The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-12-17
BANK BANDITS
WILL Be TRIED
AS MURDEREUS
Two Choose Suicide While
Three Others Give Up
to PurSUerS.
DEPUTY SHERIFF SLAIN
Clinton RObber Gang Is
Chased for 70 Miles;
Loot Recovered.
DEPUTY SHERIFF SLAIN
yUrifed Press

BIZ United Press
DANVILLE, H., Dec. 1.-Two of
the three survivors of a quintet of
bank bandits that lost a running
machine gun battle across seventy
miles OF Indiana and Illinois coun-
tryside, we're questioned today in
connection with many bold crimes
perpetrated in the midwest.
The third victim Of the battle that
began In Clinton Qnd) bank and
Cuded in a cornf1eld near Sidell, Ill,
Tuesday died today.
He was Joe Walker, Dana 0nd)
garagenan and deputy sheriff.
moved down by a Sub-machine gun
when he attempted to halt the
bandits as they sped through Dana.
He succumbed in st. Anthony's hos
pital early this morning, and as a
result Of his death the surviving
bandits will face murder as we'll
as bank and auto banditry charges.
Has Little Chance to Live
Gangland's guns, blazing as des-
perately as they could, failed TO
stave off the old-fashloned Wig
ilante spirit that prompted several
hundred officials and private citi-
zens to join the long chase.
At the end of the battle two ban
dts suicided rather than surren-
der. a third was wounded so badly
Danville hospital physicians say he
mas little chance to live. Two 9TH
er1 gave up.
In the Sidell morgue lay G. w.
Landy 65, Frankfort, who shot him
self through the temple, and
Thomas Bell. alias Herman Lamb,
AZ. Of Pittsburgh, whom state police
believe fired a bullet into his own
heart.
The wounded bandit said he was
Edward Hunter, Terre Haute. He is
in hospital here, badly wounded.
The other bandits are Walter
Dietrich, 26, Chicago, and w. A.
Long, Kansas City, Mo All are said
TO have previous records as bank
bandits
The gang is believed to be the
same that escaped from the Farm
ers bank, at Frankfort, two weeks
ago, with $67,50O in currency. The
bandits also may be those who kid
naped the daughter of bank CASH
Ter at Stockwell several days after
the Frankfort job, Indiana state po-
lice believe.
Leave $500 in One Car
Walter Burnside, Clinton, patrol
man, who figured in the final gun
fight, suffered a slight wound in the
side.
From the Citizens bank in Gin
ton Tuesday morning they took
$4,000, all of which was recovered.
About $500 in silver was left in
one car they abandoned to COM
mandeer another. The remainder
was found in pockets Of the men
and in the last auto they drove.
The seventy-mile chase, which
lasted from $50 a. m. until about
? d. m, was filled with the thrills
of battle and marked by both ban
dts and posse members.
In the bank, five employees ana
A customer were forced to lie ON
the floor of a rear room while all
currency in sight was scooped into
a bag.
Hold Pursuers at Bay
AS they turned their auto around
To flee the town. a tire blew out.
North of Clinton they stole car
and with Police Chief Everett Helm
of Clinton, and citizens in pursuit.
They sped north to Dana.
With three new sub-machine
guns the quintet held the pursuers
at a respectful distance. Near Dana
their guns we're trained on Jeoiah
First, farmer, who surrendered his
auto.
In Dana they again switched cars,
taking truck from T. w. Gilbert,
livestock buyer.
Near Scotland, ILL.,. they drove the
truck across the highway, held of
pursuers, and took a Ford coupe
from Fenton Williams, farmer.
Bandits Escape Is Blocked
In this car they sped to Sidell,
where the cars gas tank had but
small amount u luti lSilldililAlo.
Five miles northwest of Sidell they
turned swiftly into the farmyard OF
Leo Moody. covered him with guns
and demanded his car. His wife
had it, he told them, and ran to the
house.
Along the road the leading posse
car had dropped notes to the farm
ers to Join the chase. More than
800 we're in the caravan, as the first
car reared into the farmyard and
blocked escape of the bandits.
The bandits scattered. three
sprinting TO a cornfleld two hundred
Yards distant. They dropped their
machine guns before they reached
its shelter. Two others hid near
the house.
Surrounding the field the posse
began closing in on the men in the
field. Hunter. in a hoghouss, was
shot by Chief Helm. Bell and
Landy committed suicide. and Diet
rich gave up. Long was found In