Omaha daily bee., 1916-02-29
"BINDING BANDIT"
HAS CLOSE ESCAPE
DR.. John 0. Wilson Has Culprit in
His Power. but Lets Him Get
Away with Glib Excuse.
THEN HE FINDS HE WAS ROBBED


After having the Binding Ban
dit in his absolute power for nearly
half an hour, DR.. John ]. Wilson,
dentist in sos Brandels Theater
building, allowed him to escape on
the strength of glib story. All the
while the bandit was standing be-
fore the dentist. fervently manufac-
turing a barefaced fabrication, he
had nearly all of Wilson's dental
tools and most OF the gold and silver
ia his pockets.
DR.. Wilson returned to his office
Saturday night Unexpectedly, and as
he opened the door, which he found
unlocked, he bumped squarely into
a young man coming out.
Wilson had his overcoat on and his
right hand in the pocket. Strengthened
out his forefinger. ss though he had a
gun covering the man. the dentist de-
manded that the other explain his pres
ence. all the time keeping him under
cover of the gun"
Looking for Doctor.
why, the door was unlocked" an
swered the stranger. I'm looking for
the doctor"
I'm the DOCTOR and I'm sure locked
that door before left"
Il came up here to get my tooth fixed
1t hurts something awful, doe pro-
tested the stranger
Dr. Wilson was still unconvinced, and
he called the elevator conductors and the
night watchman.
The stranger became nervous, but stuck
to his story.
why. doctor. I'm a respectable citi-
zen" he clustered i've lived in Omaha
all my life. One of your good friends
sent me to you" He gave DR.. Wilson
a telephone number and residence ad-
dress, and finally. though reluctantly,
DR. Wilson pulled his hand from his
overcoat pocket and allowed the man to-
depart, which he did without haste.
II was going to let you fix my teeth.
but I won't now" haughtily exclaimed
the man as he left the office.
Has Big Hunch.
few minutes later, Dr. Wilson got a
big hunch. He looked over his supply OF
gold and silver used for dental purposes.
Then he looked over his case wherein
is usually kept supply of valuable and
portable instruments.
Then he stood squarely in the middle
of the floor and invited the watchman
and the two elevator conductors to kick
him.
Tools and gold were gone.
Further investigation showed that the
man had gained entrance over the
transom.
DR.. Wilson told his story to the police
and gave a minute description, which
was instantly recognized as that of the
Binding Bandit" whose fame has been
widely spread about Omaha during the
last two months.
Engaged in Burglary.
II is, however. the first intirnation the
authorities have had that the Binding
Bandit" has been engaged in burglary
in addition to his peculiar method OF
stickups.
In the last two months the Binding
Bandit has entered a dozen business
places, mostly in broad daylight, and
upon finding only a single person in
charge binds and gags them at pistol
point and then pliers at leisure.
In no case did he ever trouble to
mask. He is described as an apparently
wel-bred, cultured young man OF good
manners and careful dress. He is about
25 years old and about five feet ten
inches in height. He looks more like a
neat!y-dressed clerk rather than a
bandit
His operations as a gunman during
the last two months have netted him
only several hundred dollars and a few
articles OF jewelry, but from the story
of DIR. Wilson police think he has been
doing most of the good" jobs OF house
and offce-prowing and that his income
from this source may be estimated at
several thousand dollars