The Omaha morning bee., 1924-10-30
Raked
for Trace of
Bandit Gang
Sheriffs Search for Band
Which Terrorized Town
in Organized Bank
Robbery.
Volley Of Shots Fired
Special Dispatch to The Omaha Bee.

Special Dispatch to The Omaha Bee.
Soldier, Ia, Oct. 29.-Iowa sheriffs
and police officers are securing every
portion of the southwestern part of
the state in a search for the band
of desperados who, early Wednesday
morning terrorized Soldier and looted
the bank of approximately $1,000.
The search was being carried on
intensely by authorities in the belief
that the desperados are members of
the gang to which Harry Raymond
belonged and which looted the bank
at Little Sioux last Tuesday The
theory of the authorities is that the
gang. augmented by members who
had been working in other parts of
the country, is now executing a cam
paign of robbery through which they
hope to obtain funds for the defense
of Raymond.
Every precaution is being taken to
block any attempt on the part of the
band to liberate the man who is now
under arrest. That the gang is des-
perate and considers life of others
not at all the various sheriffs are
sure.
In all the crimes which have been
charged against the gang no effort TO
spare the use of firearms has been
made. The men operate with the
same tactics in every instance.
When they swooped down on Sol
dier this morning they used two tour
ing cars. At Little Sioux they used
sedan. This sedan was later found
wrecked near Tabor. Ia.
The bandits arrived at Soldier
about 1 this morning. They began
work at once. f. C. Junger, cashier
of the bank, was aroused and went
to investigate. He could see the men
working at the vault and began to
shoot through the window at them.
His shots apparently had no effect on
the desperados and they continued TO
work. His shooting aroused the en-
tire town but so carefully had the
robbers planned that the patrol main
tanned in the street forced everyone
to remain indoors. The bandits were
cool and executed the robbery as
though they were experienced in
their work.
During the morning a report was
made to Council Bluffs police that
some of the bandits had been seen on
the road near Macedonia, Ia.
An unidentified man had driven
from .Melvern, Ia, to Macedonia.
Three miles from Macedonia, on the
return trip, the man was stopped by
three armed men who ordered him
to get out of his machine. A machine
which the armed men had evidently
beside the road.
When the armed men. believed to
have been part of the bandit gang. at
tempted to start the unidentified
mans car they met with difficulties,
finally gave up the attempt and went
away. The man then came to Coun-
ell Bluffs to tell police what had hap
pened, a call came from Des Moines
telling of the same incident and the
man agreed to go to the sheriff at
Onawa and tell his story.
The man never reached Onawa as
fas as could be learned. The al
legged wrecked automobile could not
be found and officers are now scott
ing at the report.
Arrive af l A. NJ.
The gang. in two touring cars. ar
rived at Soldier at l a. m. Junger
heard them at work In the bank a
few moments later; he had not yet
retired. He Immediately left the
house to investigate, but no sooner
had he reached the sidewalk than he
was arrested by a gruff voice at his
elbow:
Get back into that house or I'll
blow your brains out"
Junger could not see the bandit. be-
cause 1t was a black night. but he
took no chances. He returned to the
house. From there he could see a
dim light in the bank. and patroling
nine in all.
DIR. Emil Younger. living next door
to the bank. also heard the bandits
at work. lie hastily dressed and sue
ceeded in rousng some OF the mem
bers Of the towns vigilance commit
tee before he was chased back to his
house. He first tried to reach them
by telephone, but the robbers had
taken the precaution TO cut all wires.
Interior Wrecked.
Whenever light appeared in n
house one of the robbers would shout;
Put out that light. and be quick
about it,
II the light was not Immediately
extinguished a shot fired into the air
was sufficient warning TO the citizen.
Two or three experts worked inside
the bank with nitroglyeerin. About
2.15 n. IN. the charge went off and the
vault door was blown open. The in
terror of the bank was virtually
wrecked by force of the explosion.
It took only few moments for the
robbers TO get $4,000 In cash and ap'
proxlmately $4,000 in bonds. most of
them negotiable securities. and get
into their two cars, n Marmon and a
Cadillac.
4 JunRer ran out 10 the street and
hred several shots pointblank Mt the
automobiles as they began speeding
away,