Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1920-01-03
SUSPECTED
man FACES
BANK STAFF
Police AIIege Five Persons
"Positively" Identify Harry
]. Porche as One of Gang
Which Robbed Benson Bank.

WhlCn k0DOed benson Bank.
WITNESSES FAIL TO
SUSTAIN THIS CLAIM
Two Women Say Porche May
Be Man, But Doubt It-Not
Member Of Kirk Gang-Chief
Dunn Sends 100 kilograms.
Harry ]. Porche, q years old,
2lA Sherman avenue, who was ar
rested Yesterday in connection with
the robbery of the Farmers and
Merchants bank at Benson Wednes-
day, has been identified by FIVE per
sons. according to the police, as one
of the bandits who participated i'll
perhaps the most sensational holdup
in the history of Nebraska.
Porche was apprehended at home
with Richard Cowen, his roommate,
by City Detectives Dolan and
Hagerman. The police do not be-
lieve Cowen was one of the gang.
Porche was charged with robbery,
Cowen is held for investigation.
Miss Irene Rose and Mrs. Nita
Helming, clerks in the bank, who
the police declared POSITIVELY
identified Porche as one of the ban
dts, yesterday afternoon told a re-
porter for The Bee that they were
not sure he was one Of the men who
robbed the bank of Sl1S.000. locked
five employees and SIX customers in
the vault, and made their escape in
all automobile.
Women Not Positive.
~ told the detectives we were not
positive Porche was the right man"
declared Mrs. Helnling. Miss Rose
asserted she also told the officers
she could not identify him as one of
the bandits. 81 most certainly would
not be willing to take the witness
stand and swear the prisoner the
policemen faced me with is one Of
the three men who held up our bank
Wednesday," continued Mrs. Helm
ing.
There is a possibility he was one
of them said Miss Rose. "How-
ever, there is a grave doubt in my
mind"
c. D. Lonergan, 450l Military ave
nue., the police declare, is one of the
witnesses who positively asserted
Porche is one Of the bandits. Mr..
Lonergan, with Helen Tillgren, 10
wears old. Storm Lake, Ia, and Bert
Morten, 6l0S Military avenue, went
to the police station, and according
to city detectives, positively identi-
fed Porehe as one of the bandits.
Helen Tillgren said she saw the
robbers through the bank window
as they thrust a revolver into Nor
tens face and commanded him to
throw up his hands. Morten and his
wife work in the restaurant conduct
ed by Mrs. Mary Williamson at CLOS
Military avenue. Helen Tillgren is
Williamson's granddaughter.
DR.. R. Fl. Cass. whose Office is
over the bank, and who was in the
bank when the robbery was COM
mitted, said the detectives called
him in to look at Porche.
81 do not think he was one of the
men," declared the doctor. "Ac-
eordiig to my recollection, will, one
exception the men were short OF
stature. A tall man stood in the
doorway near the front of the room,
devoting his attention to the EN-
ployes and customers, while two
others went through the vault.
Porche does not resemble any of the
three men | saw"
Three More in Doubt.
John Bleick. also bank custo-
mer. who was in the room when the
bandits entered, declared he wa:
unable to identify Porche as one oi
the robbers. r.
Neither could H. E. Hutton. cash.
ier; William HIM. assistant cash
ier. or VIII Lang. clerk. identity
! L olIIS dS oitS VI tue DduultS. Nol
one of the bank employees was able
to identify the prisoner as one o.
the robbers, according to their state
ments.
Despite the fact that city detec
tires. supported by the Pinkertor
agency here. are satisfied with the
Identification, Of Porche, Detective
! Chief Dunn yesterday sent out more
than 100 kilograms to the police de
partments of other cities ordering
the arrest Of five more men. in
cluding Thomas Mckay and Joht
Appleby; who were accused Of the
Malashok jewelry store robbery. Nc
Kay and Appleby also were believed
to have been connected with tht
HAYDEN Brothers robbery.
Both Appleby and Mckay are
close friends Of Beryl c. Kirk
whose sensational release from thu
| penitentiary recently is being in
vestigated now by the attorney gen
eral and a commission representing
the State Bar association under tn,
directions of the supreme court
Kirk was released on "furlough'
signed by Acting Governor Bushe,
during the absence from the stat
of Governor McKelvie and Lieut.
Governor Barrows. Peterson an,
Devoe, a law firm OF Lincoln, OBJ
tanned Kirk's release.
The police do not claim Porch,
ever was a member OF the Kirl
igang.