On March 10th, 1906 the Minneapolis Journal announced that Robbinsdale was all set to welcome a new state bank. The preliminary organization of the bank included John G. Lund, Thomas H. Girling, A. B. Robbins, C. H. Wagner, O. M. Peabody, and M. A. Eaton from Canby, Minnesota. The bank launched with an initial capital of $10,000. Minneapolis resident, O. J. Rosendahl was appointed as the cashier. The organizers believed Robbinsdale was an excellent location for the new institution. The village served as a key hub for roads connecting the northern parts of the county to Minneapolis. West Broadway, known as Crystal Lake Road then, was a major route into the city. The Journal claimed as many as 1,500 wagons passed through the village daily, transporting produce and other goods to Minneapolis. The surrounding area relied on Robbinsdale’s bustling little business district as a central trading point. The little bank, made of concrete blocks, opened on April 25, 1906. There was only one employee for many years. Unfortunately, there are bound to be bank robbers where there’s a bank.
On November 4th, 1907 the Minneapolis Tribune reported that a daring attempt to rob the State Bank of Robbinsdale was thwarted thanks to the bravery of 12-year-old Ruth Trump. Ruth, the daughter of local shopkeeper John Trump, risked her safety by sounding the alarm and calling for help, foiling the robbers’ plans. The incident began around 3 a.m. when two men broke into the back of the bank. They attempted to blow open the vault using nitroglycerin, causing a loud explosion that damaged the building and partially shattered the vault door. Frustrated by the door holding up, the robbers prepared a second charge. The first blast awakened John Trump, who lived across the street from the bank above his grocery store. Rushing to his window, he saw the men inside the bank and quickly alerted his family. He and his son armed themselves and fired shots at the fleeing robbers but were unable to stop them. The men had already gained a lead, disappearing into the darkness. Meanwhile, Ruth sprang into action. Without hesitation, she ran through the empty streets to the town hall, where the fire bell was located. In total darkness, she found the bell rope and rang it with all her strength, rousing the entire village. Residents, thinking there was a fire, rushed to the scene only to find Ruth bravely pulling the rope and alerting them to the real emergency. By then, the robbers had managed to escape toward Camden Place. Though the Trumps and others pursued them, the men were never caught. Police were later notified and discovered that the second charge of nitroglycerin had failed to open the vault completely. Thanks to Ruth’s courageous act, the robbery was stopped, and the town recognized her quick thinking and bravery. Despite the robbers’ escape, their plans were ultimately foiled.
Two years later, on September 14th, 1909, the Minneapolis Journal reported another attempted robbery of the State Bank of Robbinsdale occurred during the night. It was the seventh in a two-month string of bank robberies and safe break-ins in the area. The robbers cut through the solid vault wall and prepared to detonate a nitroglycerin charge on the safe, but fled before carrying out the explosion. The thieves escaped with only $30, which had been stored in the vault but outside the locked safe. Hours passed before the crime was discovered, leaving behind only signs of the careful preparations made by the robbers. Police speculated that the criminals were experienced, based on the meticulous work they left behind. The break-in began when the robbers entered the Great Northern section house, removed a handcar, and placed it on a sidetrack for a quick getaway. They then forced open a door at the bank and started cutting through the two-foot-thick brick vault wall. They created an opening large enough for a man to pass through and soaped the crevices around the safe door to contain the nitroglycerin charge. Drops of the explosive were found on the floor, suggesting they were ready to pour it into the cracks when they were apparently startled by a noise. The bottle containing the nitroglycerin was missing, implying the robbers fled in a hurry. To muffle sounds during their work, the thieves placed grain sacks on the floor. Despite completing most of their preparations, they left without detonating the safe and only took $30 in cash left unsecured in the vault. The bulk of the money remained locked in the safe. The robbery wasn’t discovered until morning when W.A. Roberts, the cashier, opened the bank and section workers found the handcar abandoned on the tracks. The Minneapolis police were immediately notified, and Detectives Percy De Laittre and Thomas Gallagher were dispatched to Robbinsdale. Despite searching the area and interviewing locals, no leads or suspects were uncovered.
