The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1930-06-12
LOUISIANA EDITOR
GETS new THRILL
Locked In Vault With Four
Others While Bank Rob-
bers Operate
IS ENTIRELY SATISFIED
Is Thankful the Affair Turned
Out AS 1t Did-COmplete
Story Coverage

Story Coverage
J. P. Wade, editor of the jena
La.) Times and president of the
Louisiana Press association, doesn't
want to cover in person another
bank robbery No, sub! Having
been through one, he's quite willing
to let some other reporter of the
news in his city be an eyewitness
to the next stick-up. At least, that's
the impression one gets from a
page one story in a recent issue OF
the Times which reads as follows:
1.-TWO bandits held up and robbed
the LaSalle State bank of $1,000
in cold cash on last Saturday morn
ing at S:45. The reason I know
this to be the truth is because 1
happened to be one of the four
men who were locked in the air
tight vault after the robbers had
pilfered the bank, taking all of the
available currency and gold in sight
with the exception of a $500 bill.
Why they didn't take the $500 bill
is beyond me and I didn't think it
necessary to ask either one OF the
two robbers anything about it.
1.-THE truth of the matter is that
I didn't think it necessary to ask
the robbers anything at all. I be-
lieved the best thing to do under
the circumstances was to obey the
commands that were aimed at me.
My friends, Butler, Stephenson and
Dee Wade, must have had the same
ideas as myself because if either Of
them said a word they said it to
themselves. If any of those who
read this article have different
idea about the way to act when
caught unawares in a bank by two
bold bank robbers, all I can say is
that the four of us are real down.
right sorry such persons didn't have
our places on last Saturday morn.
ut never occurred to me while in
the bank Saturday morning that
we would have any more excite
ment than usually comes from the
conversations that take place there
before banking hours each morn
ing. When spied two men at the
rear end of the bank making their
way around to the side, supposed
they were some of the boys from
the rural section who had come in
to make further arrangements
about their overdue notes.
1T was then I decided to make
my exit, but my decision didn't
seem to be worth so very much.
was ordered to step back and place
my face to the rear wall and reach
for air, which politely and quick
ly did. It seemed that the robbers
hadn't decided on this issue and as
one would order us to put our hands
up, the other would order them
down. Both commands we obeyed
with clock-like decision and our
movements resembled something
like a physical culture lesson. The
final decision was that our hands
should remain still at our sides. Of
course we abided by the final de-
scision.
"While one of the bandits stood
guard, the other entered the vault
and took all of the available cash,
-totaling in all 5000. Several Amer
lean Bankers association travelling
cheques were also taken. After the
cash and cheques had been scoop
ed into a sack and the second rob-
Der had returned from the vault,
Butler, Stephenson, Wade and my
self were ordered to enter the vault
after which we heard the door
click, booming us to our fate. A few
moments later we discovered that
the vault had not been locked and
we knew that we could be gotten
out within few minutes. Were we
glad to see to see Walter Brewton
when he had opened the vault door?
should say so, and how!
The LaSalle State bank is capital
lied at $4,000, with surplus of
$500. Their undivided, profits to
date total $1,000, which means a to-
tai of $36, 800 as a security for the
5000 that was taken. The bank
is insured for $4,000 in two differ
ent companies. All of this informa-
ton clicked through my feeble
brain when we were ordered to
reach for air and all during the
time that the bandits were at work.
I say that it would have been utter
foolishness for any of us to have
made a misstep and thank God
none of us were so foolish.
IT believe that all four of us are
glad that the affair turned out as it
did and that our families still have
us instead of the small amount Of
life insurance we carry. If there
are any who are so foolish as to
think they would have done any
thing more than we did, then can
only say God pity such thoughts.
I'm glad to be able to write this
story under my own name. I'm
proud to remain as citizen of Jena
and LaSalle parish. It wouldn't
have helped me bit if this story
had been written by some one else
and they would have been able to
link the bank robbery up with a
large and suspicious funeral. The
Times readers, believe, are glad
to know their editor still lives and
will continue his work. And the
editor wants no such mention as
the old boy certainly was good
L =