The Monett times., 1917-02-23
FAIRVIEW BANK
ROBBERS ARRESTED
Disagreement Between Men Causes
Member of Gang to Give Zip"
to the Officers. Confession
Made By Three,


bert johnson, of Joplin, were arreste
Sunday, on the charge of robbing tn
Farmers and Miners Bank of Oronogc
p, December Is and the three, with Ro,
: DaugheIty, of Oklahoma, are charge,
with being the robbers of the Fairviey
Bank in Newton county January Is.
Detective Chief Ed Portley secured
signed confessions from all the mer
except Daugherty, who was drunk
when arrested. They were taken to
Neosho for trial in the Newton coun-
ty court.
At 2:30 o'clock on the afternoon of
December 13; last, two masked rob-
bers entered the Farmers and Miners
bank in Oronogo, eight miles north of
Webb City, and after forcing the as
sistant cashier, A. w. Fuller, into a
vault, took $2,468.25 in currency and
silver. They made their escape in
large touring car.
Webb City officers took up the trail
and followed the robbers as far as Carl
Junction, where they lost the track.
The operations of an organized gang
of bandits again became apparent
when on January Is three masked
men walked into the First National
Bank of Fairyiew, forty miles south
east Of Joplin, in Newton county,
forced the cashier at the point of a
revolver to unlock the safe, marched
him and two assistants into large
vault and then threw the combination
and escaped with $4,000.
The men climbed into waiting au
tomobile, from which they had stepped
in front of the bank less than three
minutes before, and were driven away
by fourth man, who remained at the
wheel with the engine running.
According to the written confession
IF Johnson, obtained at II o'clock
morning by Chief Portley
md ]. R. Church, Pinkerton detect
yes of Kansas City, Massee was the
iriver of the car that Whisked away
he trio of bandits.
The Joplin police spent many days
working on the two bank robberies
With a view to obtaining clew that
night lead to arrests, but they were
The only possible clew
hat could be obtained showed up when
deserted Ford automobile was found
iear Fidelity, Mo-, after the robbery
# store there.
This robbery, according to Johnson's
onfession to the police, was commit
ed after he, with Massee and Cutler
ad gone to Stella, Mo-, to rob bank. +.
his plan was abandoned. The Fideli-
Y robbery was committed on the re- :
urn trip to Joplin, headquarters of
he gang. He said each received $605 d
i the dividing of the loot.
The car was recovered by the police
nd has been used by detectives. The
act that no person inquired at head
uarters for it seemed significant to
lie detectives.
Apprehension of the alleged gang
lembers came about following the ar =,
est at Joplin last Thursday of Charles :,
dams. He was accused of beating -
nd robbing W. H. Knifers, No. 731 e
avenue. !.
Adams, discontented because of the :.
amer in which the gang had divided y
le loot of the Fairview robbery, T
;quealed" to Chief Portley. - :,
81 was picked up by the cops here" - -
: said, "the day before they pulled =, J.
e Faiview job. l was to have gone ~ =,
! that trip but got knocked out of it
hen they got me here. Then when
ey got through they clipped me on
e 'divvy up" r.
Adams had been locked in the Joplin M
il since and is waiting trial on n,
e charge made when he was identi- RI
ID by the Sergeant avenue victim.
he confronted his alleged d,
sociates and told his story in their
essence. The police say the men did
t deny Adams statements. sr
Albert johnson was formerly dep -
Y sheriff of Barry county. He was Pi
member of the posse which captured
e Rocky Comfort Bank robbers
W years ago. He is connected with M
me of the best families in Barry and M
ewton counties. co
Daughtery is said to have been a wi
'mber of the Doolin gang that ter du
rized Oklahoma towns more than
enty-fve years ago. CT