‘Three Were Hanged By JOHN ALAN McPHERSON Leaders of Nanaimo Bank Robbery Die by Rope—Notorious Bagley’s Bravado Fails as Execution in San Quentin Imminent B. C. Justice Terrifies International Gangsters as Five Receive Lashes—‘Cop Killer” Farrington, Well Known in Vancouver, Arrested by San Francisco Police THE APPEARANCE of a trim, white craft with a yellow funnel, steadily churn- ing the choppy waters through Cowichan Gap, December 11, 1924, created little interest. A lighthouse keeper at the pass noticed the vessel, and as it headed towards Lady- smith on an apparently innocent cruise, it became just another yacht to the crews of passing boats. Joe Silva, a young fisherman, was im- pressed with the design of the boat, noting the carefully rigged wireless fittings, the streamlined designing of the hull, and above all, the conspicuous yellow smokestack. Like the finger of fate, the craft pointed its nose northward and disappeared over the water. The following day, at approximately 3 p.m., as the staff of the Royal Bank in Nanaimo was preparing to close the doors, six men, all dressed in brown overalls entered, brandishing revolvers and without any preliminaries issued the terse command: “Put “em up”. Two thugs immediately rushed towards Robert Husband, assistant manager, fore- ing him to the floor. While the other robbers herded staff mem- bers together, one desperado leaned over the helpless assistant manager and snarled, “T ought to cut your throat, just for luck.” He picked up a pair of scissors, lying nearby, but his companion moved up, mut- tering, “Come on, we have work to do.” With all occupants of the Royal Bank bundled unceremoniously together, the bandits worked with cool precision, born of experience. One customer, John Graham, in the bank at the time of the crime, was approached by a “big burly fellow”, identified for awhile as the self-styled leader, who coolly said, “Go ahead, light up a cigarette and look natural.” This was no ordinary stickup. The rob- bers seemed in no hurry. Every move was deliberate and it was evident that they had studied the layout of the bank thoroughly before executing their daring crime. FAILED TO OPEN MaINn SAFE ’ Their carefully laid plans included the looting of the main safe, but in this they failed. The manager was absent at the time of the holdup and he was the only person OCTOBER, 1938 with the combination. Due to some slip-up the bandits had confused Husband with the real manager. But all available cash was scooped up amounting to nearly $40,000. Although the bandits worked laboriously, they used no undue haste and apparently were well aware of all police in the city. One man stationed himself at a side window of the bank, re- volver cocked warningly, watching for any appearance of law officers. From the time of their dramatic entrance until the last man backed out, the robbers Peter Farrington, died by the noose in Folsom prison. were in the bank no more than twenty min- utes. With a final warning to “keep still or well fill you full of lead,” they left the bank and dashed to a waiting car. Ina few seconds the bandits had disappeared. A Provincial Police investigation got under way immediately and one salient point was ascertained. In all probability, police reasoned, the bandits used a boat to make their getaway. They could not remain on Vancouver Island indefinitely without detec- tion. Another theory was advanced by officers. These men were hardened criminals, and in all likelihood, American gunmen. This de- duction was subsequently borne out when a flash from the Seattle Police Department within 24 hours read, “The identity of one of the hold-up men is known to us.” Before that, clues began to trickle in to investigating officers F. Cruickshanks and Robert Owens of the Provincial Police, and Inspector John Shirras, then Chief Con- stable at Nanaimo. H. Huby, caretaker of the Pacific Coal Company, near Nanaimo, found an aban- doned car, and further along, a place on the beach where someone had taken to a boat. Before the day was out, Joe Silva had communicated with American police, telling them of the mysterious yellow-funnelled boat. Again Seattle responded. They knew of the boat, knew the owner. It was a 110-foot craft, named El Toro, (The Bull) owned by an ex-Seattle detective named Richard Shively, who owned some property down Montesano way on Hood Canal. The property was called a “ranch”, in fact, an ideal hideaway. CHECKED Up Many CLUES Then the smoothly laid idea of the crime began to unfold itself before the eyes of the police. It became a known fact that the men, or at least some of them had taken the El Toro from Boat Harbour. The search for the criminals turned swiftly to American waters, with squads of detectives watching the waters near Bel- lingham for the appearance of a yellow- funnelled craft. But the bandits had crossed their trails. In Victoria, officers were checking all garages. They discovered that two men had hired a U-Drive car on the day of the crime. Back to the United States, a young boy came forward with information that he had seen some men land from a boat at Wildcat Cove. Jacob Wagner, a Washington farmer, had helped three men put skid chains on a car near Bellingham, but he could not identify them. Through this veritable maze of clues, it became apparent that the gang had split up on returning to United States. Then came more police reasoning. Sup- pose, they said, the men planned the rob- bery at Montesano. Two men, “fronts” for Page Thirty-Three