The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1921-02-11
CORONA BANK HOIDUP
REMAINS A MYSTERY
no CLUES OF IMPORTANCE DISCOVER
Ed THAT MIGHT LEAD TO YEGGS;
MANY STORIES AFlOAT

daring daylight bank robbery and ia
tai shooting of Ray Stapleton placed
the small country town in the lime
light. No further clues that might lead
To the apprehension OF the guilty par
ties have beer found.
So many conflicting stories have
been started and circulated that the
real facts are even obscured. but as
nearly as We can ascertain from sour
ces that are reliable the facts are; Mr..
Staple6on was shot in the neck Just q
little to the left Of and below the CEN
ter- striking the jugular vein, thru to
the back o. the neck where it cut the
spinal cord and lodged Just under
meath the skin of the back Of the neck.
Three scalp wounds were found on
the back of his head, each about one
half OF an inch in length and only one
Of which might have knocked him
|.senseless.
The most probable theory advanced
is that the three men entered and ono
secured the drop on Mr.. Stapleton
thru the telfer's window. The others
went around thru the private office
INTO the teiler's cage and gathered
the money and then for some reason
o. other Knocked him on the head,
the fast blow Of which dropped him
to the desk. They started out with
the money. and Mr.. Stapleton, who
had been dazed for only moment, re-
covered, grabbed his revolver and
started shooting at the man stationed
a the door, The second man, coming
around from the private office came
up even with the window at this time
and shot at him thru the window,
striking him The fatal shot was Ar
ed srem Ahpvt S feet away or less ~
. the dwdsr marks showed plainfy IN.
Stapletaa's face, The, revolver used
5by NE Stapleton Vas an old one hav-
ing two shells in it which failed ta
explode when he. tried it out, which
proved his undoing. The shot that
hit the window pane penetrated tho
inner glass but failed to GO thru the
storm window.
Testimony of young lady who is
said to have been standing in the
Scuae general store just across the
street reports the fact that there
were three n,en. Tracks of a car
that had been standing in the alley
behind the bank for some time were
discovered and TIE car was tracked
about ZEN miles north and east of the
town where they were lost. That
this was the car carrying the band Of
murderers is borne out by the fact
that they did not know. the streets
Of the town and drove into d street
which they t1,ot led out Of the place,
only to find that they were in u
"bHnd alley and instea dof turning
around and driving back, they cut
across ditch and ward to the main
travelled road. Near the place where
the car stood an ancient sawed of
shot gun or army revolver was found.
This gun was useless as far as firing
was concerned but it is thot that it
was used as a blind to make the vic
tim hold up his hands. It may have
been the instrument used as club
with which Mr.. Stapieton was struck
sn the head.
The robbers took all Of the cash in
the cash drawer, which amounted to
$488 dollars. Some silver and small
change in sacks was untouched. A
large amount of currency in the vault
was undisturbed.
Detectives We're sent by the state
banking association and q reward has
been offered for information leading
to the arrest and conviction Of the
men who did the deed. Many opin-
ions have been form plated and the ma
jority probably hold the one that tho
work was committed by men who
knew the layout and were entirely
familiar with the country. Several
Coron1 citizens have reported seeing
three strange young fellows around
town on several different days, while
one of the businessmen reports :
visit from them and that he was, very
much struck by their strange actions
Whether or not these several clues
and findings will eventually lead TO-
the arrest Of the guilty ones is doubt
full, but the entire community hopes
that the men will be found in spite
of their clean getaway and be brct
to justice.
Don't forget the danger that luriEs
-