MET BANDIT'S FATE

HILEMAN, OLAUGHLIN, CLARK, SCHAFFNER

Posted By: Nancee Seifert (email)
Date: 11/10/2009 at 11:28:06

Decatur County Journal
Leon, Iowa
Thursday, July 18, 1912

The bank at Rome, Henry County, was robbed in real melodramatic manner
Thursday. About 3:30 in the afternoon Cashier J.N. HILEMAN was confronted
by a masked man, with a revolver in either hand, who demanded that he hold
up his hands. HILEMAN complied with the order, and the robber climbed over
the railing and proceeded to fill his pockets with the money in sight --
gold, silver and paper, probably about $800. Then he tied HILEMAN's hands
behind his back, cautioning him not to make any attempt to loosen his bonds
or give an alarm for four hours, as confederates in the neighborhood would
surely kill him. As the fellow left the building he fired a shot from his
gun which took effect in HILEMAN's left arm between the wrist and elbow,
making an ugly flesh wound, but fracturing no bones.

It was not many minutes, however, until Mr. HILEMAN was free, had telephoned
particulars of the robbery to Mt. Pleasant officers and had given the alarm
at Rome. Posses were immediately organized for the pursuit of the robber,
with Sheriff C.B. GOE in charge. The fellow drove to and out of Rome with a
horse and buggy he had hired from a Mt. Pleasant liveryman earlier in the
day. It was evident that he was not acquainted with the country, for he
doubled on his track and was back in Rome in a short time after he had left
town. Then he drove southeast toward Oakland Mills. The fellow soon
abandoned his horse and took to the timber. As his pursuers neared him he
fired a shot at one of the automobiles which was carrying them, and wounded
JAMES O'LAUGHLIN, a merchant of Rome, and inflicted a slight injury upon a
farmer who was in the car. The chase covered about four miles of territory,
and there were frequent interchanges of shots between the lone robber and
members of the posses. The robber finally made a last stand near the Cedar
creek bridge, in Tippecanoe Township. When he refused to surrender a volley
was fired by the crowd which was pursuing him, and he was instantly killed.
At the coroner's inquest it was shown that there were seven bullet holes in
his body, any of which might have proved fatal.

The body was identified as that of CHARLES CLARK, a Mt. Pleasant lad, who
would have been seventeen years of age his next birthday. He had made a
home with his grandparents, Mr. And Mrs. JOHN SCHAFFNER of that city, since
he was a babe, and had always borne an excellent reputation. He had few
companions and it is not probable that he had any confederates in his crime.
His worst fault seems to have been his craving for such heroic exploits as
one finds in the popular cheap novels of the day. He had probably taken the
plot from one of these books and carried it into execution.

It is reported that about $600 of the money stolen from the bank was on
CLARK's body when it was searched. Other amounts were found on the road
over which he had driven when fleeing from his pursuers, and it is probable
that the bank will lose little by the robbery. There were four revolvers in
the lad's possession when he was killed, two of which were taken from the
bank. He also had a plentiful supply of ammunition. Cashier HILEMAN has
gone to the Burlington hospital for treatment, but it is probable that
neither his wounds nor those of Mr. O'LAUGHLIN, are serious.

-- Fairfield Ledger.
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Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
November 6, 2009
iggy29@grm.net