Evening star., 1939-03-25
Durund
Continued From First Page)

Continued From First Page.)
Powell. leaving at one a letter ad-
dressed to Sheriff Frank Blackburn
of Park County bearing as a re-
turn address: "Undertaker's OfIice,
Powell, Wyo" The letter challenged
the sheriff to Have my head mount
ed and hang it up in the court
house." The willy fugitive knew, he
wrote, that he was done for"
An awed calm returned to Powell
today. Hundreds of citizens filed
past the body of the man they had
known as a nature-loving individu-
alist who, rather than attend to
school or ranch duties, preferred to
live in the mountains for weeks,
subsisting on game felled by his
keen craftsmanship and sometimes
eating the meat raw.
John Gawthrop, 20, the slain teller
of the First National Bank of Powell,
was one of three men Durand at
tempted to use as a shield when he
stepped to the door of the bank
carrying a rifle in one hand and a
bag containing more than $4,000 in
the other.
Powell townspeople, warned of
Durand's return by gunfire inside
the bank, greeted the slayer's ap-
pearance at the door with fusillade
of shots. The slayers answering
blasts nicked the ear of one startled
witness.
The fugitive had driven to the
bank in an automobile comman-
deered from Harry Moore, Cody
amateur radio operator, whom he
had forced to drive him to his
parents home and other points in
the Powell flats. At his home Durand
joked with his amazed parents, Mr..
and Mrs. w. w. Durand, respected
ranchers.
At that time possemen were seek
ing Durand high on the slopes of
Sawtooth Mountain.
Bob Nelson, president of the bank,
said Durand, looking "a bit wild"
stepped into the bank and said {:
Hello, Nelson" then commanded
the four employees and five Gus
toners in the bank to stick up your
hands,"
He had six-shooter in his hol-
ster and a 30-30 rifle in his hands
and his pockets bulged with ammu-
nition,' Mr.. Nelson related.
"I won't kill you if you do what
I say, but no monkey business the
fugitive said. "'Get over here and
line up" Mr.. Nelson quoted Durand
as demanding.
The bank president said all nine
lined up facing the wall while
Durand scooped up between $4,000
and $4,000 into some money bags.
The intruder then ordered Cashier
Maurice Knutson to get over here
and open the safe"
open 1t up" Durand demanded
again, and playing his bad man role
to the hilt, began firing his rifle at
the windows and walls Of the bank
HE never shot at any Of us, just
kept on shooting around the build
ing" Mr.. Nelson said. while he
was in the bank I guess he shot at
least 40 or 50 times"
Time Lock Was Set.
When Mr.. Knutson had trouble
opening the vault, Durand said
open that up or I'll plug you'll"
Mr., Knutson complained that he
couldn't. The time lock was set te
release later.
What the hell" Durand said
They'll plug me anyway before
get out of here"
He brought Knutson back out OF
the vault" Mr.. Nelson said. "and
then he got out q rawhide thing
out Of his pocket and tied three o1
us togther. Gawthrop. Knutson and
myself"
Mr.. Nelson related Durand thel
said, Come on boys, we're goins
out" and began tugging on thu
thong.
HE pushed US over toward tn.
front door for protection. It VA
kind Of exciting" Mr.. Nelson said.
"All Of . sudden" Mr.. Nelson con
| tinued, bullets started flying, hit