The Washington times., 1922-06-04
GREAT BANK ROBBERY
BY SINGER is SOLVED

quirers could follow. two Of ths
trailing squad slipped ahead Of tn
line at the window and asked quicl
questions. The clark explained
that the woman had inquire,
about transportation to Savannah
the fare. the accommodations an,
other information. but had boughi
no ticket. Five minutes later
Pinkerton agents in Savannah wer
notified to watch for vardemai
and follow him.
Fern Hollis and Chase returned
home. Another day passed with
out developments and all con
cerned in the searching squad be
came uneasy. Examination Of tn
Vardeman apartment reveale
nothing and no news of Vardema,
came from Savannah or st. Al
gustine. Then suddenly the trai
became warm
THE SCENT GROWS STRONG.
For the next morning Mrs. Var.
deman. having apparently msdc
reservations through another per.
son. boarded q southbound train
Six detectives followed her and dis
. trfbuted themselves through tn,
train, three In the same coach
with her. one In each Of the con.
nected coaches and the last with
rowing commission through the
whole train. The woman never
guessed she was so heavily Is.
corted.
From the conductor the detec.
tives learned that the important
passenger was routed through to
Savannah and this fact was wired
back to New York from the frs
stop, then relayed to the Savannah
and st. Augustine detectives, thai
not b mesh in the net might be
weak.
When the train pulled into the
Savannah station. Capt. varde.
man was on the platform await.
ing his wife. They drove to the
Savannah House and registered as
Mr.. and Mrs. John Hollis with the
detectives within a hundred feet
of them. The couple went to the
room assigned them and before
they had q chance to talk the de.
tectives crashed in and arrested
them both.
Right there the element of luck,
so often the reward Of persistence
and patience. played its part. A.
the situation stood, there was no
real evidence against either the
man or the woman. Their luggage
revealed nothing.
But in Vardeman's pocket was
found q small fiat key, with num-
Der stamped on it-such . key. n
Is used on safety deposit vault
boxes, and IL bore tho name OF the
Bank Of st. Augustine!
THE LOOT RECOVERED.
While part Of the squal put the
Vardemans through The third de.
gree the others sped to Telephones.
New York was apprised Of what
had been brought ou:. st. Au.
gustine was ordered to get out
court order on the box In the vault
Of the bank and open It. It was
only a matter Of hours before the
reply came from st. Augustine.
The opened box contained $4,000
in bonds and passports. The pass.
ports were made out for Mr.. and
Mrs. John Hollis and in Vardemans
luggage was found another bearing
Chase's picture but made out for A.
c. Franklin. The documents were
all vised for Switzerland and Italy,
so that It would have been simple
for all three to have slipped out Of
the country from a Southern port
with little formality. The Varde.
mans were led to Jail at once.
On the receipt Of the reports. In
spector John Coughlin Of the New
York Detective Bureau sent Lieu.
tenants Mayer and Brown to the
Chase National Bank to take the
watchman in tow. AS they entered.
he appeared to realize that the
end had come and offered no re.
sistance. When he saw they were
ready TO shoot, he smiled, then
threw his hands high!
A COMPLETE CONFESSION.
At first, he refused to say word.
but when the detective explained
that the Vardemans were under ar.
rest and that the bonds had been
recovered, he said there was moth.
ing to be gained by silence and
that he would tell all. But then,
he added:
I'm not going to duplicate any
woman In thisr'
He said he had conceived the
theft after he had been allowed to
have tha rim ~ fha hond ~ 0a and