Orlando P. Wilkin (1895)

CRAWFORD, WILKIN

Posted By: Kent Transier (email)
Date: 1/7/2007 at 11:17:54

Winterset Madisonian, 08 March 1895, page 6

Note: For reasons that will become obvious, an obituary was not published for Orlando Wilkin. However, a few facts from his life and his death have been gleaned from a two column article as follows.

BANK ROBBERY AT ADEL

Two Madison County Young Men, Orlando Wilkin and C. W. Crawford, Of Patterson, Engage in Bank Robbery in a Daring but Bungling Way.

The Robbers Captured only Five Miles South of Adel—Crawford takes Refuge Under a Brush Heap, but Surrenders on Demand—Wilkin Hides in a Barn, and Comes out when it is Fired.

BUT VENGEANCE IS SWIFT FOR ONCE

Wilkin, Refusing to Surrender, is Shot Down in his Tracks like a Venomous Dog

Two young men, born and brought up near Patterson, in this county, were the cause of one of the most sensational excitement, and the perpetrators of one of the most dastardly crimes, that southwestern Iowa has known for many a day. As a result, one of them is dead, shot down while attempting to avoid arrest, and the other is in jail, awaiting trial, which is practically sure to end in a long sentence in the penitentiary. The crime was the robbery of the Adel State Bank, committed last Wednesday morning. The young men are Orlando Wilkin and Charles W. Crawford, who was sometimes familiarly nicknamed “Jess” Crawford. They are related to each other in some degree.

It appears that on Sunday Wilkin borrowed a team and buggy from his uncle, W. W. Crawford, of Crawford township, saying that he wanted to go over towards Wick to visit a young woman. He promised to have the buggy back Monday morning. At all events he betrayed him and started out on an expedition of highway robbery. On Wednesday morning they committed the robbery of the Adel Bank.

At O’Neal’s crossing on South Coon, about five miles from Adel, they were overhauled by the pursuers from Adel. The pursuers shot at them frequently, shooting the horses several times, so that they had to be abandoned. Crawford took refuge under a brush heap, while Wilkin concealed himself in a barn.

The pursuing party quickly captured Crawford, and compelled him to go and set fire to the barn in which Wilkin had hid. This brought Wilkin out, but still refusing to surrender, he was shot down and was dead in a few seconds.

Wilkin, the one who was killed, was the son of the late Matthew Wilkin. His mother and several brothers and sisters lived near Patterson. He is past thirty years of age. He spent several years in the northwest, and served a term in the Minnesota penitentiary for larceny, being released only a short time ago. The Wilkins, also, are with this one exception, most excellent people. Several families of the relationship lived in and helped to build up the county in the early days, and have always stood well. The occurrence is a sad blow to these respected people.

Wilkin spent a few days in Winterset only a week or two ago, it is now recalled, he was observed to stand in front of the citizen’s bank, and look in the window, as if “sizing up” the place and taking bearings.

Transcriber’s note: For a full account of the robbery, go to the Madison County home page and click on “Documents”. There, you will find a document titled “Adel Bank Robbery by “Wilkin & Crawford – 1895”.