The Redwood gazette., 1922-12-20
Yeggs Blast Way
Into Steel Vault
BIND AND GAG LONE PEDESTRI-
AN AFTER FIRING PISTOL IN
STREETS TO STOP HIM.

-Four bank robbers entered the Far
mers' State Bank at Layfayette Will
age near st. Peter early Friday,
blew the vault, and rifled safety de-
posit vaults, taking $1,000 in cash and
Liberty bonds and savings stamps
e ,timated at more than $4,000. The
J,len escaped in an automobile.
4 1nar Carlson, a printer, who had
been working late at the Lafayette
q Ledger print shop, discovered the rob-
bers shortly after 2:30 A. M. when
he left the print shop for his home.
He had started toward the bank, which
is located in the center of the town,
when he was ordered to stop by man
Standing in front of the bank building.
Carlson did not stop Immediately and
"a the order was punctuated by a pistol
shot.
Bind and Gag Prisoner.
Carlson threw up his hands and
the guard, accompanied by another
man who hurried out of the bank
building, covering Carlson with pis-
tolls, walked up to him. Without
speaking a word, the two took him
to the bank, where two others, who
had been working on the vault, aid
ed in binding and gagging him. Still
silent the four men placed Carlson
in rear room, and after ordering
him not to make any attempt to es
cape or gain assistance, left him and
continued their work of robbing the
institution.
When Carlson was brought into the
building he noticed that the robbers
were attempting to cut their way into
o+1,J1
Shortly after he had been made 4
prisoner, Carlson said, three explo-
sions followed, the robbers apparently
giving up their attempt to get into
the vault silently.
"At about 5:15 A. M. l heard the
men leave the bank" Carlson said.
Il listened until I heard an auto
mobile start, and then decided it was
time for me to try to get out of the
place.
Bandits Get Long Start.
'The ropes with which | was bound
were tied tightly, but after three
quarters of an hour of effort, | sue
ceded in liberating myself and giving
the alarm. I was awfully stiff when
II finally got loose. They had locked
e The door of the room where they
q iced me and l had to spend con-
cradle time getting it open before
. could give the alarm. The men
had at least forty-fve minutes start
before l could advise any one"
Strong Box Intact.
The robbers were foiled in their
attempt to force the strong box,
which was crammed with cash and
negotiable securities, mostly cashed
war saving stamps. The $500 which
was taken, had been left outside the
strong box, according to bank officials,
because it was impossible to find room
for it elsewhere.
Bank officials said they believed
the robbers left after two unsuccess-
full attempts had been made to force
the strong box. Investigation showed
that a charge of nitroglycerine was
left unexploded soaped into the strong
box door. 1t is believed the lateness
of the hour prevented the robbers from
making last attempt to get the thou
sands of dollars it contained.
Man Held Back.
Fred Lund, a tinsmith who lives
next door to the bank, heard the ex-
plosions, at about 4:3O A. NJ, he told
bank officials this morning After
the first explosion he dressed and
started to investigate. Having no
telephone he could not spread the
. alarm. His home is above store.
When he reached the bottom of the
flight of steps, man pushed sawed
off shotgun against him and ordered
him back up there" advising him TO
4 make no effort to spread an alarm or
4 interfere with the robbers. Lund said
s he followed the robbers advice.
Sheriff Charles ]. Norman of Nicol-
'et county was notified at his home
n St. Peter, and arrived here during
he morning. He expressed the be-
sief that the robbery was the work of
Experts.
No definite announcement of the
amount Of money and negotiable secu-
rites procured by the robbers will be
made, bank officials said, until COM
plete check is made 1t will be diff
ficult to determine the loss to those
who owned safety deposit boxes, until
the individuals announce their losses.
st. Paul Dispatch.