South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-04-13
POLICE FAIL TO
FIND TRACE OF
DARING ROBBERS
Asst. Chief Cassidy Had
Warned Bank Officials
TO Hide Money.

Half AIN hour before four armed
auto bandits robbed ne South Bend
state bank. s11 S. Michigan ST.. of
about $1,000. Monday morning
William Cassidy assistant chief of
police. saw the suspicious character
lettering near the bank. M. Cassidy
informed Cashier Gus Haslaueer of
the fact. 40 other action was taken
by him
The bandits made good their es-
cape from the miniOuS uf the law
and head, OF The police department
apparently have faint hope OF und-
ing them AT roll call of the police
night shirt. Monday night. NO mem
tion was made of the fact that
robbery had been committed i'm
South Bend or descriptions given.
according to Information Obtained
from members CT The ploic, force.
Had Two Cars.
The robbers are said to have had
two cars. "A Packard and am Il,ar
waiting for them just west OF Vest
vile, where they abandoned The red
car and divided between the two
other cars
The assistant chief could not have
gone very far from the scene when
the robbers entered the bank herd
cd five people into the vault and with
the money made their eScape into
the red Studebaker auto which a
fifth acComplice, who had been
waiting for the return Of the -FOUR.
speeded south ON Michigan 81 THE
bandits attempted to lock inn the
vault the cashier, the assistant CASH
Ter. samuel Fay. stockhOlder OF
he bank. "a woman ccpositor and her
three year old baby. Had they sue
Ceeded i'm locking the vault i'll is
probable that The Victims would
have been Sudocated. AIS Cashier
HaSlinger and Asst. Cashier F W.
Van Antwerp were the only ones
acquainted with the combination.
II would have been difficult 90 bore
through The thick steel vail of the
vault i'm time 10 prevent sunocation
Were Insured.
The south Bend State bank had
just taken out bond with United
States Fidelity and Guaranty COM
panN. about % week before The rob
berN. TIE company - said To have
sent detectives TO locate the thieves
When ASS Chief of Police Cassidy
returned To- the scene after the rob
berry. be asked Mn HaSiinger If amy
of ne robbers tailed with The de
scription of the ones he called att
tenuon to.
"Yes, the one with the green cap. Il
replied Mr. Haslingcr.
How soon after 7 called vour att
tention to the bunch outside the
bank. did they come into the bank
Mr. Cassidy asked
About half am hour" was the re-
ply.
why did you not put the money
away when / told you o. continued
the assistant chief.
Mr. Hay had some certificates 10
sign." replied the cashier.
They were hard looking
bunch" declared the assistant chief.
The auto license 174164 is reported
Is reported as belonging 10 Stanley
Drovgowski. %27 T. =. William ST.
Haslanecr Tells story.
Cashier Haslanger i'm giving an
account of the robbery, says that ne
and Mr. Van Antwerp were busy,
and that Mr.. Hay was signing stock
certificates and that they had no
intimatiOn that anything unusual
was happening.
we were AT our desks when the
four men entered the bank The door
opened and they came ia. and ltI
was not until We We're ordered 10
throw up our hands that we knew
that we were about 20 be robbed.
the cashier said in telling of the
robbery.
Two of the men walked up in
front Of us each having two re-
volvers. Two other men waiked
around 20 the side and pointing two
revoIvers each at those in the bank.
ordered an of rs back 70 the rear
OF the bank he said.
They made all OF MS 90 into The
little room at the side OF the vault
Then two o. the men made me come
out. and attempted 10 force nae 90
open the inner vault door. ] refused.
and they threatened 20 shoot me /
thought that my time had come
anyway. 50 ] decided 20 refuse 20
open the door. ! told them that i
was a time lock and that the com
bination could not be worked un-
til the hou- set Mr. Van Antwerp
was brought out. and he told the
four men the same thing This
seemed 20 satisfy them. for they orr
dered us al into the vault had
presence OF mind enough 20 turn
l-..,>-7-r N-r-r.-r, lN- p.Er -nr-Es .