Volume 15 , Issue 2

Avard Bank Held Up (24 Oct. 1924)

It was shortly before nine o'clock on the morning of 24 October 1924 the Avard Bank, in NW Oklahoma had been held up? The headlines in The Alva Record, Thursday, Sept. 24, 1925 read, "Patterson Is Acquitted."

Charles Patterson, one of those arrested at Woodward 17 September 1925, by Sheriff Beem, on a charge of being implicated in the Avard bank robbery. County Attorney Wilhite represented the State. C. H. Mauntel was the attorney for the defendant, Charles Patterson. The case attracted more than ordinary attention when it was called for hearing Tuesday morning (22 Sept. 1925) before Judge Wilson. The others arrested in the bank robbery were James Cellan and Tom Patterson.

James Cellan was the first witness for the State... He stated, "That he and Tom Patterson and the defendant, Charlie Patterson, planned the holdup of the Avard bank at his home in Oklahoma City on October 22, 1924. After the plans had all been completed the three men drove to Avard and looked the situation over. They then drove to Alva and stole a Ford car from the college campus where the fair was in progress and drove it to a place near Avard and left it there for the night. The next morning they drove to the place where the car was left the previous evening." Jim Cellan went on to state that he and Tom Patterson took the stolen car and left Charlie Patterson, in their Ford coupe where he remained in hiding until after the robbery. Ed Roberts was Cashier of the Avard Bank on that day. Roberts testified that it was NOT Jim Cellan, but Ben Parks and Tom Patterson who held up the bank on October 24th.

Judge Wilson summed up the case, "this is the most peculiar case I have ever been called upon to decide," said the Judge. "We have the evidence of a man who says that he is guilty of committing several bank robberies and who confesses he, with the defendant, Chas. Patterson, held up and robbed the Avard Bank on October 24, 1924. Over against this testimony we have that of Mr. Ed Roberts, whom I have known for twenty years, and who has always born a high reputation, who says positively that this man Cellan was never in his bank on that day at all, and that it was Parks and not Cellan who held up the bank on that date. According to the evidence in this case as I see it, it all simmers down to whether I must take the evidence of a self confessed criminal or whether I will believe the man who has lived here for the past twenty years and whose character and reputation are unquestioned. As I see it, according to the law and the evidence in this case, it becomes my duty to hold that the evidence it not sufficient to warrant the holding of this defendant for trial in the district court." Charlie Patterson was acquitted of the charge in the county court Wednesday, 23 September 1925.   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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