths mother, until Friday the
18th.
We decided Friday morning to pull
1t off and went up town. There was al
ways a lot of cars standing around the
campus there" he continued. "Of
course Smith knew absolutely nothing
driving n hot
was up to me- walked along until
1 saw a Ford and got in it and drove
Oft to the bridge where I picked him
up about four blocks from where
started. Then we went direct to
North Liberty, but I noticed that the
gasolene was rather low and on a hill,
so instead Of going down the main
street to North Liberty we drove
down the first street this side Of the
main street. We stopped one block
south Of the main street. then Smith
went over to the garage bought five
gallons Of gasolene and put it in the
car; he took the can back and came
back to the car and we both start ed
off"
Objected to Rough Work.
Asked about any conversation they
had before they went into the bank
lie Sdlu tllty d!lH nave any at all.
Did you resist" he was asked
THAT was before we started out at
Iowa City" he replied In Iowa City
before we started Smith said that if
this fellow didn't throw UP mis- hands
or made a crooked move we were go
ing to Kill him. said no we aren't.
am off this Job if we are going to shoot
at all, everybody would hear US and
we wouldn't get away, and If they
caught us they would give US life:
anyhow don't want to be a murderer
told him that if we were going to do
anything like that 7 wouldn't have any
thing to do with 1t and that if the fellow
wouldn't throw up his hands and made
fight we would just jump into the car
and go off and let it go. He finally saw
that wouldn't agree to any other plan
Well then, after we filed the tank with
gasolene we drove straight to the bank
and got out together and I went in
first and ne followed right behind me
said throw up your hands and he
laughed at first as II he thought il
was joke and I told him the second
time and he done it then. and in the
meantime Smith went back in the bach
room and called to him to go bach
there and so he went back there anc
I had two pieces Of rope in my pocket
He turned his face to the wall and
tied his hands and feet together anc
he asked me to take his glasses of
and took them of and helped him te
lay down so nobody could see him. II
the meantime Smith was getting the
money and putting it in satchel HI
had and as soon as we got the none.
we went out and got in the car and
went"
Asked as to which road they took HI
said he didn't know the road but finally
they came out on the Iowa City road
and kept straight on until they came
to about 200 yards north of the inter.
urban track
Eve met four fellows in a car and
they looked at us very closely" h,
continued. "They passed US just norti
OF iowa City, have never seen then
since. We were running the car abou
twenty 1--WE miles an hour. We salutet
them, and no attempt was made to stol
us; they drove by us and that's tn,
last we saw OF them. Smith said
There goes four bulls looking for u.s.
said that we better get out Of this ca
and ditch It as soon as possible. w,
turned to the left instead Of crossin,
tho bridge and drove in behind som,
bushes where II couldn't be seen from