The Mankato free press., 1923-09-21
CLEVELAND BANK
TARGETLAsTN|GHT
- ---- -
Over Nine Thousand DOL
lars Were Taken
STOLE FORD CAR
After >Terrorizins Residents
Made Safe Getaway
In Auto -. ,


9s.-Bahk robbers early. today,
blew epsn yne vault Of the state
Bank Of colna, wis., thirty
fsve miles south Of Stevens
Point, and escaped with $2,6oo,
according to q report received
by George b. bartlett, seerstary
Of the Wisconsin Bankers as
sociatlon. The bandits, II Has
said, using an aeetylens torch,
drilled q hole IN the safe door
and then filled the Interior with
water 70 preserve lts contents
before blowing on the door with
heavy charge Of nitro sIyeerin.
cIsvsiand, MINI, September
ia bandit sang terrortxsd
thls little village early to-day,
wrecked the vault Of the First
state bank and escaped In
stolen automobiles with cash
aad bonds estimated In value
between Si+,ooo and $4,000
For more than an hour and q
half they held the town Nm .
reign of fear, firing q number Of
shots 10 lntimldate the more
Venturesonte while they shat
tered the vault md ssfe. doors
with . series Of ak terrific sx-
piosIons.
With their loot in 4 sack,
they fed the town In stolsp
automobile when their own car
would not start, hcacino south
and then west IN the general
direction Of Manksto. 9esered
teeIphone wires prevented I'm
mediate notification to authorl-
ties In nearby towns.
Cut All Wires.
IL was about 1915 Q. M, when
the bandits entered the town.
They numbered either five or
six, according to persons who
eaunht q hurried glimpse Of
them. Their FIRST preeautlon was
70 cut all telephone wires lead
inu out Of the local exchange.
Going TO the First state bank,
they forced entrance through q
door and wlnsew, and their hrst
contact with the vault set OF
the burglar alarm, which asous-
ed most Of the villages 100
PossIbIy only two Of the ban.
dts worked lnslde the bank,
for aIonq the street In front
they had posted three or four
iookeuts who fired Into the air
at any lndicatIon Of curiosity
on the part Of the citizens.
Heard Burglar Alarm.
Harry Buxe, who owns a ga
raue and lives only about 400
fest from the bank, heard the
burglar alarm and decided 20
lnvestIaate. Just a. he opened
the deer Of hls homo he was
met with q sharp command to
keep your noSe Inslde or Pli
blow your brains out" Buke
stayed at home.
Others soeIsht to Investigate,
but after the robbers had hrsd
eight or ten shots into the air,
the unanimous inclination was
TO stay at homo. The bandits
were we'll out Of town before
the moro ventureseme tallled
forth TO Wow the damage they
had done.
Shattered Doors.
The vault door and the safe
door had been shattered from,
their hinges, and the force ef
the I've or elk explosive charges
used aIso had broken 4 plate
alasS window In front and three
smaller windows. The furniture
! and other fixtures were only
slightly damaged.
q. n. Flowers, president Of
the bank, 10 In Canada attending
to serne Of his, farming inter
ests. Hls son, Frank Flowers,
10 cashier, and he estimated the
cash taken at from $500 to
$500, and, said most Of the
bonds were negotiable, although
some were Registered.
Five bold bank bandits at on
clock this morning oracticall
eld up the entire village Of Cleve
and, MINI, and after firing betwee
light and nine charges of high ex
losives gained entrance to til
&ults of the First State Bank an
made their getaway with aboy
1900. The bandits, who apparent
Y went to the scene of their depre
ations in q large car bearing a
owa license, worked firing on
barge OF. high explosives after an
ther, while the Villagers cowere
inside their homes, with women an
iris faintinS from fright, and me
threatened with their lives whe
hey approached the doors. Of the
when attracted by th
explosions. T..
After getting into the strong bo
( the bank. the i've thieves aDpaI
ntly tried to make their getawa
a a large car parked less than
uarter of q mile south Of the VII
age, but could not get the machin
o work. It was then that they re
ntered the village, stole Ford &C
elonging to rural mail carrier. ]
,iehns, and finally about two thirt
his morning made q dash out OF th
illage toward Mankato.
Statement Garage Man.
According to the statement Of +
lusse, q garage man Of Clevelan,
o the Free Press this morning,
Ives directly back Of the First Stat
lank. Awakened by an explosion
fr. Busse says that he went to th
oor to Investigate. He was accost
d by q bandit who was stationed 4
be door, who said: Dam you ge
ack or WIN blow your brains out.
hen Mr.. Busse went to rne pec
oor but he also found that guarde
Y another bandit, who In no nail
ankuage told him to stay inside (
e would be killed. While this wa
d progress Mrs. Busse had fainte
nd the children were crying an
Other residents Of the village wei
and the yeggs cool
rorked for about two hours befor
hey had gained their objective !
be vault OF the bank. With eac
OF high explosive, the VIC
aen and children were driven int
OF fear.
Shat ne waman