The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1921-06-18
BANK ROBBERS
KIDNAP CASHIER
HOLD {. OSTRUM AND WIFE
EIGHT HOURS BEFORE
SAFE OPENS.
Burglars Drive to Safety in Oakland
Car Through Country Combed
by Watchful Posse.

After securing the countryside for
"a hours, members of the sheriff's
posse, returned Thursday without the
three bandits who kidnapped Cash
ier Clarence Ostrum of the Addy
State bank and Mrs. Ostrum last
Saturday morning shortly after mid
night, held them captive for more
than eight hours, forced Mr.. Ostrum
to give them all the money in the
vault, and finally made their escape
after depositing Mr.. and Mrs. Os-
trum in the road about three miles
south of Valley.
As they were putting their car
into the garage, after spending
pleasant evening at the home of c.
+. Bowman, Mr.. and Mrs. Ostrum
were forced at the point Of gun
| to enter a waiting Oakland car and
were taken out into the country
about two miles northwest of Addy.
| Their captors were two white men
and a mulatto The robbers kept
the cashier and his wife at this spot
| until about three o'clock in the morn
| ing. They then drove back to Ad-
| dy and left Mr. Ostrum and one of
| their number at the bank. The car
| drove out of town, taking Mrs. Os-
| trum and the remaining two bandits
! The man in charge of Mr.. Ostrum
| forced him to open the bank The
| two entered, and Mr.. Ostrum demon
| strated to his captor that the safe
would not open until the hour for
which the time lock was set. The
two remained in the bank until the
safe opened, shortly after eight
o'clock. Mr.. Ostrum was then fore
ed to give the burglar the money
it contained Almost Immediately
the car again drove up with one Of
the burglars and Mr. Ostrum was
forced to reenter it. The three
drove rapidly out of town just ahead
of the morning train, upon which was
Henry r. Spedden of Colville, who
was to relieve Mr. Ostrum for the
| day. Across the street from the
bank, Mr.. Bowman unconcernedly
| watched his friend enter the car,
thinking merely that he was start
ing out on his intended trip to Col
vile. The robbers picked up Mrs.
| Ostrum and their third companion
| short distance out of town and drove
RAPIDLY to a point about three miles
south of Valley, where they left Mr.
| and Mrs Ostrum in the road.
In the meantime, Mr.. Spedden
waited until five minutes before nine
| before making inquiries as to the
| whereabouts of Mr. Ostrum and the
keys to the bank. Mr.. Bowman,
| as it CHANGED, had left town almost
Immediately after the departure of
| Mr.. Ostrum and his captors, and
there was no one about who had
| seen the Ostrums that morning. Be
| coming uneasy, Mr.. Spedden search
| ed the garage, in company with >.
F.. Warner. Here the Ostrum car
was found, safely locked in the
| garage. Just outside were tracks
| of a strange automobile, which had
| skidded as it had been stopped sud
| denly. Near the door was pail
| of milk, which the Ostrums had
brought with them the night before.
Mr.. Spedden at once searched the
house and found that the bed had
not been occupied. Thoroughly
aroused, he gave directions that the
nearby brush and the river be search
ed. He then broke into the bank,
only to find the safe open and the
money gone. Deputy Sheriff W.
Woodard, who had arrived upon the
scene. Immediately took charge OF
the search. Mr.. Spedden telephoned
at once to the First National bank
| of Colville, of which the Addy bank
.is a branch. News reached him
in a few minutes, however, that Mr.
Ostrum was safe, the latter having
already telephoned the home bank.
Hugh Waddell of the First National
bank started Immediately for Addy
with a supply of money, and the
bank was open for business after
less than thirty minutes delay.
For boldness of action and daring
in execution this bank robbery has
few equals in the annals OF bank
burglary, according to reports from
the northwest.