Evening star., 1922-11-07
4 BANDITS FO|LED
| IN BANK ROBBERY;
POSSE IN PURSUIT
Fire VoIIeys at Clinton, Md,
Residents in Flight After
Alarm Rings.
40 MEN SURROUNDING
HIDING PLACE IN WOODS
Robbers Forced to Take to Fields
When Auto Breaks Down.
Cashier Saves Cash.

-Four men armed with .3s caIiber
revoIvers were seized by county
officials and Washington detec.
tives in woods near Reds Cor.
ner at o'clock this afternoon
and are being brought to police
headquarters in this city, In
speetor Grant announced. The
inspector said Detective Scriy.
ener telephoned the information
that they had the men, believed
to be the ones who tried to hold
up the bank in Clinton.
From Stan Correspondent
| CLINTON. Nd, November -Four
! armed bandits. frustrated in an at
tempt to rob the Clinton Bank here
shoftly before noon today, escaped to
a woods several miles distant after
hring half dozen volleys of pistol
shots at residents who rushed from
their homes to seize them.
Sherin Everett E. Pumphrey and a
posse of forty men have surrounded the
WOODS near Reds Corner, FIVE miles
from here, where the hiehwaymep
are believed to be in hiding.
Expected to Give Battle.
The bandits are heavily armed and
IN view of the desperate fight they
put up when persons attempted to
block their escape from Clinton. il is
believed they will give battle to the
police authorities il they are COR
nered. A dozen or more men have
oeen sent into the woods to determine
"here the desperadoes are hiding.
Later this afternoon a telephone
message was received from a farmer
,i.ihs on Possum pike. between Clin-
Ton and Camp Springs, that four men
answering the description of the
odhoits had held up a man by the
name OF coaply. who was driving
touring car with license tags num-
| bered Gill D. c. Forcing CoapIv 70
alight. the men, according to the mes ~
sage. seized the machine and started
toward washington with the throttle
Wloe open: Washington authorities
we're notifed Immediately and men
We're posted on all roads LEADING int
the city to watch for the car.
SnlE the quick presence of mind dis
played by j. Frank Dent, cashier NJ
me pank, prevented the robbers from
obtaining between $1,000 and $4,000
which was in the cash drawer WHEN
they entered. Mr.. Dent was alone in
tne oank with George Simmons.
trleno' when touring car stopped in
front of the door.
Burglar Alarm Set on,
Two men alighted and one of them
walked up to the cashiers window
and asked change for a five-dollar bill
he stipulated that the money be given
MN in quarters, which would necessi-
tate Dent centering his attention
upon the cash drawer for a longer
period. AS Dent looked up he found
himself facing a revolver
Stick 'em up" the bandit directed.
Instead of complying Dent dropped
suddenly behind his cage and set off
the burglar alarm.
knocked Down by Bandit,
Simmons was standing directly be-
side the bandit. who realizing what
the cashier was attempting to do.
relied Simmons with blow on the
head from the butt of his revolver,
and then turned the weapon at the
stricken man. firing one shot at him
1t had driven Simmons from the door
leading behind the cage Leaping
through this the bandit caught Dent
crinEins in his corner and repeated
his demand 10 stick 'em up and be
damned quick this time"
The cashiers thoughtfulness. how
ever, frustrated the robbery, because
the three other bandits one of whom
was guarding the door with drawn
revolver. and the other two. who kept
the automobile in readiness for a
quick dash. heard the burglar alarm
and yelled TO their comrades inside:
Run like hell.
Fire mt Machines.
Leaping into the machine the ban
dts sped away. firing indiscriminate-
ly at every head that appeared at
doors and windows of this ordinarily
serene little hamlet. AS they dash
ed past the garage of Thomas S.
Gwynn. the robbers let go a parting
volley at the mechanics who were
working inside-a desperate warn
ing of what might be expected by
any person who attempted to follow
them.
Sheriff Humphrey was at an cleo
tion booth less than half a mile
away. Volunteers rushed to the
scene and informed him of the at
tempted hold-up. The Sheriff quick
ly gathered a posse of at least forty
men, all armed. and started in pur-
suit. Near Reds Corner they found
the robbers automobile abandoned. a
driving shaft broken. This break
had forced the bandits to resume
their flight on foot. and their tracks
were easily traceable in the soft
earth. Throwing Gordon of men
quickly around the forrest. toward
which the trail seemed to lead.
Sheriff Humphrey ordered a group OF
volunteers TO try beating the bushes.
The men were described as very
young, all wearing caps and light
brown clothes. Further than that, no
description was obtainable, but the
police have not yet lost sight of them.
and there is a probability that they
will soon be apprehended.
The automobile bore license No.
d, c. 12lS3. Investigation of the po-
lice records here showed that IT was
dead" number and did not belong
on the make OF car on which 1t was
found. The automobile now Is In the
garage at Clinton.
In the machine n raincoat. Mary
land drivers license. a brown felt
hat and white linen collar were
found The engine number was also
obtained and through 1t the name Of
Maryland man who bought the car
recently was secured. This mans
whereabouts are now being investi-
gated by Maryland authorities.