Putnam-Allen County OhArchives News.....DAREDEVIL'S DEED --Single Handed, He Robs a Bank in Broad Daylight August 8, 1891 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/oh/ohfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Judy Woerner judyw0113@yahoo.com January 5, 2006, 8:04 pm Lima Daily News August 8, 1891 "The Cashier Shot Twice, and an Unsuspecting Farmer Killed. Columbus Grove the Scene This Morning of One of the Boldest Crimes on Record. The Freebooter Escapes Though an Organized Posse is in Full Pursuit.— Details of the Tragedy. A second Jesse James. Columbus Grove visited by a daring robber. The Exchange Bank robbed, and three men dangerously wounded, one possibly fatally. Such was the report telegraphed to the officials here this morning about 9 o’clock. A half hour later, the south-bound D. & M. train brought in Mr. W. T. Maple, a brother of one of the men who was shot, in the hope of organizing a posse to assist in running down the desperado. THE PARTICULARS OF THE ROBBERY as told by Mr. Maple, outrival even the daring deeds of the famous Jesse James and his brother. The Exchange bank is owned by S. Maple, and is a thriving institution. He opened up, as usual, this morning. Being Saturday, a heavy business was expected, and he had taken out $1200 in greenbacks, and had them near the paying tellers window. TO PROTECT THE MONEY lying on the counter, a plate glass about two feet in height is run around the top of the bar. Sitting on a chair out in the lobby was OL Syford, a big, strong fellow, and courageous. His chair was tilted back, as he conversed with the cashier, who was not busy, owing to the early hour of the day. Suddenly, the quiet scene was changed to one of wild excitement. There appeared in the open door of the bank, a man, evidently on mischief bent. In either hand he flourished a monster revolver. His eyes roved wildly about the room, and without a word HE BEGAN SHOOTING The first ball flew harmlessly through the air, and lodged in the wall above the cashier’s head. Before Mr. Maple could make a move to secure the revolver that was always kept for such an emergency, a second shot from the monster’s revolver shattered the bones of his right arm. Another shot and the cashier fell from his chair, pierced in the right side by a deadly ball. Syford had been a silent witness to the terrible crime. He could not stir nor speak. He expected every minute his turn would come next, and he was paralyzed with fear. Turning to him, the desperado spoke for the first time, and in the foulest language, ordered him not to stir or he would meet a similar fate. At this juncture, WILLIAM VANDEMARK, an old farmer, appeared on the scene. He deliberately WALKED TO HIS DEATH. As he stepped inside the door, the villain heard him. The old man thought it a little strange that he had heard shooting inside a bank. He had read of the wild pranks of the James and Younger brothers, but that was out west, where such things might be expected. The desperate man within could take no chances, however. He knew not the old man’s errand, and having gone thus far, did not, intend to be baffled. Without a word he faced the old farmer and leveled his gun at him. The unfortunate victim had turned just half way round when the ruffian fired. The ball struck him in the side, just above the hip, and passed almost through his body. He fell BLEEDING AND SENSELESS. And still Syford sat horrified and spellbound. With his revolvers the fellow broke the plate glass, and shoving his arm through the ragged aperture, raked up all the money, amounting to about $1200, and thrust it into the side pockets of his long sack coat. By this time several people had been attracted by the sounds of the shots. The desperado inside realized it was time for him to be skipping. Again brandishing his revolvers in true western style he dashed out of on the street. There was a wild scatterment on the part of the people. No one was looking for thieves and murderers, and there was not a weapon in the crowd. One poor fellow failed to get out of the way in time. HENRY BUCK FELL, pierced by a ball from the revolver that had already scored two victims. The robber fired several times and shouted. “I’m a second Jesse James!” with appropriate oaths attached. The greatest excitement prevailed. Near the bank, W.T. Maple, a brother of the wounded cashier, runs a dry goods store. He had heard the sounds of firing, and was hurrying to the front of the store to find out the cause, when he received the startling intelligence from an individual that his father and his brother had been killed, and the bank robbed. Hurrying out on the street, he caught sight of THE FLEEING FREE-BOOTER running at the top of his speed. The fellow ran down an alley, and was last seen disappearing into a big cornfield at the edge of town. The wildest kind of rumors were afloat, and the news spread over the town and surrounding country like wild fire. T. J. Maple, the cashier, soon recovered consciousness and was able to keep up long enough to direct the movements of others. He has a bad arm, but it is thought the wound in the side is not serious. The ball passed through too near the flesh to reach any vital point. Farmer VANDEMARK was found to be THE WORST INJURED He was picked up tenderly and carried to a physician’s office. An examination of the wound developed the fact that it is necessarily fatal. The doctor probed for the ball, but was unable to locate it, though it is believed it lodged near the skin on the opposite side from the point of entrance. Mr. VANDEMARK is a prominent farmer, living about four miles from the Grove, in Union township. He had driven into town this morning with some hogs, and received an order on the bank for his money. He had just stepped in to present the order for payment, when he was struck down by the leaden messenger of death. While the injured were being cared for, others under the direction of W. T. Maple and his father, were ORGANIZING FOR PURSUIT. Telegrams were sent out to all the surrounding towns. A messenger came down to Cairo, to interest the people there in the search, while Mr. Maple came here. A big reward is offered for the fellow’s capture, dead or alive, and it is dollars to cents if Columbus Grove people catch him, he will be carried into town a corpse. The individual who has so quickly jumped into notoriety is DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: About 5 feet 7 inches tall, heavy set, with full face and small black mustache. He wore a black alpaca cap, long sack coat of the same material and color, blue striped pants, and no vest. He appeared to be about 35 years old. It was learned that he came in on the D. & M. local from the south, about ten minutes after eight. He then went to John Crawford’s hardware store, near by, and bought a box of cartridges. He then asked to see some revolvers. He picked up two big ones, and loading them, presented them at the proprietor’s head. The latter dodged behind the counter, and the stranger slipped out. A few minutes later the terrible tragedy at the bank was being enacted." File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/oh/putnam/newspapers/daredevi6nnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ohfiles/ File size: 7.7 Kb