Bryan Co., OK; History: Caddo Bank Robbed - Newspaper Article --------------------------------- Donated by Okbits --------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. --------------------------------- December 22, 1922 Hold Up Men Rob Caddo Bank Friday Three men, one with smut on his face, held up the Caddo National Bank last Friday morning, secured the cash and bonds, and made their get-away in a Buick car, going eadt. One stayed outside, another at the back, making it five in all. The sheriff was immediately notified and quickly there were numerous armed possees in pursuit. Friday evening a car was discovered in the forks of Boggy and one man brought in. The car was identified as the one seen in Caddo and along the road. The man is in jail. The first intimation the bank officials had of any robbery was the order to "hold up your hands." Three men had come in at the front, and issued the order. The hands all went up, though the order had to be repeated several times before the robbers could make the officials believe they meant business. Two men kept the seven employers and five customers covered, while the third took all the money in sight, and compelled Cashier MAYTUBBY to open the safe, where other money and Liberty Bonds were kept. After securing the money the robbers shut all twelve people in the vault, and make their way out the back way, where the car was waiting engine running. A telephone inside the vault enabled those in it to phone for help; but by this time the robbers were swiftly going east. parties whom they passed on the road say the was going seventy miles an hour and hesitating about nothing. Those in the bank were: F.P. SEMPLE, J.D. MAYTUBBY, R.H. CARRAWAY, Rex WHITT, L.M. WOOD, Mrs. L.M. WOOD, Francis SCHWARTX, all connected with the bank and J.L. SARGEN, J.H. COSSART, Antone HAXERNICK, Othe HALE, and W.W. FORT, customers. Mr. FORT, who lives at Ardmore, was in the telephone booth at the time and they had to wait till he came out before they could complete the hold up. The three men who were in the bak are described as follows: One about 22 or 23 years of age; weight about 135 pounds; blue eyes; about 5 feet 9 inches; sandy hair, smooth face, slouch gray hat. One was about 30 years old; weight about 160 pounds; wore overalls, cap; round face, rather red, and prominent nose. One was about 35 years old; smut on face; wore blue glasses; large black hat, black shoes; sandy hair; rather sharp face; wore gloves. All three looked to have two day growth of beard on their faces; all looked as though they might have worked on farms. The men were closely studied by several of those held up., who readily would recognize them if seen. The bank carried sufficient insurance to pay losses. The money loss was about $8,000; while about $25,000 of Liberty Bonds belonging to customers were taken. $18,000 of these were registered bonds, so no loss can occur there to anyone. While all the money except a few pennies were taken, in less than an hour the bank was doing business as usual, with plenty of cask on hand, receiving it from Durant. The robbers were fairly polite and gentle in their dealings with all concerned; they knew what they wanted, and got it, and seemed pleased that they got so much. Jim SARGENT had just cashed a check and with his purse on the counter was ordered to hold up his hands - and he did; but the robbers did not take his $20.00, saying it belonged to some farmer who needed it worse than he did. So Jim got his money back. No attempt was made to rob the persons of any money. No notes or warrents or other papers were taken - just money and bonds. Caddo was in a fever of excitement all that day and the next about the robbery - it being the first ever experienced here. No one was injured - but time was required for some to regain their wonted equinamity. Bandits Get Big Haul Dever, Colo., Dec. 18...Seven bandits, in a daring raid on the FEDERAL- RESERVE-BANK auto in front of the United States mint here today, obtained $200,000 in currency and escaped after a gun battle witht he guards of the bank automobile. In the exchange of shots between the guards and the bandits, one guard and the driver of the bank car were seriously wounded. During the battle, emplyees of the mint shot at the bandits from every window and door. The bandits returned the fire and riddled the front of the mint, breaking every window facing the street. The mint is near the center of the city and crowds of pedestrians watched the bandits escape with the money, all of which was in five dollar bills. The money was being transported to the Federal Reserve Bank here, and bank men had carried it to the front of the mint building and were preparing to load it into their car when the bandits in a high-powered motor car drove up and at the point of their guns, forced the bank employees to load the money into the bandit car. It was only when they started to drive away that the bank and mint employees opened fire on them. This was one of the most daring robberies ever staged in the West.