Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-09-20
'MARAUDERS HOLD
ASSAILANTS OFF
WITH SHOTGUNS
Me-
Cashier of Bank, Brother Of
Local Man, Among
Those Shot.
All Wounded Will Recoyer:,
Officials Securing the
Country.
-
tHerald Special Service.)

Mentor, H.. Sept. 30 "A
gang of bank robbers held the
town of Mentor at bay in three.
hour battle early this morning
while they robbed the Mentor.
State bank of some $1,000 and
escaped after woundins three
men with shotgun fire and knock
ing a fourth senseless with the.
butt end of a revolver.
All Of the injured men will re-
cover. They are: #
Joseph Tagley, cashier of the
bank, wounded in the arm and leg
with buck shot,
Joseph Benoit, wounded with
buck shot in the leg and chest.
Arthur Benoit, wounded with
buck shot in the forehead.
Wilbur Frazee, knocked sense
less with the butt of a revolver u
The bandits cut all Of the tele-
phone and telegraph wires leading
into Mentor, They are believed TO
have escaped in an automobile
although none of the citizens who
took part in the fight actually saw
the escape. The affair began about
l 80 o'clock this morning and
ended about 4 80 o'clock.
Polk county officials are scour-
ing the country in this .neighbor-
hood in the effort to find some
clue to their identity.
Depot Ratded.
On arriving at Mentor it seems
that the bandits went first to the
Great Northern depot and cut the
telegraph wires. Wilbur Frazee was
sleeping on a bench there: He was
awakened. he says, by the barrel Of q
revolver being poked against his ribs
by one of the bandits.
Thinking they were after :hia
money, he attempted to run but was
caught and after a brief struggle was
Knocked on the head with a re-
volver. The next he knew was when
ne awoke in box car some hours
later. Two men took part in the
hight with him, he says. So
proceeding to the bank, the bandits
then evidently gained entrance by a
rear door and proceeded to explode a
charge of nitroglycerine against the
safe dor. The> noise of the explosion
awoke Joseph Tagley, cashier of the
bank, who lives across the street.
Cashier Shot
Tagley started out of his house.
but was met by command to halt
and shower Of buckshot. The pillar
OF his porch saved him, and he
dashed into the house again and out
OF the rear door and started to run
to the house next door occupied seby
Joseph Benoit, for help.
Fire was again opened on him. this
time with effect, and he received two
flesh wounds before reaching the
Benoit house. On his arrival. Joseph
Benoit and his son, Arthur. armed
with a shotgun. came out and Joined
IN IN the battle They had only two
shells, however. and were shooting In
the dark. There was an exchange Of
shots. In the course of which both
the Benoits We're wounded and forced
to retire to the house. 77
Battle in Dark.
The only clue to the location of the
bandits was furnished by the flashes
from their guns. but there appeared
to be several of them posted in and
around the bank.
In the meantime, Tagley had gone
for more help, and he and e. b.
Minister, professor in the Mentor
school, armed themselves with shot !
guns and took post near the bank.
maintaining desultory duel with the
robbers. Neither side appears to have
inflicted any casualties.
One or two of the marauders an
peared to be stationed in the front
ha hov l. = II
rear. Finally there came no reply
to the shots of Tagley and Minister,
and finally on advancing cautiously.
on the bank building they found that
the bandits had decamped unseen in
the darkness. s.f.sf.3
The safe of the bank had been de.s
molished by the explosion, 1t was
found, and the interior badly wrecked
by the explosion. "A barricade md
been thrown up at the front door be-
hind which the bandits had beer
fighting. 'sssss,
Apparently they made their escansj
from the rear door OF the bank and
left the city in an automobile Whfsshl
had been left on the outskirts Of fhos
village.
Country Secured. ss
As all wire communication with fha
town had been cut OF It wa rome
time before the alarm could II aiverli
to the outside world. The Poik cctfn5 !
" authorities were finally noticed.
however. and q dragnet has Eeess
spread over the county ana the r q
OF western Minnesota ana easfar ~
North Dakota. a general alAsaa ms
been sent out.
a ID. stephens of Crook kston = psss1
ident Of the Mentor StAfe hank 4
Continued on pass "a. s'sls /