The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1931-04-30
Three Lads, II
Years, Hold
UpPoolHall
Alexandria Young Men Collect
Between $500 and $500
at West Union
CAR LANDS IN DITCH
Give Themselves Up to Police
Officer in This City Last
Evening
CAR LANDS IN DITCH


ing from IT to 10 years, from well
known Alexandria families held up
the pool hall at West Union about
$50 last evening at the point of
guns and collected from the cash
till and the half dozen or more pat
rons between $500 and $500.
The names of the young men are:
lrwilliam Dinda, 18, Oakland Habner,
~, and Melvin Hill, is. Dinda's par
ents, it is understood live on a
farm about two miles from Alex,
the parents of the other lads live in
the city.
This Thursday morning the Her
aid editor interview the boys at the
Sank Centre Jail and their state
ments were substantially as fol-
lows:
They left Alexandria about 700
o'clock last evening in 1929
plymouth Sedan owned by Dinda's
Father and drove OF Sank Centre.
Earlier in the evening young Hill
had called at the home of a nan
who had acted as special police in
the city of Alexandria. 1t appears
that this police officer had borrow
ed. revolver from young Hills
father. Last evening the officer
turned the gun over to young Hill.
The boys met and started for this
city shortly after.
There were two guns in the party.
Where the other one came from is
a bit uncertain, as the lads were
not willing to come across with the
information.
According to their story they ar
rived in Sank Centre about 500
o'clock. They said they drove about
the city for time, stopped and
purchased some candy and pop,
leaving the city about $3.50.
According to their story while
driving to West Union they discus
sed the idea of sticking up the West
Union pool hall. They decided it
would be great "lark". They drove
through the village. turned around,
came back and drove around town.
Young Dinda and Hall placed
/ ONCl IIlCtI ldCcSt luC
car was stopped in front of the pool
hall, facing toward Sank Centre.
Hill and Dinda entered the pool
hall and startled the patrons by the
command; Hold up your hands"
The robbery took but short time,
the boys hustled out, jumped into
the car standing with the motor idl-
ing and hurried out of town.
When about three blocks east of
West Union they left the pavement
going north, and turned out the
lights. They travelled until they
struck Todd County "U' trail and
headed for Sank Centre. When
about two miles from this city they
landed in ditch, badly wrecking
the car. Young Hill riding in the
back seat was quite painfully cut
about the mouth.
A man by the name of Nelson,
employed on the farm of Orville
Austin, west of the city, was re-
turning from Sank Centre. He
was stopped and brought the boys
back to Sank Centre.
| An attempt was made to get in
touch with a doctor. Being unable
to do so they asked the clerk at
the Palmer House to notify the
police. They gave. themselves up to
Police Officer Frank Schlichte and
were placed in Jail.
The boys were well dressed and
do not have the look of criminals.
They said they had not had any
liquor and there was no evidence of
any in the wrecked Plymouth.
They were very penitent this
Thursday morning and vowed they
had learned their lesson.
On being asked what they would
have done If the men in the pool
hall had refused to put up their
arms, Dinda and Hill said almost
in unionism I'VE would have drop
ped our guns and run like h-l."
Sheriff Adams and Deputy Bal
com Of Todd county. arrived in the
city about $3.50 today took the boys
Ito Long Prairie where they will be
arraigned. Undoubtedly pleas of
guilty will be entered and they will
likely receive sentences to the st.
Cloud reformatory from one to
five years each.