The Washington times., 1922-09-06
SOLDIERS
STATIONED
At MEADE
ACCUSED
Army Cook, Forced to Be Ac-
cessory. Nips Attempt at
Last Minute.

Captured after a chase through
the streets of Laurel, Nd, and
an adjacent cornfieid, in which Q
number of shots were fired, five
soldiers last night were held in
$500 bail each by Magistrate T.
ID. Roberts, following an alleged
attempt to hold up the Citizens
National Bank of Laurel in mid
afternoon.
Charles Jones, cook of the Head
quarters Service Company, Tank
Corps, Camp Meade, charged that
the men, holding a gun TO his
stomach, forced him 10 drive them
70 Laurel, meanwhile laying plans
for robbing the bank. He was
held in $1,000 bail as a. witness.
$500 Held For Grand Jury.
The other men are in jail at ID
per Marlboro. awaiting grand jury
action. The technical charges
against them are disturbing the
peace and carrying concealed weap-
ons.
The prisoners, whose stations were
their names as follows:
Harold w. White, twenty-three
years old, first sergeant, hospital
corps, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Ray w. Prefer, twenty-three
years old. Company A, seventeenth
tank battalion, st. Mary's, Ohio.
Luther A. Smith. twenty.four
years old. Company c. seventeenth
tank battalion, Lafayette Springs,
Mississippi.
Seth Peterson, twenty-six years
old, stationed at Camp Franklin
home, Woodbridge, N. j.
Ernest Nealey, thirty years old,
fire department, Camp Franklin;
home, Waco. Tex.
At Camp Meade today IL was sad
there was Private Harold w. White
connected with the hospital corps,
and that Prefers name probably
was Peter.
Magistrate Roberts held prelim.
mary hearing before committing the
men.
White, according to the testimony
OF. c. E. Little. mayor Of Laurel and
cashier of the bank, entered and
asked for 81 in nickels. Mr.. Little
handed him the money in a bank
wrapper and White left the bank.
White returned a few minutes later,
Mr.. Little testified. But a call had
come from the police in the mean.
time to the effect that a robbery Of
the bank was planned. Mr.. Little
closed the building.
With him in the building at the
time were Miss Viola Clough, assist
ant cashier, and Patrick Murphy, a
clerk.
Deny Firing at Pursuers.
The report of an attempted hold.
up had spread. Citizens of Laurel,
and Lee Nichols, a deputy sheriff,
saw the men on the street shortly
The soldiers fled, with members of
the hastily gathered search party In
pursuit. Several shots were fired by
the pursuers. One shot was fired
by one of the soldiers. The prison.
ers said afterward the soldier was
trying to unload the gun and had
not intended II as return fire.
The pursuit led to the outskirts Of
the town and through a cornfield on
the property of De Wilton II. DON
aldson, Laurel merchant, where
the men were captured. In the
search party were Mr.. Donaldson,
John Hammond, a farmer; Samuel
Baublitz, a garage owner, and Bon.
jamin Miles. Mr.. Hammond was
armed with a shotgun. The others
carried pistols.
Jones told the story Of the trip TO
Laurel in this fashion:
II was in the kitchen at Camp
Meade at o'clock In the morning,
cooking, when Prefer came in. He
looked like he was half drunk. He
asked me what was going to do
In the afternoon. told him nothing
In particular. He said he wanted
to 60 to Laurel. He also said there
would be something doing and men.
toned something about money. I
suspected trouble and said to my.
self. ia better carry a gun
I'VE left Camp Meade about
l.so. on the way a bottle was pro.
duced and there was drinking,
Something was said about robbing
bank and remarked that ! did
not like u. Hearing my protest,
one Of the men showed gun 10.
ward my stomach"
r.. r.sn taik~d au,on0 fhena-