he great bank robbery at Lebanon State Bank

In an 1888 article promoting Red Willow County that appeared on the front page of the McCook Tribune, the following comments were made about Lebanon: “Lebanon is most beautifully located on Beaver valley, is a yearling, and a most promising yearling it is. There is one bank, a live weekly newspaper, a fine hotel and the different branches of merchandise represented with full stores. This town is surrounded by a rich agricultural country that is being developed rapidly.”

Fifteen years later, Lebanon once again made the headlines with the infamous robbery of the Lebanon State Bank. “The safe of the State Bank of Lebanon was blown open with charges of nitro-glycerine, last Thursday night, by a gang of professional bank robbers and $ 3,800.00 of the funds of the bank stolen. So far the robbers have escaped capture. The bank’s cash, books, notes, etc., were kept in a large safe which contained an inner steel compartment for cash. There were three distinct explosions. The first blew the large outer door and the remaining two were devoted to getting into the cash chest. The third explosion awakened J. W. Hupp of our city, president of the bank, who was in charge of the institution during the absence of the cashier E.E. Devoe in California on a visit. He rushed to the bank, doubtless arriving there shortly after the robbers had decamped, as the bank building was still so densely filled with smoke that it was with some difficulty that he succeeded in striking a match. Shortly after the entire community had been aroused, but no trace of the robbers could be secured and followed and up to this time no arrests have been made or funds recovered, although no efforts are being spared to run down the criminals. The loss of funds amounts to about $3,800.00 upon which there is $ 3000.00 insurance in the Fidelity and Casualty Co. The damage to the banking room with not exceed $ 50.00. An adjuster of the company was promptly on the scene from Kansas City and a satisfactory settlement will doubtless be made of the cash loss. The notes, securities, books, etc. of the bank were not damaged to any extent. In blowing open the cash chest a bag containing a number of hundred dollars in gold was blown open and running out escaped the notices of the robbers, hence the bank is several hundred dollars to the good on that account. Awaiting the arrival of a new safe, the bank is closed. Mr. Hupp came over to the city, Sunday night, returning to Lebanon, however, early Monday morning. The bank will resume business just as soon as their new safe arrives, unimpaired in any particular. The indications are that the gang is the same that has been operating in the country along the Nebraska-Kansas line for some time with success. What with fires, bank robbers, etc., Lebanon seems to be having more than its full share of trouble, these prosperous times.”

Some 90 days later, the December 4, 1903 issue of the McCook Tribune reported on progress on apprehending the robbers. “They are still after the Lebanon bank robbers and hope finally to land them and give them a term in the penitentiary. J. W. Hupp went down to Lincoln, last Sunday night, to secure requisition papers from Governor Mickey. Tuesday on No. 1 he left for Salida, Colorado, with the papers. At Denver he presented the papers to Governor Peabody of Colorado, who named next Monday as the date for a hearing of the application. Sheridan Berlin, the man wanted, lives in Salida. They feel quite certain they have the right man. The guarantee company’s man will be in Colorado, Monday, to look after the company’s interest in this case. It is to be hoped they may be successful in landing their man.”

SWNGS website, www.swngs.com has several Plat Maps available for research. The pictures provided with this article came from the 1905 Red Willow County Plat Map posted, along with Hays, Furnas, Hitchcock maps, post on our site.