An 11-year-old boy attempted to rob the State Bank of Robbinsdale using an unloaded automatic pistol on October 29th, 1916. According to the Minneapolis Tribune, the would-be, half-pint bandit demanded money from 20-year-old bookkeeper Frances Farr, the daughter of the bank’s cashier, W.A. Farr. Keeping her composure, Frances pretended to comply but discreetly activated a floor button, triggering the burglar alarm outside the bank. The ringing bell startled the boy, who fled the building, only to encounter a crowd of pedestrians drawn by the noise. Brandishing his pistol, he forced his way through the gathering before running down the street. Several blocks away, a man armed with a revolver confronted the boy, using a tree trunk for cover. Threatening to shoot, the man compelled the young robber to surrender. The boy was promptly arrested and taken to the county jail, where he was charged with delinquency. During questioning, the boy, whose father works nights and whose mother is a laundress, revealed that he had been under the care of his 14-year-old sister while his parents were away. He confessed that two older boys, aged 11 and 14, had helped plan the robbery. The trio had been inspired by adventure novels and movies portraying daring heists. On October 30th, 1916, the Minneapolis Journal recounted how the boys fascination with Jesse James, the infamous outlaw, fueled their plot. The robbery was meticulously planned during gatherings under a grove of willows where they often played and read aloud from stories about the legendary Missouri bandit. The boys visited the bank three times to map out their plan. One of the older boys supplied the pistol and encouraged the youngest to carry out the holdup without a mask, claiming that “real brave outlaws” no longer used disguises. On the day of the robbery, the three met at their camp along Nineteenth Avenue to finalize their plan. The two older boys escorted the youngest as far as a bridge near Robbinsdale, where they waited while he entered the bank. In his confession, the boy explained their grandiose dreams: “They told me there were a hundred billion dollars in the bank. We were going to take the money, buy a big house in the woods where no one could find us, and have cars, horses, and servants. We wouldn’t have to go to school or work anymore, and we’d give our parents enough money so they wouldn’t have to work either. We planned to live like kings forever.” The boy described how he entered the bank, pointed the unloaded gun at Miss Farr, and demanded money. When the alarm bell rang, he panicked and ran. He used the pistol to push through the crowd but was eventually stopped by a man with a revolver. “I thought his gun was loaded, so I gave up,” the boy admitted. The parents of the two older boys expressed disbelief, insisting their sons were well-behaved and had good school records. However, police found evidence of the boys’ fascination with crime stories and the meticulous planning behind the robbery. The boys had even prepared an escape route, positioning a handcar on a nearby sidetrack for a quick getaway. Although the heist was foiled and no serious harm was done, the incident serves as a sobering reminder of the influence of sensationalized tales of crime on impressionable young minds.
On August 31st, 1918, The Irish Standard reported that F.E. Pearson, the state superintendent of banks, closed the Robbinsdale State Bank and W.A. Farr, the bank’s long time cashier,was arraigned in municipal court before Judge C.L. Smith. According to the Minneapolis Tribune, Farr faced charges of making a false entry in the bank’s books. During the hearing, Farr waived his right to a preliminary examination and was ordered held without bail to await grand jury proceedings. After his arraignment, he was returned to the Hennepin County Jail. The complaint against Farr, filed by Superintendent Pearson, accused him of falsifying the bank’s general ledger on August 10, 1918. Specifically, it alleged that Farr entered a $3,500 charge to the Midland National Bank of Minneapolis in the Robbinsdale bank’s records, despite no such account existing with the Minneapolis bank. According to Pearson, it will require between $40,000 and $50,000 to stabilize the Robbinsdale State Bank and restore its operations, though the confirmed shortage currently stands at $18,000. Pearson added, “I am convinced the bank has acquired a significant amount of questionable paper, which must be made good before the bank can reopen its doors.”
