The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1919-06-14
MEN
FLEE IN BIC
AUTOMOBILE
County Is Being Secured BY
Armed Posses In
Machines.

In a daring attempt to rob the
IoHeston First National Bank this
morning, bandits shot and killed
Herman w. Uecher, cashier and
seriously wounded his assistant,
Charles Phillips.
The hold-up was committed nv
i've fashionably dressed men who
upon meeting with the unexpected
resistance by the employees were
forced to flee after their shots had
aroused the community.
The big machine drove UP 10 the
bank at s:45 o'clock and while one
man remained in the machine two
took up places OF vantage to guard
the outside and two entered the bank
Uecher was commanded to give UP the
banks funds but instead OF complying
at once he hesitated and the men
evidently thinking he was going to
resist or sound an alarm started fir
ing Unfortunately in the direction
Of the two men. Five shots were fred.
UECHER SHOT IN NECK.
one OF the bullets took effect in the
neck of Cashier Cecher, who fell 10
the floor and lived only a few min
utes. Phillips who had made no move
on the command of the bandits was
struck in the leg just below the knee
He also fell and the robbers no
doubt thought he was dead
BANDITS LOSE HEART.
Fearing that the community had been
aroused the bandits fed from the build
ing and entering their machine darted
away at terrific speed. The Gary police
were informed of the killing within A
few minutes and telephone calls to all
parts OF the Calumet region aroused the
entire populace in an incredibly short
time.
Automobiles were pressed into service
and a systematic search of all roads
leading into Tolleston and Gary was
commenced. All cities between Gary
and Chicago were warned to be on tho
watch for the machine but in some
manner the daring robbers were able to
elude the drasnet set for them
STARTED SOUTH.
The car headed east when il stood in
front of the bank and when the bandits
and there turned south. From that point
their course at present seems a mystry
for although they were followed by Gary
police in several automobiles no tracs
of the car had been found at a late hour
1t is probable that they employed the
old trick of having several other ma
chimes waiting at handy points and after
turning several corners part of the men
left the car and escaped in the waiting
machines.
THIRD TINE FOE BANK.
4 This is the third time the First Ma
tional Bank of Tolleston has been held
up In the other two daylight robberies
the thieves secured large sums of money
besides making their getaway.
The bandits in this case became
frightened and did not attempt to take
with them any of the thousands of dol
lars which the employees were then
checking over at the beginning of tho
day. The money was within easy reach
of the men had their nerve held up
/ but tho unexpected tragedy evidently
removed all of the GOODNESS which was
/ so evident when they alighted calmly
from the big machine and entered the
/ banking house.
4 ALL JOIN CHASE.
Every available effort was used 20
follow the men and cut off their escape
/ County Clerk Wheaton, on his way to
/ Hammond from his home at Crown
Point was met by a posse on the road
and he Immediately placed himself and
machine at the disposal of the officers.
He spent the rest of the day carrying
searching parties and following up re-
ports which were continually coming in.
I His case is only one OF hundreds. illus
| trating the effort made by everyone u
round up the criminals.