The Bismarck tribune., 1925-11-21
YEGGS ROB
P0ST0FFICE
AT SUPERIOR
Assistant Postmaster Forced
to Give Combination Of
Vault and Safe
WATCHMAN IS BOUND
Members of Mail Mans Fam
lily Kept Under Guard Dur
ing Operations
WATCHMAN IS BOUND


one of the most daring robbcrics in
northern Wisconsin in many years,
bandits early today looted the Super
ior postotficc of nearly $4,000 in
stamps and small amount of cash,
after binding members Of the family
of {. !. McGill, assistant postmaster.
and forcing the postoffict official to
yield keys and combination to the
vault.
The robbery was the climax Of pre-
liminary operations which began ear
ly last night when several men went
to the McGill home, bound several
members of the family then present,
waited for others to return. secured
these. and then wrung from McGill
the combination Of the safe and fore
ed him to turn over keys to the build
ing and inner compartments Of the
safe.
Tried to- Evadc Questions
McGill at first gave his captors
wrong combination, but when asked
to repeat the numbers, could not re-
member the figures first given. He
was forced at the point Of pistols to
tell the true combination.
One Of the men was left in charge
of the bound family. while the rest
where the job was completed,
Left In Automobile
A watchman at the postotficc was
seized and bound. and watched the
robbers at work He told police one
Of the men appeared to be an expert
in 'feelng' out the tumblcrs of the
safe. When the operation was com
pleted and the safe swept clean of
valuables, the watchman was wired
to the door of the safe. Escape Of
the bandits was effected in an auto
mobile. The only tangible clew left
by the men was an overcOat forgotten
by one Of the bandits.
Some Stamps Overlooked
The robbers stole $l25 cash, which
had been deposited with the govern
ment to cover printing orders for en-
velopes They overlooked SIT 900 in
stamps. which were in another safe.
The stamps were the Christmas allot-
ment of Superior, and an article in
newspapers two weeks ago said ap-
proximately $l5O,OOO in stamps had
been sent here.
The robbers chatted easily with the
,, McGill family on topics Of the day
prohibition. evolution, and the Nh
klux Klan-disp splaying culture and
wide information. Mr.. McGll said.
They were fairly well dressed. and
| masked. except that one robbcr en-
tered the house unmasked, mas skiing
| at once A n,eagre description Of him
was secured.
Get Finger Prints Of One
The members of the McGill family
| failed in one clever ruse with the
| bandits. but another worked. and
they secured the finger prints Of
| their guard after his mates had left.
| Left under guard Of the sole bandit.
| Miss McGill. daughter of the official.
! complained her glasses were palnlns
her and asked the bandit to lay them
on the piano. He did. but took care
to leave no finger prints or them.
Later. however. Emmett McGill, ad
vertsine solicitor for the Superior
| Telegram, a son of the assistant
| postmaster. asked for a glass Of va
| ter, and finger prints Of the guard
remained upon the tumbler.
The quartette returned for their
mate shortly after , a. m. and sl,.ce
neither Miss McGill nor the girl
| boardcr. Miss Irene Olson. had been
| bound. they released the men. At
3:2O McGill was able to telephone
| police headquarters news of the rob
berry, Emmett holding the severed
wires together with his hands to form
connection. but 90 minutes elapsed
before police arrived, they having
chased false scent.
Inspectors Notified
The bandits were described n be-
ing between 25 and so years by T. M.
Thompson, postmaster, who said they
were undoubtedly professionals and
who admitted to the Associated Press
they might Be the kind of robbery
day" bandits against whom Wiscon
sin Bankers association recently
warned every bank in the state.
No postal inspectors arc as yet on
the Job. Mr.. Thompson said. though
he has telcgraphed Washington, Chi
cago and Ashland. the man usually
stationed at Ashland was out Of the
| citv he said