Casefile True Crime - Case 135: The Santa Claus Bank Robbery

Episode Date: December 21, 2019

On December 23 1927, the streets of Cisco, Texas were full of festive cheer as residents prepared for Christmas. When a man dressed as Santa Clause entered the First National Bank of Cisco, customers chuckled that even Saint Nick had finances to attend to during the holiday season.  --- Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode written and researched by Eileen Ormsby Creative Director: Milly Raso For all credits and sources please visit casefilepodcast.com/case-135-the-santa-claus-bank-robbery

Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at any time you need support, please contact your local crisis centre. For suggested phone numbers for confidential support, please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website. From its ranch and farmland outskirts, to its humble, close-knit community of several thousand residents, the township of Cisco is emblematic of traditional rural Texas. Its quaint character hasn't changed much over the decades, except briefly during the 1920s, when the population more than tripled to nearly 8,000 people.

At the time, Cisco was nested on the edge of one of the United States' most productive oil fields, prompting an influx of newcomers hoping to make a fortune from the black gold, or Texas tea as it was known. The oil boom brought prosperity to Cisco and its residents, and the town soon boasted a city charter and a new railroad. Although the height of the boom had passed by the late 1920s, by which point many had obtained the riches they sought, others continued to find new and innovative ways to keep making money.

It was the era of prohibition, but in Texas, opponents of the alcohol ban were in control of the government and refused to enforce its policies. The South became a major producer and distributor of illicit whiskey, better known as Moonshine, and bootlegging was favorably tolerated. At the heart of Cisco's business center was a wide paved boulevard lined with sturdy red brick architecture that housed typical small-town fare, a post office, hotel, antique stores, and a bank. In December 1927, the boulevard sparkled in green, red, and gold for Christmas.

Creative decor was prominently displayed in storefronts, and the streets were filled with children who had been released from school for the holiday break. On Friday, December 23, two days before Christmas, Cisco's children were alerted to a very special arrival in town. Santa Claus in his red suit, silvery hair, and matching curly beard was making his way down the main street. Children mobbed the beloved character, while some adults noted this Santa was significantly thinner than usual.

His trademark red robe looked cheap, it was clearly homemade, and barely covered his street clothes underneath. He carried neither sweets to give the children, nor a collection tin for charity. Instead, he held an empty brown burlap sack with Idaho potatoes stenciled across the front. Santa paused before a young boy and shook his hand, asking, Well, little man, what do you want for Christmas? The boy wanted to become a football player when he grew up, and requested a football from a store across the road.

He grabbed Santa's hand and tried to drag him towards the shop, but Santa shook him off, explaining he couldn't deviate from his path. He told the boy to point the gift out to his parents, and that Father Christmas would surely leave it under the tree for him. Santa hastened his steps, but couldn't shake the crowd of children that was now following him. Some expressed their disappointment that he wasn't handing out candy or small gifts, while the older children declared that he wasn't the real Santa at all.

As he entered the front door of the first National Bank of Cisco, which sat on the corner of Main Street and a narrow alleyway, the grown-ups chuckled that even Saint Nick had a banking business to tend to during the holiday season. When the bell over the bank's door rang, cashier Alec Spears looked up from tending to a customer and called out a cheery, Hello Santa? Without a word, the man in the red suit made his way to the desk in the middle of the lobby, ignoring the children still following behind. Thinking perhaps Saint Nick hadn't heard him, Alec's kept up the Christmas cheer with

another call of, Hello Santa Claus? Again, there was no response from Saint Nick. The other bank patrons were paying such close attention to him that they barely noticed when the bell above the door rang out again as three men entered. The trio quietly drew pistols out from beneath their bulky coats and yelled, Stick em up, this is a robbery. In the United States, the 1920s had been deemed the golden age of crime. By 1926, many parts of Texas showed the early signs of entering into a depression, and desperation

from those who had lost everything caused the rapid increase in the number of bank robberies. Between 1920 and 1929, insurance companies reported that property crime from bank robberies to drugstore holdups increased by 1700%. Banks in rural areas were particularly vulnerable. When robberies grew to a frequency of three to four per week, the Texas Bankers Association established the popular, yet controversial, dead bank robber reward program. As part of the scheme, anyone who shot and killed a robber during the act of holding up a bank was rewarded with $5,000 cash, no questions asked.

The bounty would not be paid in the event the robber was merely injured. The program garnered considerable media attention, and while some viewed it as an extreme measure, many celebrated it as an effective remedy where the culprits got what they deserved. Justice Ben Lindsay, a progressive judge and social reformer based in Denver, Colorado, was firmly against the dead bank robber reward program, and stated, I am amazed that such a conservative group in Texas as the bankers would lend themselves to a practice that is so fraught with consequences to the orderly processes of justice. The danger lies in the possibility that some grotesque mockery of justice may result,

especially if some peace officer in his zeal to collect $5,000 should shoot down an innocent man. I see no reason why the bankers should set themselves up as Lord High executioners. Justice Justice Lindsay predicted that wasn't long until flaws in the system began to emerge. Few robbers were killed during banking hours or in the actual commission of a robbery. Instead, most of the shootings occurred at night and under suspicious circumstances. Many were carried out by local police officers who arrived at the scene after receiving alleged tip-offs. In one incident, four Mexican laborers were picked up by two men, including a deputy sheriff, under the pretense of offering them work.

The workers were driven to a rural town and were told to wait by the local bank branch. Shortly afterwards, the church across the street mysteriously caught fire, capturing the attention of the town's folk. In the ensuing panic, the deputy and his friend rushed upon the four Mexican workers and started shooting, killing two and seriously wounding a third. The two gunmen alleged that the workers were preparing to rob the bank. The surviving victims testified that the entire scenario was a setup, concocted by the deputy and his friend to collect the $5,000 banked rubber bounty. They were prosecuted for the crime, but there were many more thwarted robberies where the bandits did not live to dispute the shooter's version of events.

Since the introduction of the rewards program, losses faced by the banks had decreased significantly, even after factoring in the bounty payments. As such, the Texas Bankers Association refused to withdraw the program, but an amendment was made to the policy wording to clarify the reward was only available in the case of lawful shootings, which occurred in daylight during the actual commission of a robbery. Shortly before the man in the Santa Claus suit walked into Cisco's first national bank, he caught the attention of six-year-old Francis Blasingame. The child begged her mother to take her to meet him, and though Mrs. Blasingame was reluctant,

Francis wore her down and the pair headed into the bank. By the time they entered, Santa had filled his burlap sack with cash and had taken possession of the bank's CULT-45 automatic pistol, which was stored on the premises for protection. There were also several other handheld firearms secured in the black belt around his waist. Upon realizing what was happening, Mrs. Blasingame turned to exit the front door, but saw it was now guarded by one of Santa's armed assistants. As she was somewhat familiar with the layout of the bank, she took advantage of the commotion and ushered her daughter through the bookkeeper's room, where she knew of a door that led on to the neighboring alleyway.

The robbers warned her to stop, but she shielded Francis with her own body and the pair managed to escape. Once safely outside, