The 1929 Washington Savings Bank Robbery

Linda’ Monday Morning Moaning’s

Washington Township:

An article in the Romeo Observer from the 9th of January 1929 it would read:

“On the 7th of January 1929, two neatly dressed young men walked into the Washington Savings Bank, soon after the bank had opened that Monday morning, and as described later, one of the men was short in stature and about 18 years old and his companion would be much taller and approximately 25 years of age. The young men would engage Mrs. Cora Thurston in conversation, relative to the negotiation of a loan in the amount of $2500.00. Mrs Thurston would call Mr. J.H. McCutcheon the head cashier and once again told of their apparent object of the visit. Mr. McCutcheon, would refer them to Utica, Romeo and Rochester banks as the Washington bank was not going to be prepared to make that loan. It was then that the taller of the two assured Mr McCutcheon that he was in possession of some gilt-edged security, and would reach into his pocket and produce a revolver, which later Mr McCutcheon would say ‘appeared as big as a cannon’. Mr. McCutcheon and Mrs. Thurston were then invited to proceed into the cellar, which they would do without much hesitancy. While their handkerchiefs were used to gag the couple, they were assured they would not be harmed. 

Returning to the banking offices the men would  very quickly gathered up the packages of currency of the large denominations and $228.00 in gold, from the safe, bring their take to a total of $5,400. Before taking their departure they would use the cashiers keys to lock the bank, before one of the robbers would drive away in Mr McCutcheon’s car which was parked out front and the other taking their own car from where it was parked in front of the Community church. Mrs. Thurston was the first to free herself, but 20 minutes would pass before the alarm could be sounded. Mrs. Thurston and Mr. McCutcheon  would visit the rogues gallery at the police headquarters in Detroit to try and identify the men,  who would now be referred to as ‘the thugs’. The bank would be closed Monday afternoon, as it was a conservative estimate that 2000 people from the countryside would visit the bank on that Monday afternoon, with at least 50% of that number, knowing how the robbers could have been stopped and caught.”

A second article printed in the Romeo Observer on 23rd January 1929 would state  “Thomas Sissions of Flint, better known a the police in the city as “Dapper Dan” was arrested, last Wednesday, after being positively identified as the man that robbed the Washington Saving Bank. When taken into custody he was exquisitely gowned but without a penny in his pocket. The second robber would never be identified.

Mrs. Cora Thurston would soon become known as the ‘women who speaks up to bandits’, as when the bandits ordered her to lay down on a pile of coal, in the basement, she refused, as she didn’t want to soil her dress; she was then given some papers to sit on while they proceed to rob the bank. She felt there was nothing she could do about them robbing the bank, but she would object strongly to any unnecessary untidiness.” Mrs. Thurston should be awarded a membership in the ‘Society of Women Who Speak Up to Bandits’.

On that ‘wee’ note, till next week.

---

GWAHS – Great Washington Area Historical Society.

Thank you for visiting and reading today. Be sure to share with your friends using the share buttons below. If you haven’t already please enter your email address in the form below to receive my stories by email.