Retrospect: Bryant bank was robbed

News from the Great War dominated the headlines of The Commercial Review 100 years ago this week: “British Surprise Huns,” “Allies Push On.”

But there was one local story that had people talking.

“Bryant Bank Robbed of $3,000 Wed.,” cried a front page piece on Aug. 20, 1918.

A subhead added, “Three unmasked men hold up cashier at 11:00 and clean up place.”

Calling it “one of the most daring bank robberies ever pulled off in this section of the state,” The CR reported that cashier Paul Edington was alone in the bank when three men between the ages of 25 and 30, dressed in work clothes and overalls, walked in and demanded the contents of the vault.

As they were leaving with $2,500 in currency, another $500 in coin and three diamond rings, the trio encountered bank customers C.P. Bierly and Glen Markle. 

Those two men and Edington were then locked in the vault, and the robbers escaped in a waiting car.

A posse headed by Sheriff Thomas Fleming, deputy Glen Arbaugh and Portland Marshal Arch Lee was soon on the robbers’ trail. 

But there were conflicting bits of information. Though the car was reported to have headed north from Bryant, there were reports of suspicious characters at a place in Portland called the Auto Inn soon after the heist.

There was no report of anyone being arrested for the robbery.

Today, that $3,000 would be valued at nearly $50,000.