The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-09-28
BURGLARS LOOT
DEPOSIT BOXES
BREAK INTO ENNIS BANK AND
TAKE AWAY MUCH LOOT,
BONDS AND CASH.
Gut Telephone Wires and Block
Communications; Robbery Not
Discovered Until Six Hours After
Its Commission.

Isolating the town by cutting
telephone connections in both di-
rectiOns, bank robbers forced an
entrance to the Southern State
bank at Ennis, in Madison county,
and after rifling between 20 and
80 safety deposit boxes, escaped
with an unknown amount of loot,
including Liberty and other bonds,
Jewelry and possibly cash.
A general alarm was sounded
warning police and sheriffs to be on
the lookout for the robbers.
At least two and possibly three
bandits are believed to have taken
part in the robbery, one of whom
stood guard outside while the otheds
entered the bank. With all roads
leading into Ennis almost as hard as
pavement it was impossible to even
determine the direction they had
taken after the robbery.
Toward the Park
1t is believed, however, they may
have headed up the Madison river in
the direction of West Yellowstone,
near the park, where an exceptional
ly rough country would afford them
ample means of concealment. Several
other avenues of escape could also
have been taken by them, either in
the direction of Virginia City, Norris
or east toward the West Gallatin
country.
Boring a hole in the door of the
main entrance, the robbers forced
the lock by apparently inserting
heavy iron rod. Entrance to the
safety deposit vault was gained in a
similar manner. Using steel drill,
they had bored a hole in the heavy
lock and then forced the catches by
driving in an iron rod.
Under sheriff B. o. Bannell of
Virginia City, who is now investigat-
ing the robbery, declared the bandits
had left no trace of their identity.
Robbery of the bank was discovered
on the morning following the rob-
berry at $3.50 o'clock, when assistant
cashier Ennis arrived.
Door Wrecked
The heavy front door had been
badly splintered and eft standing
partly ajar. The interior of the bank
and safety deposit vaults was in
chaos. Pieces of silverware, papers |
and other valuables Uttered the
floor, while the locks to the safety |
deposit boxes were lying in heap in
one corner. Every vault had been
looted Cashier Hugh Wakefield de-
clared there were no means of de-
termining the amount of loot OBJ
tanned until depositors made their
reports. 1t is known, however, that
some jewelry and Liberty bonds were
taken. The bank officials declared
the depositors had been warned some
time ago not to cave too many val
tables in their vaults.
This warning was sent out to the
customers soon after the robbery of
he bank at Sheridan almost a year
ago when thousands of dollars in
and securities were stolen
Still a more recent robbery was at
1elmville about six weeks ago when
he bank was broken into. In this
Instance, however, the robbers were
away without gaining en-
rance to the vaults.
AS yet no person has been found
n Ennis who reported seeing any
uspicious characters around the
own earlier in the night. Inasmuch
S the little town is a fishing resort
listed every week by hundreds of
strangers the robbers could have
cen about the village for several
avs without attracting special at
ention.
Mrs. Ennis, wife of the assistant {
asher, was the only person who
ould throw the slightest light on the t
obbery. She declared she had been
wakened about 2 O'Clock in the
forming by the sound of hammering. {
While listening to the hammering /
ne also heard the clock strike o. &
lock- 1t is in this manner that the >
our of the robbery was fixed. t
Paying little attention to the y
Disc, however, Mrs. Ennis went b
ack to sleep and did not hear the a
eparture of the robbers, who un- a
oubtedly had an automobile. 8
When the robbery was discovered v
4 effort was made to locate Sheriff i
ongold of Virginia City and it was a
armed the telephone wires had t
sen cut. Further investigation 1
lowde the town had been isolated n
, the east by cutting the wires a
bout a quarter of mile outside t.
e village. To the west, the line b
I'd been cut near the edge of town. r.
ladder which had been obtained s.
me distance away and which had d
zen left standing against tele- Il
lone pole showed the manner in
hich the robbers had reached the Ie
res. u
ashington.-France is assuming Ia
e attitude that she should not pay /
ok to America the three billions she S.
rroWed during the war until Ger lie