The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-08-09
CASHIER IS FORCED
TO DISCLOSE Cash;
PATROL wins CHASE
Three Men and One Woman Are
Captured After They Hold
Up Elk River Bank
BANK LOOT IS RECOVERED
Robbers Compel Physician and
His Wife to Aid Them In
Execution Of Plan
BANK LOOT IS RECOVERED

Elk River, M1nn.. Aug. 9.-(FeLeSS
than two hours after they held up
the First National bank here and es-
capped with $1,000 in cash, three men
and a woman were captured after q
running gunfight between the robbers
and Earle Brown, head Of the state
highway patrol. and Mike Auspos,
highway patrolman. One OF the
bandits was wounded.
The men first appeared at the
home Of DR.. G. A. Page about a. m.
After covering" DR.. Page with a re-
volvcr. they forced him into the
house and asked to see Mrs. Page.
After q few moments DR.. Page. who
is not associated with the bank,
learned he was being used to aid the
trio in robbing the bank.
Covers Doctor
For nearly two hours DR.. and Mrs.
Page were covered" by revolvers Of
two Of the men while a third sat In
an automobile in front of the Page
home. When T. M. Olson. cashier,
was passing the Page home Mrs.
Page. under threat Of death, was
ordered to ask Mr. Olson to come into
the house as DR.. Page wanted to
see him." The Page home Is about
three blocks from the bank.
When Olson entered the Page
home, he was told by the leader of
the trio, who was about 6 feet 3
inches In height, that 'the bank Is
about to be held up
ia
cided one man would remain TO tGke
charge Of Mrs. Page while the other
two would accompany Olson and DR..
Page to the bank.
It was about s q. m. when the two
bank robbers, accompanied by Olson
and DR.. Page, drove up to the bank
in the physicians automobile.
Warns Assistants
Entering the bank. the leader
warned Miss c. M. Biessler and A. I.
Donal,ue. assistant cashiers, that the
bank is being held up" and mot to
put in any alarm after We leave be-
cause II you do Olson and Page will
suffer-"
While the smaller Of the bandits
described as being about S feet &
inches tall. covered the assistant
cashiers and DR.. Page with re-
volver the other ordered Olson to
open up the SAFE" After taking all
the money from the cash drawer and
placing 1t In bag. the leader scooped
up the cash from the compartment
in the safe.
Just before departing, the two rob-
bers warned Donahue and Miss Bies-
sler against sounding an alarm.
Climbing into DR.. Pages automo-
bile, the four men drove back to the
Page home. After escorting DR.
Page and Olson into the house. they
summoned the third robber and the
trio drove away.
Bandits Open Fire
Mr.. Brown and his wife, driving Il
his home In Minneapolis. passed thu
scene Of the robbery shortly after.
wards and stopped to inquire. Tole
Of the holdup, he drove to the hons
Of Auspos, who resides in Elk River
and in the latter's automobile the,
started In search Of the bandits.
At Big Lake, they sought to trace
the robbers but were unable to picl
up any information. and the chiel
doubled back to Elk River. The,
came to Z lonely side road ana de.
cided to investigate. Here they saw
Z car and while they sought to com.
pare the license tag with the number
they had written on . piece Of paper
the occupants Of the automobile
opened fire on the officers.
Brown returned the fire. and aftel
. mile chase punctured the gas tanl
Of the other car. One Of their captivel
was wounded. and they covered" tha
others, bringing them to Elk River.
Each robher had his pockets stuffet
with money while some was con
cealed Ia = small handbag in ths
bandit car. Mr.. Brown believed thel
had divided the money while making
their getaway. The girl was ptcket
up By the bandits ct Birch Lake
about II miles northwest Of Ell
River. The bandits IRE believed K
have rented Z cottage there.