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party’s first woman chief. He also disclosed thatArmy, to active duty.militaryVol. 80, No. 315 Greenville, Texas 75401 Thursday, September 5, 1974 26 Pages, Price 10By JOE MACY Herald Banner StaffROYSE CITY-Law officials in several counties continued a search Wednesday night for a neatly-dressed man who made off with an undisclosed amount of money from Citizens State Bank here.The man robbed the bank at gunpoint about 9:50 a.m. Wednesday using a .45 caliber automatic pistol.About one hour after the robbery, authorities foundan abandoned car matching a rough description of a vehicle seen leaving Royse City at the time of the robbery.The white over tan car was found west of Royse City on FM 552. Later reports identified it as apparently cne stolen from Lakeside Chevrolet late Tuesday night. The engine was still warm when the car was found.Bank President Charles Mask said the man was dressed in a blue pin-striped suit when he entered the bank.A witness in the bank at the time of the robbery said the man entered and stood at a counter for several seconds before donning a grav-green ski mask.As soon as he put the mask on he reportedly walked into the president’s office, took out the pistol and held it pointed at Mask with both hands.Bank Robbery SceneSeveral persons waited outside Citizens State Bank in Royse City Wednesday morning after a lone man robbed the bank about 9:50a.m. An undisclosed sum of before fleeing. (Staff Photo)money was taken by the bandit“All right, let’s go. Hit the floor,” the bandit told Loyd (Buckshot) Cookston who was in the president’s office with Mask.“I walked out the door and laid down and closed my eyes That’s the last thing I know,” Cookston added “I could see that damned gun I didn't want to see anymore.”Bank President Mask said the bandit led him out into the main lobby where everyone except employeswas ordered to lay down. Four persons plus 11 bank employes were in the bank at the time. Mask was vice president of the bank when it was last robbed on Feb, 16, 1971.The robber then went down a row of four tellers’ monev boxes, taking all large bills but avoiding small bills and coins.At the same time, the bank president was attempting to get the bank's safe open as the robber had instructed.“The safe just wouldn'twork I guess I was nervous. I finally got it open after three tries,” Mask said “He wasn't in there more than three minutes,’’ another witness CharlesVervalin said After removing the money from the safe, the masked man reportedly left on foot A witness said she saw a man in a striped suit carrying a green money bag a block west of the bank shortlv after the robberv•/ w- »Responding to the alarm, authorities in all surrounding counties set up roadblocks on roads leading from the town. Those cars were removed shortly after theWstolen vehicle was discovered.Mask said an automatic camera in the bank at the time of the robbery was out of film so no pictures were available of the robberFilm had been ordered for the camera three weeks ago, he said, but had not arrived or been installed as ofWednesdayThe man was described asa white male about six feet tall weighing between 180 and 200 pounds He was said to be a “clean looking guy bv one witnesswThe bank was closed immediately after therobbery but reopened about 1p.m Mask declined to give the exact amount of money-stolenLaw-officers from the FBI. Texas Highway Patrol, Rockwall County Sheriff s Office and Rovse Citv PoliceW Wwere helping in the in vest igat ion.
Newspaper Details
Greenville Herald Banner
Greenville, Texas, US
Thu, Sep 05, 1974
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Teresa A.
USA 26 May 2019
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