Robbed At Noon Bandits Rob the Mound Valley Bank at The Noon Hour Submitted by: Mollie Stehno

Mound Valley, Kan., July 14—Three men, who are believed to be members of the notorious Starr band of desperadoes, swept down upon the Mound Valley bank at noon yesterday, bound and gagged the cashier, J. O. Wilson, went through the money drawers and safe and escaped with $800 of stolen money.

The robbery was an unusually bold one.

At the time of the robbery little business was going on in the town, such being usually the case at the dinner hour. Cahier Wilson was at his desk looking over some papers when a man entered a rear door with hurries strides and, thrusting a revolver in his face, ordered him to throw up his hands. At the same instant two men entered the front door, and seizing the cahier, soon had him bound and gagged.

While the robbers were looking through the money drawer and safe one of them confidentially remarked to Wilson:

“Guess you’ve heard of Starr, ain’t you?”

The Cashier nodded.

“Well, Starr said once that he hankered to do a little biz up in this section, but jes now he’s confined to his room. Fact is, you know, they’ve got him nailed over at Fort Smith.” The robbers chuckled over this grim bit of humor and the garrulous bandit went on, as he ransacked the cash drawer:

“We need this stuff to get Henry Starr out, and we’re going to get him out.”

After securing all the available cash in the bank, about $800 in all, one of the bandits inquired of the cashier:

“You’re hired to work here, ain’t you, pardner?”

Wilson nodded.

“Guess we won’t touch you then, for what you’ve on,” said the robber. We could rob you, but we don’t want to do that. You can’t stand it as well as Condon, who owns the rank.”

The robbery was very quietly done, and the robbers were far out of town before Cashier Wilson was able to give the alarm. They headed toward the Indian Territory, which is only fourteen miles distance. Telegrams were sent to neighborhood towns and Banker Condon offered a reward of $1,000 for the capture of the men.

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