The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-05-25
Bandits Make Getaway With
100000 Haul When AS
sistant Cashier Is Knocked
Unconscious

PITTSBURGH, May 24-The six au-
tomobilc bandits who held up the First
National bank OF Flnleyville, Ia, near
here today and escaped with 100000 in
bonds and securities and $4,000 In cash
, were still at large tonight.
The police Of Pittsburgh and other
cities of southwestern Pennsylvania and
a number of armed posses were search
ing tonight for the robbers. who lett
tinlcyviIle in high powered automo.
bile. and were thought to have escaped
in the direction Of Pittsburgh or Wash
ington, IA, or Wheeling, w. Va.
The only clue left By the bandits. the
number OF the license plate on their au-
tomobilc. which was copied BY three
residents Of Finleyville as the car drew
away from the bank, has served TO con-
fuse authorities. The number as given
By the Finleyville citizens, was 1ound 10
duplicate license which was in use to-
day on an automobile at Emlenton. Pa,
hundreds of miles from the scene of the
hoId-up. Authorities expressed the op-
inion tonight that the bandits nlanufac.
tured the license used on plate issued
by another state and painted II the col
ors OF a Pennsylvania license.
Finlcyville. a village Of about 1000
persons just over the Washington coun-
bile Lrove down the principal street. 1t
stopped in front OF the bank and sig
men tumbled out. Two. of them took
their stations at the door with pistols
,, in their hands and the others entered
the bank.
Joseph F.. Boyer, he cashier, had gone
to lunch leaving the bank In charge OF
John Jones, his assistant. He was
. quickly knocked on the head and fell to
the floor unconscious. The robbers
worked swiftly. and within ten minutes
had rified the vault. They then ran in
to the street and jumping into the auto:
mobile drove rapidly'in the direction OF
Washington. = = - 4: : ~ e.
News q The .ossss Sss Is isl:gsp9sss :SS sss
| sheriff OF Washingtol county q enes
Organized four posseF who drove with
alt speed aiong the roads conyerGing on
Finleyville, The news was also sent 70
! points alons the MonomSshem G rlSen er snd snd
! left Donora and NoneSsen, covering in
fan shape tho routes they believed tae
robbers would take in an effort to get
away.
Persons in Tinleyville took the num-
Der OF the license on the automobile
. used by the robbers and located II as
! the property Of a man residing In Emil
ton. Westmoreland county Telephone
noon said the car had been stolen.
Reports reached the police here that
the bank robbers after leaving Finley
willie on the Washington road left that
:
onsburg. From there II was expected
. they would try to reach Pittsburgh, and
heavy force Of motorcycle policemen
and county detectives in automobiles
were sent to guard every road entering
=: the city from that direction. :.
strange Car seen.
! Neither Sheriff Howard Hastings nor
/; Chief of Police Fred Frazier received
I any official request from Finleyville.
! Pa, to be on the lookout for the bank
| bandits who staged the 100000 robbery
at that place. However, they are keep
ing n lookout for the bandits in case
they came this way.
About $3.50 o'clock yesterday after.
noon. Deputy Sherifrs Eddie Steinfeld
and Alfred Claytor. who were at valley
Grove at the time. noticed big touring
| car-either a Chandler or Chalmers-
coming in the pike. There were nve
Young men in the car who were stranB-
ers TO the officers.
! There Is nothing to warrant any grave
suspicion that these may have been the
, hank bandits. but after. hearing OF the
, FInlcyvillc robbery. the deputy sherins
began an inquiry to learn. " possible
who was in the car.
The officers did not notice the license
p1ates on the machine.