By
Beau Golden
Sheriff John H. Powers and his deputy were living
in an apartment on the north side of Main street. The Bank of Clarksville
was on the south side of Main Street. At about 3 A.M. on February 5, 1902,
six masked men broke into The Bank of Clarksville. They used nitro-glycerin
to open the safe. The explosion woke up the Sheriff and his deputy. When
the Sheriff got to the bank, a pitched battle with the robbers ensued.
The Sheriff was killed. One of the robbers was injured. The robbers then
fled.
Governor Davis offered a $5,000 reward. The State Bankers Association offered $5,000 and the citizens of Clarksville offered a $1,000 reward. The Chief Deputy, Joseph B. King, was appointed Sheriff. A few weeks later, the robbers were arrested. The men arrested were named Wallace, Clark, Underwood, Durham, and Dunn. Durham and Dunn were arrested in Wichita, Kansas. Dunn was caught in a hospital while he was recovering from a wound he had received in the robbery. Later, Dunn escaped and was never recaptured. Underwood was arrested in Evansville, Indiana. The other two were arrested in Texas.