The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-10-26
LARIMORE BANDITS
ESCAPE, GET &,4O0
IN Lightning RAID
Holdup Precision Leads to Be-
lief Work Was That Of
Professionals
Northwestern TRAIL LOST
Bank Officials Forced to Lie on
Floor While Cash Il
Scoopsd Up
northwestern TRAIL LOST

Larimore, N. D., Oct. 26.-(Rr
Peace officers Of northeastern North
Dakota Friday pressed the search for
three unmasked bandits who, operat-
ing with the speed and exactness Of
professionals, looted the Elk Valley
state bank here Of approximately a.
400 at 2:35 p. m. Thursday, sped out
OF town toward the northwest and
disappeared. Soon after the holdup,
sheriffs and police posses were on
the trail Of machine believed to be
the bandit car, but the trail was lost
q few miles northwest Of Larimore
where the auto was travelling on side
roads.
Armed with guns, the bandits had
rushed In the bank, ordered A. N.
johnson, assistant cashier, and I. H.
Brandon, teller and bookkeeper. to lie
on the floor, scooped the counter cash
and some silver from the safe into
q small eunny-sack and fled to . car
In which Z fourth man was waiting,
as witnesses related the event.
The car believed to be the one used
by the bandits was described by one
observer as . black Pontiac bearing
q Washington state license, the first
three numbers Of which were 1T. The
other numbers were not obtained.
Police Officers Nearby
While the robbery was In progress.
police chief Ed Hough and patrolman
B. 7. Benson Of Grand Forks were
tralasacting business in the office Of
police magistrate !. A. Mccartney
here.
Informed Of the holdup, the three
sped after the bandit car but lost time
when they trailed car Of similar
description onto side road only to
find the machine was not that Of the
robbers.
Meanwhile, Sheriff ]. N. Lund and
his deputies as well as posses Of Lari-
more police and citizens engaged In
the hunt and officers In all directions
were notified to be on the watch for
the bandits.
Describing the holdup. johnson said
the men worked SO rapidly that 1t was
impossible for either him or Brandon
to get q good description Of them. The
only one Of the trio johnson saw
plainly was the first man to enter the
bank.
He appeared about 80 years old,
was rather short and weighed about
$50 pounds, johnson said. Various
other reports were that the bandits
all were young and that one wearing
q gray hat sat at the wheel Of the
waiting auto.
Told 70 Lie Down
"One Of the trio entered the bank
first and was about six feet from me
before got q look at him." johnson
said. Then the others came in. All
had guns and they announced this Is
q stickup; turn around and lie down
on the floor
I'VE complied with the demands.
That was all we could do. As the
bandits gave orders they rushed around
behind the counter and rapidly SCOOP
ed up the counter cash and = small
amount Of silver that was in the safe.
THE time lock on the vault was
set to open at p. m, and the rob-
berS failed to get In there. They put
the money in . small gunny-sack and
dashed out to waiting car and sped
away.
THE whole job didn't take more
than three or four minutes. As soon
as the robbers left, called central
and asked her to broadcast the alarm
in the city and to all neighbortng
towns.
Brandon and I were alone In the
bank, but during the robbery . young
fellow, q customer, came in and ran
out again. I haven't learned yet who
he Was"
It was the first time the Larimore'
bank had been robbed, johnson said.
The institution Is headed by Hans
Nielsen, president. 8. L. Ftydenlund
Is cashier. It has been under the
present management since 1880.