On December 3rd, 1921, the Minneapolis Star reported that preparations were underway for the funeral of G.G. Farwell, an unemployed man from Minneapolis, who was fatally shot while attempting to rob the new Security State Bank in Robbinsdale. Armed with a cheap revolver, Farwell entered the bank alone around 1:30 p.m. on December 2nd, 1921. He ordered assistant cashier Paul Ovrum to raise his hands and began collecting $1,500 in cash. However, his inexperience as a criminal soon became evident. A large wall calendar obscured bookkeeper Carrie MacDougal, who activated the bank’s burglar alarm unnoticed. The alarm sounded, but folks in Robbinsdale were accustomed to false alarms and initially paid little attention. Farwell casually exited the bank, trying not to raise suspicion. But Ovrum quickly ran out the back door and encountered real estate agent A.B. Wallace. Wallace alerted Justice of the Peace V. D. Crandall, who retrieved his revolver and pursued Farwell down the snowy street. When Crandall caught up, Farwell turned and warned him not to follow, showing his weapon. “I fired but missed,” Crandall recounted. Adjusting his aim, he fired again, striking Farwell in the back. The would-be robber staggered 50 feet before collapsing in the snow. Farwell’s cousin, Mrs. Raymond Banker, broke the news of his death to Violet when she returned home from school. Farwell and Violet had been living with Mrs. Banker, as Farwell struggled with unemployment and mounting debts. According to Mrs. Banker, he often spent evenings helping Violet with her schoolwork, but he had grown increasingly despondent over his inability to provide for her. Violet needed new shoes and a dress, and Farwell was especially heartbroken by her modest hopes for Christmas. On the morning of the robbery, Farwell left the house, declaring he’d return with enough money to ensure Violet could celebrate Christmas properly. Farwell had been divorced for eight years. Newspapers around the state covered the incident as a tragic event. The narrative that the robbery was Farwell’s desperate bid to provide Christmas joy for his 12-year-old daughter rubbed some the wrong way and led to dueling editorials.
Crandall also served as constable in Robbinsdale and although he was not a regular police officer, he had often asked J. W. Roche, to connect his home with a burglar alarm. Following the shooting, Crandall presented the reward money to Viola Farwell, daughter of the slain bandit. Seeking to reward Crrandall for his bravery, bank officials informed him they would purchase any gift which he might desire.
Crandall said there was only one thing he desired and that was a new gun. Roche said he could have what ever weapon he chose. Crandall decided to consult with Earl Brown, who was then sheriff. When he visited the sheriff’s office, Brown said it was not necessary for him to purchase a gun and presented him with his own. The gun was one of Crandall’s most cherished possessions. After he died the weapon was presented to Roche.
The Fawcett Publications Company, founded in 1920 to put out “Captain Billy’s Whiz Bung” a pocket Size journal of jokes, cartoons, humor.s. In the beginning he and his wife handled the business from their home. It was very successful and financed several other magazines until their circulation became profitable. By 1922, 400,000 copies a month of the various magazines were in monthly circulation. Fawcett decided to seek better accommodations for his growing business and approached Robbinsdale’s Security State Bank about a now building. In March 1922 it was announced that the Security State Bank would erect a new two-story building on the site of the present structure with the bank will occupying the ground floor and the Fawcett Publications the second floor. Bank fixtures were moved into the Mengelkoch-Bofferding Garage (about where Marna’s patio is now) during the change. Fawcett’s business continued to grow and a third story that included apartments for Captain Billy and his brother Roscoe Fawcett was added a year later.
Bravery was again displayed by a local police officer and two employees of the bank during an attempted robbery in 1930. The bandit, approximately 25 years old, was shot in front of the bank. According to a Minneapolis newspaper, the encounter between Patrolman John Bloberger and the bandit was brief. Bloberger, who was modest about his role, explained, “He had a bag in his hand, and I told him to stop. He sort of turned his head and started to run. I was almost face-to-face with him. Then, as he turned, he pulled a gun from his pocket. I fired, and he fell. He had his gun in his hand when he hit the sidewalk.”
