The Washington times., 1920-09-26
.3STAKEL|VES
ONAL|B|PLEAS
Trio Accused Of Sandy Spring
Bank Outrage to Go to
Trial Tomorrow.
~ srArr CORRESPONDENT.

~ 0TAFF
FRnDERIcK, Nd. Sept. 2o.-ln q
desperate effort to escape death on
the gAliows. "Gunman Joe" Thomas
Jchn Kelly. Alias "Irish Patsy, Aod
Jchn w. Mitchell, will attempt TO
prove alibis. declaring they are VIC
Tins Of mistaken Identity. when they
are brought to trial In the circuit
cA,urt of Frederick county here tonior-
: row morning.
The alleged bandits are under in
/, tictIuent on charges Of not only loot
Ing the First National Bank Of Sandy
spring. Montgomery county. of more
than $4,000 In cash and securities
BIT also with the staying of Frincis
NJ. Halioweil. a director OF the hnan-
cinl Institution, who was shot
through the heart when he fsiied to
raise his hands as ordered by one OF
the bandits.
ADAMS MADE ESCAPE
by Alvan q. Thomas. president of the
bank, a. one OF the gang who killed
Mr. Hallowell and looted the bank. re-
Gently escaped from the Baltimore
city Jail.
Prosecution of the three alleged
bandits will be conducted by State
Nttornsy Thomas L. Dawson, OF Mont
obsry county. who, with Detective
Sergts Peter b. Bradley and Joseph
Dougherty. Of Baltimore were respon-
sible for their arrests and the ensu-
ing identificstions.
That the prisoners were not
brought to trial in Montgomery coun-
ty, where the crime occurred. was due
to their plea before Judge Edward G.
Peter. Of the Circuit Court at Rock
oil hst hAx hnx
get an impartial trial, because of the
indignation of the citizens of the
county over the killing of Mr.. Halo
we'll Judge Peter granted a change
of venue to Frederick on the motion
offered by the prisoners counsel.
HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED.
Of any connection with the killing and
Identified by officials and employees of
the bank. 1t is principally on these
identihcations that the prosecution is
bs sing its hope for convictions.
Keen interest Is being manifested in
the trial, and II is expected that a
large crowd will be on hand to get a
glimpse of the prisoners.
Because OF reports that an effort
would be made by confederates to take
the prisoners from the Frederick jail
after they had been brought here from
Baltimore. the authorities are plan
ming to take extra precautions to frus-
trate any such attempt.
The killing of Mr.. Hallowell and the
1ooting Of the bank occurred late in
the afternoon of Aprh %. Mr.. Hal
lowell sat at his desk conversing with
Asa n Stabler, Mr.. Thomas and other
4. od
in and asked to see . Baltimore tele-
phone directory. Miss Sallie Brooke,
bookkeeper, was in the vault looking
through some records The young
man. who was the mob's 'gay-ca:"
picked up the directory, thumbed sew
eral pages and walked out.
SEVEN RUSH IN.
Three minutes later, seven masked
men rushed into the bank. leaped
over the counter, and cried Hands
upw
Mr.. HalleweIl was deaf and appar-
entity did not hear the cries. A mo-
ment laetr he was shot to death by
one Of the bandits. None of the Of
whom carried two revolvers. When
Mr.. Stabler demonstrated with them,
one OF them struck him q vicious blow
on the head with q revolver.
Employees and officials alike were
ordered into the directors room, and
while they were covered by three
OF the bandits the other robbers
looted the vault Then the captives
were ordered from the directors room
and locked in the vault
During the robbery two bandits
stood guard near the door and an
other sat in a high-powered automo-
- - ~ nh n angina
ming. After locking the officials in
the vault the bandits escaped.
Douglas Farouhar. former employc
of the bank. reaches the building coon
after the bandits had sped away in
the automobile, and he found Mr..
Hallowen dead and the others in the
vault
TRACED TO YORK. PA.
Detectives traced the bandits to York.
Pa, where the automobile used by
them and which had been stolen in
Baltimore was found abandoned.
After getting into Pennsylvania the
bandits stopped their machine, ex-
amined their loot and attempted to
burn bonds they thought were not ne
gotiabls. They kept the cash and
number Of Liberty bonds.
The bank did not lose through the
robbery because its loss was covered
by burglary insurance. The robbery
aid not enraGe the residents of the
county as much as the brutal killing
Of Mr.. Hallowell, who was one of the
most highly esteemed citizens OF the
county.
The prisoners to be tried at Fred
erick tomorrow will be represented
by John A. Garrett of Rockville;
Harry B. Wolf, OF Baltimore. and c.
Stewart Patterson, of Philadelphia
UARnNC c00I IDCE CJIR