The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1921-11-23
SINGLE-HANDED AND
UNARMED, CAPTURES BANDIT
ESCAPED Recently from Federal Prison
at Mcneil Island, Washington. Sery-
Ing Sentence for Mail Robbery.

!Escaped Recently from Federal Prison
Mt Mcneil Island, Washington. Sery-
ing Sentence for Mail Robbery.
| Phoenix, Ariz., Nov. 16.-Roy Gard
ner, mail bandit who escaped under
the fire of score Of guards from the
federal penitentiary at Mcneil Island
washington, where he was serving q
sentence for Pacific coast robberies,
was captured single-handed here last
night by Herman Inderlied when he at
tempted to rob the ma: III on an
Atchison, Topeka C Sante re Railway
train at the Sante Fe station. Inder-
lied was unarmed and was the mail
clerk in charge of the car.
| Late today Gardner was arraigned
before United States Commissioner
John B. Hcnke and was held to the
federal grand jury in bonds of $780,
600. IIo will not be tried here, ohw-
ever but will be sent to Leavenworth.
Kansas, to finish serving sentences
which were hanging over him when
he escaped last September, according
to Thomas Flynn, United States dis
ltrict attorney.
MI. Flynn said he had asked the de-
partment Of justice at Washington
whether to prosecute Gardner for last
nights affair and had been instructed
to have the prisoner transferred to the
federal penitentiary at Leavenworth.
Immediately after establishing his
Identity Gardner was turned over to
the federal authorities. The prisoners
flrst words to Sheriff Montgomery
when taken into the county Jail, re
warning that he intended to esca DC
If the opportunity arose.
Edward C. McGrath, superintendent
of railway mail service in the west,
declared tonight that Inderlied would
receive the reward of $4,000 offered for
the capture Of any person who at
tempted to rob the mails and also the
SZ'oO0 which was special reward Of
fered for the capture of Gardner.
at the hearing Inderlied told of go
ing to the car to prepare for his run.
l'He said he changed his clothes, laying
his revolver on q table while he did
so. Afterwards he got out to get the
mail from drop box at the station,
leaving his revolver ON the table.
when he returned he said, he was
confronted by masked man who
pointed a revolver toward his head and
ordered him to hold up his he nds and
to back into the corner.
II started backing, but didn't hold up
my hands," he said.
When he got into the corner, he said
the bandit ordered him to lie down on
his stomach and he started to do SC
lIhen, ne said, he started to straighten
up, but only got high enough to see the
gun held in the others hand.
"l%made grab for it and got his
wrist" Inderlied testified. Then we
started scuffling and wrestling"
AT last, he said, both fell down and
he got On top Of the bandit and got
possession Of the gun. About that time,
he testified, help arrived in response to
his calls.
| In reply to questions, Inderlied, who
is over six feet and weighs 215 pounds
admitted that the bandit had numerous
chances to shoot him both before and
during the scuffling.
Inderlied identified five bullets as
those he had later taken from Gard
ner's gun. Two of the bullets had
wooden noses and were so arranged in
the gun that the wooden nosed ones
would be fired first. Gardner explained
that the, wooden-nosed bullets contain
ed small shot that probably would
stop man without killing him.
[ II never shoot at an unarmed man"
Gardner said in explaining why he had
not used his gun during the struggle
with Inderlied.
Gardner blamed his failure on the
TACT that Inderlied was in the car in
stead Of negro clerk that Gardner
thought would be in charge. The
bandit said that he was after SIS 900
which he believed was ready for ship
ment through the local post office.
| Other mail cars with armed marine
guards aboard were in the vicinity Of
the station at the time. officials said
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