The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-11-23
BANK ROBBER KILLED
IN PITCHED BATTLE
Alleged Bandit Slain on Virginia
Road Near Roanoke.-Two 9th
ers Are Captured.


Roanoke, Va, Nov. 19-The Bank
of Glasgow. Glasgow, Va, 40 miles
north of here, at 2 o'clock this morn
ing was robbed by three bandits of
s150,O0O in Liberty bonds and cur
rency, according to an estimate of
President Vaughan of the bank, and
three hours later Roanoke police,
having received the alarm, blocked
TIE three roads leading into this city
from the north, halted the robbers,
who were speeding in seven passen-
ger automobile on one of the thor
o1ghfares, killed one of them, took
the other two prisoners in pitched
battle and recovered the loot. In the
battle Patrolman o. L. Hendrix of
Roanoke was slightly wounded. The
dead man, according to the police, is
James B. Rodgers, 26, of Philadel-
phia. The men under arrest gave
their names as:
{ Charles Carter, SO, Cincinnati,
Ohio: and William Porter, At, of
Washington, D. c.
4 Chief Of Police Rigney expressed
the belief tonight that the trio is re-
sponsible for robberies recently in
North Carolina, Georgia; Virginia
and Tennessee.
Much Loot Recovered.
~. At the local n1orgue tonight $500
was found sewed in Rodgers coat
and $3.50 in the lining of his under
wear. Nest Of the loot, which in
eluded small amounts Of jewelry as
wen as Liberty. bonds and currency,
was: found ID a barracks bag. Carter
and Porter, at the local Jail, declined
to- talk ether than to give what they
said were their names and addresses.
According to the police, their ac-
counts indicate that they are South
erners.
According to President Vaughan
of=the Glasgow bank, the robbery be-
came known shortly after 2 o'clock
tflissmorning, when an explosion oc-ss
CURED in the gnstitution. Exanlina- ::
ton showed that the vault had been
entered and the contents rifed. An
alarm Immediately was sent to Buch-
anan, the next town north Of Glas-
gov: Word came back that an auto
mobile 'going about go miles an
h8aT' had just gone through the
towsl, and Roanoke police were then
notified.
The local police Immediately took
steps to meet the incoming automo-
bie:Sson any one of the three roads
leading into the city from the north.
Upon each road: a car was placed,
lensthwise to block the progress of
the alleged bandits. On the Hollins
road; sWhere the pitched battle oc-
CURED, the police patrol, in charge
Of. Motorcycle Officer Robertson and
Patfolman Mutler and Hendrix, was
placed across the road mile and a
half ont of the city, about 4 a. M,
where the officers calmly waited.
Going at High Speed.
Aafew minutes passed, according
to the officers, when the chugging
Of an automobile, apparently travel
ing at a terrific speed, was heard.
Presently the car appeared over the
brow of hiIl, several hundred feet
away: At The same moment Officer
Robertson sprang into the middle of
the:road and cried: "Halt!" The car,
stin speeding, bore town. A blind
ing beam from a fiashlight was
thrown in UMeer Robertson's face.
accompanied by shot. Other shots
then came from the alleged bandit
car and general firing between the
occupants and the police ensued. In
an effort toxgey around the patrol
wagon, Rodgers, the driver of the
dr. swefved Cos the side Of the road.
ftsthe same time, according to the
pokee, Officer Robertson fred the
SHIT Chat Killed Rodgers, the bullet
eAkafing the alleged bandits neck.
As Car then struck a rock, turned
tdfeie and pinned the other two oc-
cupants beneath it. One OF the al
legged bandits fired several times af-
ter being thus caught.
Chief Of Police Rigney announced
tonight that the loot found in the
barracks bag will not be counted and
classified until tomorrow pending the
arfival here Of bank officials who
have been summoned from several
points in North Carolina, Georgia,
Virginia and Tennessee where rob-
berries occurred recently. Bank Off