The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-01-07
GrappIes With Armed Robbers
Who Attempt to Hold Up
Her Bank.
UNARMED, WINS LONG FIGHT
One Bandit Killed and Other
Wounded When Men Come to
Rescue-Story Told at Ma
tional Meeting of Bankers.

cussfon at the recent meeting OF the
American Bankers Association at Chi
cago. and defense measures we're up
for consideration. the bankers were
told how one resolute woman defend.
ed herself against two armed despera.
does in her little Western bank The
woman was Mrs Mary Clearinghouse.
cashier OF the State Bank of Vera.
Oklahoma. which she conducts single
handed. Her own story as she told It
IN a report to the protective authori
ties Of the Association. follows:
while ! was posting my ledger
with my back to the door. I heard q
commotion- When ! turned around
there were two men back OF the coun.
ter, with handkerchiefs over their
faces. The larger made a Jump for
my gun, before I realized what was
happening The robbers each had a
gun pointed at me. and one said Lay
down or I will shoot you!' said I
Will not lay down and you will not
shoot me- This conversation was re.
peated several times. l told them to
cut out their foolishness
"A man who was In the corridor
when the bandits came laid down on
the floor. face down. tried to argue
with the robbers and they began to
get rough. but som ething within me
seemed to realize that they we're get.
ting confused. kept thinking that
some one would come In or see Us
THE larger man got busy with the
money while the smaller one took
care Of me. He jerked me to my
knees and hit me over the head. This
|olted my glasses and Fitted my hand.
waving 1t In front Of his face and |
elling him to wait minute took
ny glasses of and put them on the |
able Lifting my hand caused this
nan to look up and he saw we were
observed from across the street Then
e saw Constable Mostly with his
un. and said to the man who was
altering the money Don we are
cen. we must make onr getn wayr
Ie then grabbed me rather roughly
nd said: Come on here! You are
oming along!'
Struggles With Hobber
Here is where our struggle began
II the time we fought over his gun. ,
did not try to take II away from
I'm. but kept moving 1t from one side
} the other, and Of course he was
stermined to point It straight at me.
told him. 7 will not go and I am not
raid Of you. You will not shoot met!
I'VE fought to the back door Of the
ink. When we got there. he raised
8 arm to IRE ut Mosby grabbed
m around the neck. and he fred be- a
re could get his hand am posi-. n
70 that this man was never Rugged OF
tightly. nor ever will be, as hug.
d him, realizing that I must fight
r my life. The man tried his level
st to kill me. What the other man l1
Is doing I do not know Ny man
Is trying to pull me out the back 6
or to their car. which was still run ar
lg. was determined he should not. tn
r. c. Lapsley. the mayor. or Ed. de
'sby shot the man IN the arm There We
8 Jerk and out the door we went ~
fngs were coming my way now. n,
lied the robber into the weeds. half -4<
his back and half on his left side.
The robber finally said 7 will give
I said, Give me your gun He
'wered, will not: I know you viii Or
'ot mo- So the struggle kept on CIR
got back on our feet meant to Icol
. his gun and would tight him until RIA
IT It, We fought through the back
N behind the counter. He begged
not to take him. and l asked him
IN for HIS gun and he said, NO. I
" you win shoot me- We strug. De-
through the front door and then the
stable Mosby said. Drop your gun Ea,
viii shoot you The bandit gave few
md the men took charge Of him. len
o"' e."o' killed EA,
wondered about the other bandit
started to look for him and found
in the closet In the back Of the
dying r c Lapsley told me
rwa-ds that when the bandit and
rchsd through the back door the imI
ar man with his gun In his right yer.
and the sack Of money In his lially
stepped up TO the door They eift
fred at once The robber drop
his gun and the money. but they rni
not see what became Of him.
all towns had as brave men ~
ave here. hank robbing would be
Ing Of the past You can under.
the remarkable Workmanship
was displayed when I tell You -
in our struggle at the back of
,ank the men took several shots
e robber. but were very careful n,
o hit me. The robber got q shot cher
$ right arm and a giancing shot from
. left. .n,~
= uu' 'ne ene snoo'ins ana nsnt and
felt confident would got the vor,,
Of my man. felt that the man
not shoot me, and like all West.
women did not lose my nerve
robbers as a rule, are towards Du
one shows that he Is not afraid liner
I'm they will loae their nerve" the
thos<
u