Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-08-20

Bank robbers, who have been un-
usually active in Iowa recently,
Thursday night broke into the peo-
pies Savings Bank Laurel. dug into
the vault and escaped with $3.50 In
silver and small change. Safety de-
/ posit boxes of customers were ran
sacked but what. If any valuables
were stolen from them, was not
known up to noon. An evident at
! tempt to force open the money
safe in the vault was not successful.
/ The robbers were not seen or heard
so far as Cashier Merle Patton or
| Sheriff Charles Henry knew UP to
late this forenoon. and escaped with
| out leaving d clue.
Early this forenoon state and ma
/ tional banking agencies interested in
running down bank robbers and Iowa
sheriffs were notified by the hank
] and sheriff Henry The bank Is fully
| protected by insurance from loss of
! the money stolen or damage done
! the building.
Counter Money Only Taken.
The $3.50 stolen was IN silver dol
lars, half dollars. quarters and small
Ter change and was the money used
on the counter during the business
hours Thursday. It was placed In
tray In the vault outside the money
| safe when the bank was closed
Thursday afternoon.
In the money safe in the vault was
4 h much larger sum In bills. The
safe door was secured by the usual
time lock. One of the handles and the
hinges Of the door had been removed
by unscrewing the screws that held
them. Aitho their removal indicated
an effort to force the safe. there were
i no marks on It, Cashier Patton said,
OF an attempt to either force the door
or blow 1t open.
i Customers Boxes Rifled.
/ Safety deposit boxes OF customers
were pulled from their places and
their contents dumped In heap on
the floor. Cashier Patton could not
say what valuables in the form of
securities, notes. liberty bonds or
cash. were stolen from these boxes.
The pile on the floor had not been
disturbed and the safe had not been
opened UP to noon, awaiting the
coming of an insurance inspector
who was expected this afternoon
Mr.. Patton thought It improbable
that any coupon liberty bonds OF
cash was in the boxes The bank
has made a practice Of keeping Gus
toners coupon bonds In its money
safe and issued certifices for them
Ito the owners. There were register
ed liberty bonds in some Of the box
es, and some OF these bonds could bt
seen In the pile on the floor this
morning. Registered bonds are dan.
serous to negotiate as they are re.
corded easily traced and can bt
: duplicated. Mr.. Patton did not be,
Iieve any OF the customers kept cas1
{ or Jewels in their boxes. None o
J the banks records In the vault out
side the safe were disturbed.
Din Hole Into Vault.
Entrance to the building was gain.
Of by boring a hole about an inch II
diametersthr the door at the foot o
the outside STAIRWAY leading into tn,
cellar at the rear OF the hank build
ing This door was fastened by ba,
running across II and secured to tn,
frame on both sides. Thru this hol'
the robbers lifted the bar. Entrance
to the first floor of the building wa
forced by removing the lock from tn
} door at the head of the steps lead
ing up from the basement.
A closet adioins one side Of TIL
) vault Working in this, the robher
dug hole about three and one-hal
feet from the floor and about 1ox1'
inches in size thru the eighteen Incl
brick wall The wall was not rein
forced with bars or lined with steeI
Escaoe Without Leavino Clue.
The robbers We're not seen or hear
and 1t was not known this forenoon
at what time In the NIGHT the bur
slarv was committed Cashier Patio
said 1t had been reported to him tina
two sets OF automobile tracks lead
ing south In the road. that wa
, moistened with rain late in the day
were thought might be the tracks c
the robbers cars but there was n
clue to substant'ate this theory.
: Telephone wires into the bank wer
not cut and no unusual noise wa
I heard in the town in the night. TIL
village does not have a night watch
man or marshal and the telephon
exchange is not kept open all nigh
No tools We're left in or near til
bank. The method used in enterin
/ the rear door and getting into til
banking room and vault, thru the wa
between 1t and the closet indicate
previous knowledge of the arrange
ment OF the bank building had bee
gained. But, according to Cashie
Patton. no strangers who might h
associated with the robbery had bee
seen in the town recently.
! Get Cash in City.
The bank cashier, not caring
attempt to open the safe until it ha
been inspected. was without cas-
\ with which to do business toda
when he opened the bank this fore
noon. Some money was secured
Laurel and a larger sum was hui
I ried to Laurel this forenoon by tt
Iowa Saving Bank, city.
J The bank is a member of the low
! State Bankers Association and tt
American Pankers' Association. TT
! late I. L. Patton, of Newton, we
president of the hank. before h
/ death. but his successor, has not bee
elected.
D Roy T. Pell lawyer. Insurance
A lon kirde. 119 East Main stree