Omaha daily bee., 1916-08-08
ONE MAN PERFORMS
FLORENCE HOLDUP
Taxi Driver Who Piloted Bold
Bandit Tells Story Of Incl.
dent to Police.
DROVE TO SPRINGFIELD

The first indication that but one
man negotiated the daylight robbery
of the Farmers State bank at Florence
was learned by the police when Harry
Daywalt, taxi driver, appeared be.
fore the authorities and told the
story of having piloted the automo-
bile used by the daring robber.
Daywalt informed the police he
received a call from Fifteenth and
Douglas streets. He picked up a
well-appearing young chap, who
asked to be driven to Florence. Day
walt did so.
His fare went to the Farmers
bank and told Daywalt to wait. When
the man appeared again he thrust a
revolver in the taxi drivers face and
ordered him to travel some"
Following the bandits directions
Daywalt drove the car around the
north end of town for an hour, after
which he struck off for Springfield,
Neb. There the bandit gave the taxi
pilot SIS and dismissed him.
As to the Florence motorcycle
policeman who said he gave chase to
the bandit, Daywalt laughed, He said
he saw the cop in pursuit and ex-
pressed fear of arrest, but the rob-
Der laughed and said, "I showed a
gun under sis nose a minute ago and
he's still paralyzed from fright"
Visits Bank Before.
Daywalt told Maloney Of his trips
interspersed with some Of the re.
marks of the bandit. He said
Il went out to that bank two days
ago and saw $1,000, but there were
rtoe many punks around for me te
glue it," remarked the thief as he ac.
cepted a cigarette from Daywall
which he had forced the latter to roll
for him. IT ] had known this is all
they had I'd have taken a crack at
that other bank, too. | wouldn't walk
across the street for this much jack
Just before leaving the territory
north Of Benson the bandit leaned
over the edge of the car and nred two
shots into the dust. She's working
on two cylinders, anyway" he
laughed, and pushed fresh cartridges
in the place Of the empty shells.
Throughout the drive toward
Springfield the fugitive seemed to
take delight in informing Daywalt
what "a bad guy" he was. me and
a few pals" took crack at the hick
bank OF - some time back, and after
we'd given the box five drinks of soup
the hicks swooped down on us and
we had to fight. got plugged in the
leg, and five years besides. They
had me anchored and in stripes the
most of the time. but I left in 1908
Once me and a partner got
through with $40,000-that is, | got
away, but they clamped him and give
him year for every $1,000 we took.
Knew His Business.
Along toward sundown Daywalt
said, Cant you let me go now? I've
been pretty white with you and J
want to get back home"
You're all right, old man, but I've
been at this game too long to take
any chances. Wait until the sun gets
little lower, then drive slowly to,
ward the town and before you know
it I'll be on my way" This is exactly
what happened, according to the
chauffeur, who doesn't know exactly
when his companion left the ma.
chine. Daywalt says they left Flor
ence by the road going west, north
Of the fort, and zigzagged south and
west, avoiding all towns.
How old do you think | ann" put
the bandit during the trip. Daywal,
replied, About 26." "All wrong, kid
I'm 81, and I'll be 1872 by the time the
bulls catch sight of me-" That the
robber was a stranger in Omaha was
indicated by the fact that he not once
mentioned the name of any street
and continually asked on what thor
oughfare they were riding. Although
the officials Of the Florence bank dc
not recall the mans presence in theil
establishment two days before the
robbery, Captain Maloncy is certain
that he was there.
Daywalt spent the morning al
headquarters in going carefully ovei
the Rogues Gallery, but his search
was unsuccessful. The police have
wired to Chicago for pictures and de
scrintions of offenders that tally with
his account of the man.
The taxi driver came to Omaha i'm.
mediately and notified the authorities