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Four Robbers Early This Morning, After Cutting All Telephone and Telegraph Connections Connecting Village to Outside World Rode to Bank In High Poweied Car and Blow Combination on Outer Vault Door. Dillon Safety Lock Acts Preventing Entrance to Strong Box. All Make Their Get-a-way.A bold attempt made by four men arriving m a b gh powered automobile to rob the Farmers Merchants State Bark of Em-mns early th»$ morning, resulted in a complete failureThe attempt was made shortly after 1 o’clock. After every telephone and telegraph v, re leading into the wtlcge was cut, according to the reports, the four drove down the mam street and stopped not - great d'Stance from the banks. Three men jumped out and whi e two made for the farmers Merchants Bank ofe AJiled up and down the business street wh ;e the druer cf the car rode about the village. AH four men were heavily armed.About th-s time Anton Egland cf Emmors. with h;s b.g game rifle and hunting paraphernalia, started dow the mam street towards the depot intending to board the south bound train for Lake Mills to catch the north bound tram for Northern Minnesota.When opposite tf'e First National Bank he was accosted by the walking robber patrolman, who pushed him mto the entrance of the bank at the point cf a gun and demanded that *e keep quiet. The robber didn’t attempt to get the rifle away from Anton but saw to :t that he couldn’t get it mto action.Wh.le Enland was bei ig covered the two robbers st the bank jimmied one of tue s de windows and were soor. inside. They worked for some time before an explosion occurred Short'y afterwards they came out and jumped into the car. The robber who was coven’-g Antcn then turned and made for the car. Anton reach'd for hi. rifle and while the man was still only a short distance from him aimed and shot. Unfortunately the but let stuck and the man node good his escape.As Emmons was without any wire connections, the citizens of Emmons notified the Dassenger tram crew and they in turn notified Sheriff Fosse about 4 o’clock, the time they arrived in Albert Lea.Sheriff Fccse and Deputy Sher-iff Jenson left ror Emmons by auto as soon as possible afterthey were notified.Lprn investigation a crowbar and sledge hammer were foundn the bank. They were section toois. undoubtedly fken fromsome section house. The leverof the vault door lu.d been krocked off and ’ charge of nitroglycerine l ad blown the combination from the door. Parts of the combination were blown through a front piate glass window. One piece pierced the counter and still another piece was found in side cf one ct the counter drawer*.V I Cit released the burglar proof Dillon lock, automatically throwing a series of heavy bolts, barring the door stronger than ever. This Dillon lock, now used by many of the modern banks, is believed.to have pievented the robbers from making a rich haul of money and Liberty bonds. *■Three holes had been bored in the s de of the vault. It is believed that the robbers intended, to cet explosives m the holes in an effort to blow a hole sufficiently large to crawl through.The officers of the bank are: A. C. Erickson of Albert Lea, President; O. P Opdahl, Vice President, and Fred Knutson, cash.er. The bankers arc all congratulatmg themselves today upon their escape from loss.Sheriff Fosse has notified all surrounding towns ef .thi robbery. No dues were left by any of the men that might lead to then- arrest.LATER.Sheriff Focse te’ephoned to St. Paul after he returned to Alberj Lea this morning, asking tire police to get in touch with Eg land, who had gone north on his huntmg trip. He was ocated and about tO o’do'-k called Mr. Fosse. He stated that he was so scared that he didn’t even get a descrip, t on of the man who held him up. He claims he did not see the high powered car about the city, but he had been told by one of the Emmons boys that the car was abcut the village that evening at 8 o’clock. At that time, accord-
Newspaper Details
Albert Lea Times Enterprise
Albert Lea, Minnesota, US
Wed, Nov 09, 1921
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Jason T.
USA 30 Mar 2024
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