TWO COVINGTON BANKS CLEANED OUT BY BANDITS
Four Men Make Escape By Automobile After Robbery
THIRTY TWO PEOPLE LOCKED IN VAULTS
Amount of Cash Taken Between $8,000 and $10,000
Submitted by Steve H. Bunch
Four bank robbers invaded the town of Covington, 24 miles east of here about 1:30 p.m. yesterday, robbed the two banks of silver and currency estimated at from $8,000 to $10,000, without brandishing a gun and escaped in an automobile after forcing 32 persons into the vaults. Several people were on the street in front of the banks at the time but noticed nothing unusual. The robbers did not even ask any of the bank employees to raise their hands and when one did, he was ordered to put them down. The robbery of the American State and Covington National banks required less than thirty minutes and within five minutes after the bandits had fled, emerged from the vaults and spread the alarm.
No Trace Of Robbers
Sheriff C. E. Baker was called on long distance telephone and deputies Charles Allen and Ed Peel were sent to Covington to pick up the trail. Sheriffs in all surrounding counties were informed of the robbery but no trace had been found of the robbers late last night. Three men actually did the robbing and the remaining one walked up and down the street in front of the banks as they were being looted. Giving orders in an undertone hardly audible to bank officials, occasionally putting a hand on the butt of a pistol, the bank robbers worked slowly, carefully and in a manner new to Oklahoma bank robbing. They absolutely avoided brazen display of weapons and threats.
Men Enter Bank
Led by a short, medium sized man, three of the robbers, all unmasked entered the American State bank. One stationed himself near the entrance, another walked to the back of the bank into a small room where the cashier, F. F. Fitzgerald, was sitting at a table and the other walked behind the cage before the employees were aware of his presence. He encountered W. T. Henry, assistant cashier and inquired; “Where is the boss?” Henry pointed to the back room and he and the other employees were quietly commanded to precede the robber into the room. Meanwhile, the man in the front had rounded up the customers and was driving them into the back room.
Money Into Sack
“We mean business, but will harm no one if you obey orders.” The leader told Fitzgerald. “Give them what they want.” Fitzgerald warned his co‑workers. Then Fitzgerald was handed a sack and was told to put the available cash in it. He obeyed. After the money had been sacked, two of the trio left and entered the Covington National bank directly across the street, while the other guarded the prisoners in the back room.
Second Bank Robbed
Here the operations were resumed in a similar manner. Wallace Melvin, cashier, was commanded to sack up all the silver and currency in the institution and then follow the seven employees and customers into the vault. The leader spied Mrs. Lucy Leroy, proprietor of a boarding house in the oil fields, standing by the cashiers cage. “Did we get your money grandmother?” he inquired. “Yes” she replied.
Robber Is Courteous
“Well, you need not enter the vault. Just take a seat in the back room and do not fear for we will not harm you, but be quiet.” She obeyed. Melvin was then asked how much money belonged to Mrs. Leroy. “These four checks for $67.75 each belonging to her.” Melvin said, “She was cashing them for the boys in the field.” “Well we don’t want money that isn’t insured.” Melvin was told. The checks were then returned to Mrs. Leroy.
Others Into Vault
All of the employees and customers, with the exception of Mrs. Leroy, who was allowed to remain seated, were ordered into the vault. The door failed to lock and when Melvin heard no noise, he opened it. The robbers were just leaving the bank and made a threatening move. The door was closed again. The pair then re-crossed the street and ordered all 24 of the persons in the back room of the American State bank to enter the vault. E. Sharpie, aged 50, started to walk out at the wrong door and was kicked on the shins by one of the robbers. At the American State bank one of the robbers picked up about $100. One of the customers was asked if the money belonged to him, and he replied in the affirmative. “Keep it,” the leader said, as he handed him the roll. “I have been robbed this way three times and it is time that I was getting some of the easy money.” “We only want money that is insured.” The vault at the American State bank also refused to lock and the robbers departed. They left Covington in a new Chevrolet sedan. They passed through Lucien, about 15 miles east of Covington a half hour after the robbery with a highway patrolman in hot pursuit. There the trail was lost, but it is believed the men were headed for the Osage hills.
Took Guns Along
Besides taking all the money in sight, the robbers departed with several rifles and shotguns
which were in the American National bank. No check of the loss in the bankwas made yesterday, pending arrival of finger print experts. The other bank was robbed of all its funds and the institution was compelled to lock its doors until the arrival of money which was being sent from Oklahoma City, to take care of the business. R. E. Crews who resides at 922 West Randolph, had driven Mrs. Leroy to Covington to transact her business and was sitting in front of the State National bank, while the lookout paced back and forth in front of the institution. He declared he saw this man entered Chevrolet parked behind his car and then watched the car dart down the street, barely missing a truck, which was backing away from the curb.
Robbers Are Followed
“I thought nothing about it, until Melvin rushed out of the bank, shouting, bank robbed.” “He jumped into my car and we followed them a few blocks, to see which way they went.” The telephone rang in both banks while they were being robbed and Fitzgerald and Melvin were permitted to converse but were cautioned to be careful what they said. The telephones were then jerked from the wall of both banks. Several persons last night declared they saw a car similar to the one used by the robbers pass through Enid about noon, headed for Covington. They could not ascertain how many occupants were in the machine.
These Locked In Vault
Those forced into the vault of the Covington State bank include; William Melvin, Cashier, Bus Calloway, bookkeeper; Earl Bowers, bookkeeper; L. W. Clift C.O. Donaldson and wife. Among those forced into the other vault were; E. F. Fitzgerald, cashier; Earl Fitzgerald, assistant cashier; Alice Bliss, head bookkeeper; Zelma Pennington, stenographer; M.A. Coleman; J. L. Demanee, Mrs. R. Weaver and daughter. Marion Sunderland. M.S. Parsons, C.A. Fleming, A. A. Manahan, and E. Sharpie
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Enid Newspaper account of double bank robbery at Covington, Oklahoma 25 August 1926. Those arrested and charged with this double robbery were; George Kimes, Matt Kimes, Roy Brandon and Owen Edwards.