San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-11-01

tE ing SUIT OF Knockers, lett the old
fashioned farmhouse, ten miles out on the
Pigeon Roost road, just outside of Mem
phis, Tenn, late in the afternoon of an
Indian Summer day to gather wild flowers
ing 81 900. Neither did she expect to run
into nest of fugitive bank bandits,
armed with pistols and sawed-off repeat
ing shotguns stolen from the jailer's office
when they made a spectacular break for
liberty that morning.
While Rita, basket swung on an arm,
was picking yellow posies from a sea of
golden-rod, straying unconsciously until
she was out of sight of her home, $50
policemen and squads of sheriff's deputies
were combing the city and suburbs in one
of the most exciting man-hunts in the
criminal history of Shelby County.
The radio operator at VINO, a news
paper broadcasting station, was flashing
a description of the three desperadoes
over the country, telegraph bulletins and
telephone warnings were being sent to all
the cities, towns and hamlets within a
radius of 200 miles of Memphis, and the
news of the thrilling escape was spreading
like wldfire.
Farmers out in the country were arm
ing and keeping vigil over the highways
as the radio and telephone announced
from the sheriff's office that a reward of
$1,000 would be paid for the capture of
the trio, dead or alive, and advising vii
lage constables to take no chances.
Meantime the eighteen-year- girl,
basket filled to overlooking with the bright
yellow goldenrod, had strolled into the
shadow of a clump of trees and was rest
ing, propped up against a towering oak.
The shadows were deepening, the crickets
were beginning their evening serenade,
and the girl was two miles from the farm
house.
"Rita's the most modest girl in the
world" her father said afterward, "but
she's at home in the woods and unafraid.
She's a natural-born nimrod. She can
shoot a rabbit, squirrel, quail and duck
with unerring aim. / gave her shotgun
on her birthday and her uncle gave her
a pistol last Christmas. Rita always car
ries one or the other when she goes out
on her rambling expeditions"
At o'clock the afternoon of last Janu-
airy 20, five heavily armed men, each
wearing a black mask, entered the Cooper
street branch of the Fidelity Bank &
Trust Company, in the East End suburb.
The shades to the bank windows had been
drawn, preparatory to closing for the day.
The front door was unlocked, however, as
it was the custom of half a dozen bner-
chants in that community to take their
DAVIS deposits around to the bank just
before the vaults were shut and the time
lock set.
The men drew their guns the moment
thew were on the inside. The cashier, his
assistant, a young woman accountant and
a negro porter were in the bank. As
four of the robbers forced them into the
vault, the fifth man raked bundles of bills
and stacks of silver into a sack he had
concealed beneath his coat.
The robbers obtained something over
$4,000 and fed in an automobile, which
had been parked across the street with the
ENGINE left running. They were away be-
fore persons around the suburban bust
moss corner were aware OF the bold rob-
berv. William T. Griffin, inspector of
detectives, assigned every available man.
70 the Job. But there was no clew.
Two months later, at about the same
time in the afternoon, a red-headed, freck-
led man strolled into the same bank,
pistol in hand.
"Put 'em up" he commanded. There
were three employees and a customer in
the bank at the time. He looted the
cashiers cage and obtained something
over $4,000 The robber ran half block
awav and leaped into a car, occupied by
a confederate, and they sped away
A bystander remembered the car. But
he couldn't recall the license number. 1t
looked like Chevrolet. He was positive
about one thing-a peculiar bumper on
the rear of the automobile. Inspector
Griffin got into touch with the Chevrolet
dealers. Yes, they had sold two Chevrolet
cars equipped with that peculiar bumper.
One was purchased by citizen and the
otber bv a rent-a-car concern.
Detective sergeants were assigned to
still watch at the rent-a-car place. AT
o'clock that night man, who had been
described to Inspector Griffin as having
been driving the Chevrolet with the pc
culiar bumper, drove in. He was covered
with pistols and taken to police headquar-
TORS for questioning. He gave his name
nc Robert Chestnut, but would say moth
inc more. The more he was quizzed, the
NOR sullen he became. 1t was disclosed
later that Chestnut's home is in Chicago,
where his brothers are well-known bust
ness men.
Search of Chestnut's pockets revealed a
receipt from a gas company for the post
inc of deposit for service. 1t gave an
address on Polar Boulevard.
A squad of detectives was rushed to the
house. an apartment structure. In the
N. Nl,..,a