The Hennepin County Enterprise of April 24, 1930, reported the incident as follows:
“A lone bandit was killed while attempting to escape after robbing the Security State Bank here shortly after 8:00 PM Saturday evening. The shooting was done by John Bloberger, a local police officer, and the stolen money was recovered. The bandit remains unidentified. He had arrived in a taxi, whose driver he had bound and gagged, leaving him in the vehicle near the Robbinsdale Shell service station, two blocks away. He wore the taxi driver’s cap.”
The bank, which normally closed at noon on Saturdays, reopened from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM for the convenience of its patrons. At the time of the robbery, the doors had just been closed for the evening, and curtains drawn. The bandit knocked at the door. Behind the cages were Assistant Cashiers A. E. Jaenisch and L. J. Chouinard, and Insurance Manager J. E. Talle. A customer, John Sowers of Sowers’ Beauty Shop, opened the door. The bandit, wearing the taxi driver’s cap, entered slowly. Initially, no one paid him much attention until he pulled two guns and ordered everyone to turn their backs. Mr. Roach, one of those present, recounted, “He herded us behind the cages and into the vault. He left us there, then returned to gather the money from the cages. He took currency and securities from the safe, made us leave the vault, stand in a corner, and then locked us back in.”
Chouinard, however, was not locked in the vault. Upon noticing the bandit pulling guns, he edged into the back room where office work was done. “I knew I had to get help,” Chouinard explained. He tried to open a window to shout for assistance but encountered janitor Tom Haight, who had been in another room unaware of the robbery. Chouinard explained the situation to Haight, and the two devised a plan. Haight locked the basement door while Chouinard ran to the Village Hall to find help. Haight went down the street to locate Officer Bloberger. Haight found Bloberger at Hommes Garage, next door to the bank. Bloberger, joined by Fred Hommes and Francis Fuller, approached the bank. As the bandit exited, Haight identified him by his cap, shouting, “That’s the guy!” Bloberger ordered the man to stop and put up his hands. Instead, the bandit began to run, pulling his gun and attempting to shoot under his arm. Bloberger fired twice, hitting the man near the heart. The bandit fell, dropping his laundry bag containing the loot and his gun. Bloberger picked up the weapon and handed it to Walter B. Samuelson, who had arrived from the Shell station. Bloberger then entered the bank to check for additional suspects and ejected the empty shells from his revolver.
The fallen bandit was carried into the Motor Sales Company building by Bloberger, Haight, and George L. Gerald, manager of Walsh’s Café. Dr. Edward A. Colp arrived at the scene, and an ambulance was summoned, but the bandit succumbed to his injuries without regaining consciousness. Meanwhile, Clarence Berg, a fireman on duty at the Village Hall, called Officer Fred Hansen, who was off-duty. Hansen arrived promptly and took charge of the taxi driver, identified as Edward J. Quinn of Minneapolis. Efforts to identify the bandit proved futile. A card with the name “R. Mosher, 3125 Holmes Avenue South” was found in the bandit’s possession, but police discovered that Mosher had moved from the address a year earlier. Tenants at the address claimed they had never seen the bandit.
Ray Harrington, a police fingerprint expert, reported no matches for the bandit’s fingerprints in local files. Photographs and prints were sent to national headquarters in Washington, D.C., but no identification was made. The contents of a suitcase recovered from a Milwaukee station checkroom suggested the bandit might have been a college student, though his appearance was not typical of one.The robbery occurred during a busy evening. Mrs. Bradley, leaving the Motor Sales office with a bag of Easter eggs, dropped them in the commotion. Mrs. Samuelson and her young daughter were in a parked car in front of the shooting. Hans Hanson, a repairman, had just left Walsh’s Café and passed within feet of the bandit. Most merchants and clerks initially dismissed the gunfire as automobile backfiring. Mr. Kellar, a jeweler, witnessed the shooting from his store across the street. He saw Bloberger retrieve one of the bandit’s guns and hand it to Samuelson. Kellar also observed Bloberger and Haight carry the recovered money bag back into the bank. The bandit was ultimately carried into the Motor Sales building, where he succumbed to his injuries. The daring events of that night left Robbinsdale shaken but relieved, with both the stolen money and the town’s safety restored.
