Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1921-02-23
Cashier and Assistant Locked in Vault After
Robber Pockets Currency Totalling $868.
Shows Some Nervousness
CAPTURED SIX HOURS after The ROBBERY
Hires Four Cars in Relay Attempt to Escape
Features Recognized by Sheriff

After ordering the assistant cashier
to gather UP for him all the visible
currency on the counters of the Farm
ers State Bank of Kandiyohi, ban
dit who entered the bank shortly be-
fore eleven o'clock Thursday morning
forced Cashier Ed. Guam and his as
sistant Miss Elsie Blomquist into the
bank vault, locking the same after
their entrance. With a total sum of
1868 pocketed he hurridly left the
bank and sought by a relay automo-
bile flight to evade capture. Six
hours later he sat in Sheriff Gilbert
sons office at Benson awaiting the
arrival of Sheriff Bonde of Kandiyo-
hi county in whose custody he was
taken to Willmar where he is now
lodged in the County Jail.
It is learned that the bandit, who
was identified as Henry E. Wheeler
formerly a salesman for the Oldsmo-
bile concern in Minneapolis, arrived
in Willmar on Monday. AS he passed
thru Kandiyohi his search for a bank
ing institution was attracted to the
Farmers State Bank which he on the
moment determined to raid. He stay
ed in Willmar until Wednesday at 3
P. NJ when he boarded No. IA plan
ming upon robbing the bank at the
hour Of four in the afternoon of the
same day. When he stepped off at
his destination he headed for the
registered shortly after that at hotel
where he inquired as to the cause of
the early closing of the bank. He was
informed that in respect for the late
Frank A. Nelson whose burial took
place that afternoon the bank had de-
cided to suspend business for the
day. Wheeler engaged a room and
instructed the clerk to call him at s
in the morning. He remained in his
room the remainder of the afternoon
and evening evidently as not to at
tract too much attention.
On Thursday morning he called
William McDermott, the livery man,
and stated he wanted to be taken to
Atwater in a space of an hour or
thereabouts. McDermott was held
waiting for some time but the delay
was explained by the stranger as due
to the late arrival of message which
he was to receive at the bank, the
same to come from Miles City, Mont
The bandit introduced himself as a
stock investor and said he needed $50
which he must have before proceed
ing to Atwater. Finally about eleven
o'clock he approached the waiting Nc
DermOtt and tod him to crank up.
He appeared calm and under COM
plete self-control at the time While
McDermott was having difficulty in
cranking the machine, the stranger
stood ct his side peacefully enjoying
q cigarette. The bandit then inquired
which was the best riding road, the
one to AtWater or the one to Will.
mar and McDermott suggested the
Willmar highway with it's excellent
paving. The bandit decided upon that
road. A few minutes later they left
for Willmar arriving here at twelve
The bandit ordered McDermott to let
him off near the Handy-Lewis garage
and meet him again at p. M at the
Motor Inn on Litchfield Ave. Nc
Dermott complied. The bandit die
not intend to keep the appointment
but called at the Handy-Lewis garage
fora car to take him at once to Pen
mock pretending he was on an urgent
business errand. Louis Reamer drove
the car which reached Pennock short
ly before one o'clock. The bandit sa
in the front seat with Reamer ant
conversed quite freely. He said h,
contemplated taking the train at Pen
mock so asked to be driven there. AT
ter letting off his passenger at tn
station Reamer turned about for Will
mar and did not perceive that Wheel
er left the station bound for gal
age where he hired a car for Kerh
hoven still further Northwest. Al
irving at Kerkhoven he repeated hi
tactics and hired car for DeGrah