The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1921-03-24

Secure Release.
Following the bank robbery at
Mason Wednesday night, March 16,
and the looting of the Rosemark
bank three months ago, two broth
ers, F, P, and ]. F. Moriarity, were
arrested by Detective Sergeants
Heckle and York, of the Memphis
police department at daylight Sat-
urday morning.
Charges of bank robbery in two
cases and grand larceny have been
placed against each man, and they
are being held in default Of, $4,000
bond each.
Three negroes were arrested as
suspects Saturday, but later were re-
leased, having furnished satisfactory
proof that they had no connection
with the robbery.
Believing that the men who per-
pretrated the job at Mason were
members of gang having head
quarters in Memphis, Sergeants
Heckle and York were assigned to
the case. They located the Moriarity
brothers Saturday about daylight.
They met with no resistance, al
though one of the men had gun in
his pocket when he answered the,
knock at the front door. The sus-
poets were dressed in work clothes
and wore heavy boards.
According to W. T. Williamson,
cashier of the Bank of Mason. moth.
ing else besides the Liberty bonds
can be missed. An effort to break
into the safe proved unsuccessful,
the bandits giving their attention to
the deposit boxes, which offered less
resistance to their powerful acete-
lyme torches.
No one in Mason could be found
who saw three strangers in the town
prior to the robbery, and it is
thought that the trio entered Mason
some time after night fall Wednes-
and deliberately laid their plans for
big haul. Their mode Of operation
was identical to that employed at
Rosemark some months ago, when
deposit vaults were broken into and
securities amounting to several thous-
and dollars taken.
The calm manner in which the rob-
bers worked was shown by the fact
that all papers of no pecuniarv val
ne were carefully replaced in their
boxes. Nothing was left strewn
about the floor to indicate that they
were in any way hurried in their
actions.
Entry into the bank was gained
through a window by breaking the
latch and raising the sash. The wire
screen which covered the window
was removed and the work of rifling
the boxes was started as soon as
the acetylene tanks were placed IN
position.
Two acetylene torches, two gas
tanks, a shipping box and gauge
were found in the house. The gas
outfit was reported stolen from the
Tri-State ron Works three months
ago, day or two before the Rose
mark bank was entered and robbed
Of large amount Of government
bonds. The serial numbers on the
torches were the means of Identify
ing the stolen uroperty, police say.
In addition to the local charges, F.
P. Moriarity is being held for the
New York authorities, following re-
ceipt of telegram in Memphis Sat-
urday. The telegram stated that a
man answering his description was
wanted there for the murderof a
policeman in a gun battle between
vorgs and patrolmep following rob-
erby of a bank.
The Moriarity brothers have been
in every section of the country and
have piled their trade as acetylene
workers. Their photographs have
been forwarded by the Memphis po-
lice department to other departments
in the belief that other cities may
want the prisoners.
]. F. Moriaritv was arrested dur
ing the latter part Of last week for
theft Of barrel Of gasoline from the
Standard Oil Company, but was dis
missed for lack Of prosecution. A
third white man is still at large. His
name is known to the officers, who
have not been able to locate him thus
far.
When questioned Saturday, ]. F.
Moriaritv is. said to have admitted
that he knew the men who participat-
ed in the bank Jobs and would give
the location Of the bonds stolen
from both banks if police would "put
his feet on the ground" He was
not promised Immunity ard the
search for the third memher Of the
bandit gang is progressing.