Evening star., 1941-09-25
Bandits Get $4,000
From HyottsvilIe
Bank MESSENGERS
$4,000 in Checks
Also Seized in
Street HoIdup

nle-oarreled shotgun ana a pistol
held up and robbed two bank mes
sengers of the Prince Georges Bank
6 Trust Co. of about $4,000 in cash
and two non-negotiable cashiers
checks totaling $4,000 shortly after
the opening hour today.
The messengers were driving from
the bank in Hyattsville to the Office
OF the Washington Suburban Sani-
tary Commission, about five blocks
away and less than half mile from
the Prince Georges County police
substation, when the bandits halted
them, seized two money satchels. one
containing a $4,000 pay roll for the
Sanitary Commission, and escaped.
going in the direction of Washing
ton. Earlier bank officials had re-
ported the loss as S33 900.
All Prince Georges County pollcs
were modified by lookout broad
cast shortly afterward and the Fed
eral Bureau of Investigation. WASH
ington and Maryland State police
joined in the search.
An afterthought by one Of tbs
bandits raised the total loot from
$4,000 to $4,000 in cash. it was
learned later from bank officials.
Looked in Back Seat.
Two Of the robbers had seized the
satchel containing the Sanitary
Commission payroll from the lap of
one Of the messengers in the front
seat of their car The holdup men
were running back to their own ma
chine when the third bandit. watt
ing at the wheel, yelled:
Look in the back seat"
One Of the men turned back and
looked in the rear of the messengers
car where another satchel contain
ing about $4,000 in cash and the
two cashiers checks had been placed
behind the drivers seat. He
Snatched that and flung himself into
the bandits car Just as it started off
toward Washington
Metropolitan police said II was the
largest bank robbery on record in
the Washington area. The largest
previously reported was the robbery
Of the old neutrality-suspicious. Bank
on Rhode Island avenue NE. in
1882, when between $4,000 and
$4,000 was taken. The robbers were
later caught and convicted.
/ T. Howard Duckett, president OF
the bank, said the loss was covered
by insurance.
Followed Usual Route.
The two messengers. Jack DAM
eron, II, of Hyattsville and Van
Stauber, 15, of University Park, Nd,
left the bank building about s:45
O'Clock, according to police. They
/ got IN the car with Mr.. Stauber az
the wheel and drove west on HAM
lIton street from the side door Of
the bank, following the same route
they had taken on similar trips for
the last three months AS thev
reached Forty-third street. where
hamilton street ends, a small. black
Sedan parked at the curb pulled out
and in front of their machine. block.
ing their path.
Two men jumped out Of the black
sedan. one armed with a double bar
reled shotgun and the other with a
PISTOL while third remained at the
wheel with the motor running. the
youths told police Approaching the
messengers car on both sides, one
OF the men said:
This is a stickup. Hand over the
money"
They opened the doors and
snort, stocky man on the side next
10 Mr., Dameron grabbed the small
Satchel with the $4,000 Sanitary
commission pay roll A taller. slen.
oer man next to the Stauber youth
reacned inside, turned the KEY in the
ignition switch. shutting off the mo.
tor. and took the keys.
Wasn't Frightened Until Later
wasn't scared until after IL
was all over Mr.. Stauber told no.
ice later, "and then it was too late"
The bandits sped south on Forty.
thlrd street toward Washington
after the holdup.
Inc two messengers, their auto
mobile stalled in the middle of ths
street, ran back to the bank, about
a block and a half away. Chief
arthur w. Hepburn of the Prince
Georges County police was sitting in
MS car parked on Baltimore boule-
Varo across from the bank when
they arrived and was notified i'm
medlately. He broadcast the alarm.
Described Two Men.
The messengers had taken the Ii
cense number Of the bandits ma
chine and gave police a description
OF two of the men. They we're un-
able to secure good view of the
driver, they said One man was
described as about IS to 40 years of
age, short and stocky and weighing
100 pounds. The other was about
s feet tall. slender and about IS
years of age. None of the men were
masked and all were white, the
bank employees said.
Both of the bandits who ap-
YTOT