South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-04-06
FIRST PICTURES OF DARING EAU CLAIRE BANK ROBBERY
Scattered Cash
In Fleeing; But
500 RecOUe red
Prisoners, Grilled at ST. Joseph
Jail, Admit Planning
Job Together.


dav morning surrounded in the
woods on farm near Eau Claire,
Mich. the four bandits who q short
time before had held ur and rob-
bed the Eau Claire state bank We'd
nesday continued their search for
the missing S1.065 which, according
% the bandits. Is yet lin hiding IF
forts Of Berrien county authorities
20 gain from the four prisoners I'm
the Berrien county jail az s.. Joseph
Information that VIII lead them 20
the hiding place % the money thus
far have been unsuccessful Only
800 in currency. taken from hol-
Tow log. has been recovered. Grilling
has not revealed the location OF the
loot
Considerable mystery pervades the
community within and surrounding
Eau Claire over the strange disap-
pearauce OF tho money. a severe
zr.lGng of the bandits before their
removal 10 the Berrieu county jail
Ar ST. Joseph Tuesday afternoon
failed 20 elicit any Information that
would lead 70 a recovery OF the loot
The bandits. handcuffed together
claimed that they had scattered the
cash somewhere in the woods" The
prisoners tell only that they had
planned the robbery together and
together had abandoned the loot I'm
an attempt 10 escape their pursuers.
Has Criminal Record.
Wednesday the prisoners were re-
moved from their cells and ques-
toned with a view OF ascertaining
their former records and II POSSIBLE
their association. II any with other
crimes Mike Frankovch. white,
admittedly their leader is said 10
have a criminal record at Gary,
Pittsburg and other cities I'm which
he has lived The others. George
Ellis. who acted as lookout" Al
mo Evans. who covered the victims
or the robbery with a bracelet OF
revolvers. and Henry Griffin. who
drove the bandit car. are colored
All four live I'm the neighbOrhood OF
the 1000 block on Massachusetts, St,
fin Gary, and had once been en-
pIoyed IN the mills OF the American
Tin Plate Co.
The bandits are expected 20 waive
preliminary hearings in which event,
according 20 ST Joseph advices, they
will be bound over for indictment
BY the circuit court grand jury OF
Berrien county. ON conviction. the
minimum penalty for bank robbery
IS IS years AZ the Lansing peniten-
tiary.
Robbed I'm 1915.
With az much zeal and enthusiasm
that characterized the man hunt OF
Tuesday morning. from the time the
bells At the bank rang out theft
alarm 70 an hour and half later
when the robbers had been cap.
tured. the citizens of the little town
and neighboriug farmers Wednesday
continued their search for the stolen
loot The finding of the small por-
ton OF the amount spurred tho
searchers Oh in their quest. hopeful
that more Of the money might be
recovered.
Fan Claire. with its 3o7 inhabi-
tants. is checking up on the various
phases OF the robbery. the first Of
its kind I'm the past six years. In
1915. 10 is recalled. the same bank
was broken into and robbed, but
little money was stolen.
The spirit of the pioneer was
demonstrated fin the running down
20 earth and the capture Of the rob
beers. This most pertinent OF all the
circumstances attendant TO the rob
berry and apprehending Of the
bandits was demonstrated. With the
spread OF the alarm farmers and
citizens dropped ALI work and sought
their rifles and shot-Euns AS verita-
bic "minute-men" Of old colonial
DAYS and as the western rancLer5
I'm more recent times. they took up
their guns and 10 a man sought out
60 apprehend the guilty ones
Girl in Bank.
Marian Bruce. the 16-year-old
daughter Of ar. and Mrs. f S.
Bruce. who operates a confectionery
store near the bank. was the lone
customer Within the bank when the
bandits entered. She retreated 10
the door 70 make her way out.
Evans. who was covering the men
behind the grill. called upon her 70
say where she was but unmindful
Of the injunction she backed out
and into the arms ri the bandit
guard at the door The alarm had
then been sprun- and the negro
released her commanding her
however. 20 stay where she was. A
shot was fred from down the street.
To was answered by Evans Then
the shooting became general. The
girl fed into the store.
a new angle as 10 what dispose
tion was made of the remaining
money was gathered when Mrs
Rertha Keigley who lives on the
outskirts Of Eau Claire. reported 90
the investigators that the bandit
car was followed ont Of town by
another hiEh-powered machine.
Since receiving this information the
authorities are now working on the
theory that the four captured rob.
beers were assisted hy another sans
Of confs ierates
Satchel Missing
This theory was given added
strength 30 was said. when H. F.
Hess. president OF tho bank. who
was the victim ~ Che robbers. told
the officials thar Frankovtlh car
ried a black suitcase and the money
was poured iuto it other citizens
of the town claim 10 have seen
satchel-shaped handbag I'm the ear. .
and althouEh che suitcase has been
recovered no trace of The ~atchel .
can be found
Fraukovich. the leader ~ the
gang. was said Or have told .he au- /
thorities thar John Fraukovich. q
farmer. living four miles north of I
Eau Claire. is his uncle The pris- +
orer also stated that the four had /.
spent Monday night in Benton Har- +
b0r. having come there that dav I.