The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1927-07-14
ARMED MEn TO
PROTECT BANKS
Elaborate Alarm System
Is Being Planned by
Michigan Bankers.

Detroit, Mich.-G0aded into &C
ton by the frequency of bank ROD
berries, the Michigan Bankers as
ISOLATION has determined to lnaugu,
rate plan of armfng vigiiantes All
over the state with rifles ana pis-
tolls and training them IN the use
of these weapons. This is the
statement of III. NJ. Brown, secre-
<tary of the Michigan Bankers as
ociation, while discussing inc
nove
The plan. contemplates an arlneu
organization in every county, Dunl
around the sheriff. The vlgilantes
appointed will be sworn In as regu-
lar deputy sheriffs, but the arms
and equipment will be furnished py
the various county bankers Ieo-
eratiOns.
A reward of 81 900 will be offered
in every county for the apprenen-
sion of bandits, dead or alive. some
of the counties plan to offer a re-
ward of $500 for a dead Dandlt
and $1,000 if he is taken alive.
Heading UP the vigilante move
ment for the financiers are Paul :.
Ullrich, president of the Ullrlcn
savings bank, Mount Clemens; +.
w. Merrick, vice president of the
pigeon State bank, Lansing, and b..
p Sherwood, president of the
Grand Haven State bank, Grand
Haven.
Deputies In Every County.
Under the plan as outlined there
viii be deputized from three to fifty
viligantes in every county that has
O bank.
These men will be armed with
.45-caliber pistols and high powered
Krag rifles with killing power ut
mile and half. Fast automobiles
will be stationed within easy ac-
cess to each bank and the vigilantes
will be trained to mobilize quickly,
as soon as the alarm is sounded.
The plan also contemplates
system of silent alarms stationed
in various parts of the bank. The
wires leading from the silent alarms
will be encased in steel sheathes to
prevent cutting.
These alarms will lead to vari-
GUS places in the city or town where
the vigilantes are stationed. In
the event of bank attack it is
only necessary to step on button
Z The alarm does not sound inside.
the bank and the robber will not
be aware that while he is in action,
the vigllantes are mobilizing on the
outside to meet him with hail OF
lead as he energies.
Secret telephones will also be In
stalled while system of wide
spread alarm will be worked out
with the local telephone companies.
In the larger cities a paralyzing
gas will be used which can be set
off from any point In the bank,
completely paralyzing the bandits
at the teller's windows.
Many Of the counties are plan
ming to install sirens emitting a
sound different from any factory
whistle or fire alarm, which will
be heard for a distance of at least
FIVE miles In all directions. Imme-
diately after the robbery these Sd
rens will begin to sound, warning
the country that bank has been
|. robbed and that the bandits are es-
Gaping over the highways. This Is
done in conjunction with that part
OF the plan that enlists the help Of
the farmers all over the county.
The vigilante plan that is being
launched by the Michigan Bankers
association Is the same in most re-
spects to the one under which the
Indiana bankers have been work
I ing for the last year and a half.
During that time the Indiana Bank
attacks reduced "a per cent and its
bank losses 70 per cent, according
to III. M. Brown.
Plan Of Army Officer.
Joseph Kylands, former army Off
Ger, who inaugurated the plan in
Indiana, has been secured by the
Michigan Bankers association to
initiate the plan in Michigan.
When the plan is functioning cor
rectly, according to Chairman I'LL
rich Of the state protective commit
tee, all the law enforcing officers
in the state will be co-ordinating
with watchful citizenry that has
been aroused to action by the in
creasing boldness of the criminals
1t is expected, Mr.. Ullrich said, that
at least 1000 armed vigilantes will
be sworn in during the next four
months.
One feature of the plan which OF
necessity cannot be divulged, Mr..
Sherwood said, is series of death
traps" that will be arranged In each
banking community. Another fea-
ture is system of road blockade
that will insure the appearance of
$50 to 800 men on all highways
within 15 minutes after a bank is
attacked.
eve are deadly in earnest about
this vigilante plan," Mr.. Sherwood
stated. ut appears that nothing ex-
cept the use of force will put an
end to the depredations of these
potential murderers. Very well, if
that is necessary to c1rb Them. we