The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-09-18
UNMASKED MEN
SCOOP UP CASH
ESCAPE IN auto
Yeggs May Have Used Car
Stolen from Birlea o. Ward
in Bismarck
LOCK PEOPLE IN VAULT
Three States Being Secured
Today by Posses as Clues
Are Lacking

rOuT unm0SkeQ men rOODeo the
Farmers and Merchants Bank Of
Beach Of $1,000 at 2:45 p. m. yes
terday.
A report that the men escaped in
an automobile which was stolen in
Bismarck Sunday is being invest.
gated by Mandan and Bismarck po-
lice.
The robbers are said to have
escaped in green Buick sedan, with
U. S. Royal and an Ajax tire on
the left and right rear wheels, re.
spectively.
The car stolen in Bismarck Sunday
was q 1926 green Buick Master Six
sedan, with Seiberling tires. It was
stolen here from Birlea o. Ward,
manager of the Capital steam laun-
dry. Police officials believe that
tires on the automobile may have
been changed by the robbers, if they
used the car stolen in Bismarck, be-
fore they committed the robbery.
Search for the bandits today ex-
tended to the northern part Of South
Dakota, eastern Montana, and south
ern North Dakota. Several posses
from Beach combed the territory in
southern North Dakota and northern
South Dakota, but could find no
trace of the bandits. No traces were
found in eastern Montana.
One group Of men which had been
working over the territory in west
ern South Dakota returned to Beach
late last night. While the men were
combing the country in the vicinity
of Beach. police inspectors and
county officials were. carefully in.
specting the bank for possible clues.
The men had worked carefully, how
ever, and nothing could be found
that might lead to theiy arrest.
stick 'em up. And make it
snappy."
J. The order. given in u tone Of voic.
thst LETT no doubt as to its sincerity.
came from q short, middle-aged gen
tlemen. From his hip was pointed
the blunt nose Of steel-blue auto
matte. The first step in the robbery
OF the Beach bank was under way.
Quietly and without notice three
men had entered the bank. One Of
the men, without attracting any at
tention from the workers at the
bank, had walked around the stenor-
rapher's desk and was standing d.
rectly back of the counter, able to
keep an eye on all workers in the
bank. Another had wandered into
the office of w. j. Tobin, receiver
OF the closed First National bank.
Tobin and his stenographer were
likewise looking down the barrel Of
a blunt-nosed automatic. The third
man was leaning leisurely against q
railing near the front Of the bank.
looking all the world like a super.
visor Of a crew of workers. While
the three men were inside the bank.
a fourth sat in the drivers seat Of
the Buick, keeping the motor run.
ming.
The men worked slowly and quietly
at first, but after the first order Of
the short man they got into action.
Stepping around the corner Of the
counter, the man in the front part
of the bank scooped up all the avail
able cash and stuffed it into 4 little
black bag. The man in the back
part of the building marched his
two prisoners to the front, and the
third robber kept a gun on the
stenographers and the cashier.
Fires 1t Cashier
Get down on the floor and stay
there" Carl 0. Halvorson, cashier
of the institution, moved q little bit
too slow, and q bullet crashed into
the woodwork, less than two feet
from his head. Halvorson got down
on the floor. Two stenographers did
likewise. The three men surveyed
the inside Of the bank and, noticing
an open wall safe, they took from Il
a stack Of greenbacks. In their
haste, however, they failed to notice
several thousand dollars lying near
the side Of the safe.
While the men were collecting the
money from the wall safe, four Gus
toners walked in. They also were
ordered to lie down on the floor.
but Oh second thought. the shorter
man ordered the entire rroup into
the vault and slammed tho door.
The men then made q run for the
car and sped toward Sentinel Butte.
q village ali 10 miles east Of
Beach.
Il was 10 minutes before the four
customers and five bank employees
were released from the vault. An
assistant cashier who had been sent
to the courthouse an hour. previous to
the holdup returned, and, finding no
one at the bank, became suspicious.
He Immediately noticed that the door
to the vault was closed, and released
Posses Are. Formed
Immediately the alarm was given.
The sheriff's Office was notified and
al available men around tha town
were gathered to form q posse .
search for the robbers. Tho noon
were split up in several partios, each
going IN different directions. 81.
Following tho tracks mado ~ ~
automobile, one party discovosod
that the bandits travo3od oost toward
Sentinel Butte, hut Whoa abouk IN
miles from Dooch IT, han1ifh
switched theiy courSe soufh 8 1oVv.
man. Officialo 81 III - hnxo
bean notified . bsca tse.wetrh "a
Ccldsn valIey ee,pfr 1eltrIsls -.
pressed the boliGl r ~ il61nl = rI1I11 1Ss
the ua1ne 43at NV 1 II =