Succeed In Blowing Door Of Vault Of Bankndlm Good Thunder.

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BANDITS MEET AN

UNPLEASANT SURPRISE

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Cashier’s Protection Plan Saved Money Held In The Vault.

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Bank robbers were foiled early Monday by a gallon of ammonia cached in the State Bank of Good Thunder after they had fired four shots at residents, cut telephone and telegraph wires and wrecked the front of the building with a high explosive.

F. H. Morlock, cashier of the bank, had placed the ammonia in the bank for such an emergency. The force of the explosion broke the ammonia bottle and the fumes were so strong the robbers were unable to enter.

The robbers first cut the telephone and telegraph wires leading into the village, the drove into town A light shone from the window of Charles C Tietz, a harnessmaker. Two shots were fired at the light and the window was shattered. No one was wounded. Tietz lives a block and a half from the bank, and next door to Morlock.

Young Man Shot At

A son of Albert Brunz, four miles south of town, whose name was not learned, came through the village in his car as the bandits approached the bank. Without warning the bandits opened fire on his car and shot three times. He was untouched.

The high explosive used by the robbers shattered all the windows,wrecked the vault and broke the furniture. The clock in the bank stopped at 3:10 a.m.

Miss Minna Gerlach a little daughter of Henry Gerlach, who lives across the street from the bank, heard the explosion and went to the window. She said the robbers went west.

Statement From Morlock.

“I placed a gallon of oil of mustard and ammonia in between the doors of the vault,” said Mr. Morlock. “It’s a little invention of my own and I’m feeling pretty good about it today. The explosion burst the bottle and there is no doubt that the fumes were so strong they were unable to enter.

“I never heard of anyone else using the ammonia-mustard combination for protection and I suppose the boys will be voting me a leather medal.

“The robbers did not get any money,but the damage to the bank probably will reach $2500,” he said.

The attempted bank robbery is the first In Minnesota this year.

New Ulm Review,

March 25, 1925

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