In 1950 bank president Joseph William Roche arranged to buy the building at the end of the block form Fred Hommes and the bank. In February of 1951 the reopened as the First Robbinsdale State Bank in the newly remodeled and expanded location at 4180 West Broadway.
On March 1st, 1965, the Minneapolis Tribune reported that a team of burglars, described by police as “skilled professionals,” broke into the First Robbinsdale State Bank on Sunday and made off with an undetermined amount of cash after drilling through a wall into a night deposit safe. The thieves narrowly escaped when a police officer arrived on the scene. The incident began when a bank employee, Robert Bergland, entered the building around 1 p.m. to complete some extra work. Upon walking in, he spotted one of the burglars running across the lobby. Fearing for his safety, Bergland quickly retreated and ran to a nearby drugstore to call the police. Although the burglars reportedly saw Bergland, they continued rifling through the safe until the sound of a Robbinsdale patrolman entering the building prompted them to flee. Patrolman Jim Robinson, one of the first officers to arrive, said he heard the burglars escaping out the front door as he entered through the back.
“There’s no doubt these men were highly skilled,” said Donald Johnson, a Robbinsdale police investigator. “They knew exactly what they were doing, and it showed in how they executed the break-in.” Using a $2,000 core drill with a diamond-studded cutting edge, the burglars managed to penetrate a six-inch-thick wall to access the night deposit safe, which was used by customers to deposit funds outside of regular banking hours. “That’s why it’s so difficult to determine how much money they stole,” Johnson explained. “We don’t even know how much cash was in the safe to begin with.” The burglars ignored other safes and vaults in the bank, focusing solely on the night deposit safe. Police believe they monitored radio frequencies to track law enforcement response times, allowing them to remain at the scene until moments before officers arrived. Bergland recounted his experience, saying, “I walked in and saw someone running across the lobby. I turned around and got out as fast as I could. I couldn’t tell if he was holding a gun, a wrench, or something else—I just knew I needed to call the police.”
Investigators were unable to determine exactly how the burglars gained access to the bank, located at 4180 W. Broadway in Robbinsdale. Since the doors weren’t connected to an alarm system, it’s believed they may have jimmied the lock on the back door. According to police, the burglars initially tried to break into the safe by smashing its locks but ultimately opted to drill through the wall instead, a process estimated to have taken 45 minutes to an hour. Inside the bank, the burglars left deposit envelopes containing checks scattered on the floor, untouched. “They were smart enough to leave the checks behind,” Johnson noted. “They were only after cash.” The burglars abandoned their drill and a black satchel filled with tools at the scene before fleeing. Crime scene technicians from the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and FBI joined Robbinsdale police, as well as officers from Crystal and Brooklyn Center, in investigating the break-in. The equipment left behind was examined for fingerprints.
Ever since Robbinsdale’s first bank opened in 1906, our financial institution has played a pivotal role in the history of the town, serving as both a financial hub and the setting for dramatic events that showcased bravery, desperation, and community spirit. From its founding with an initial capital of $10,000 to its bustling role in a thriving trade village, the bank weathered numerous trials. Early on, 12-year-old Ruth Trump heroically thwarted a 1907 robbery attempt, while later incidents ranged from bold heists by seasoned criminals to the 1916 escapades of a would-be child bandit inspired by outlaw tales. The bank’s history also includes tragic turns, such as the fatal shooting of a desperate man in 1921 and a 1930 holdup that ended with the swift actions of local police. Despite its challenges, the bank endured as part of Robbinsdale’s story and is tied to moments of courage, community resilience, and heartbreak. More stories await! This is first installment in a series of Robbinsdale True Crime posts. If you have any further information, family history, hearsay, or rumors regarding these stories please get in touch and help us tell the wild tales of Robbinsdale.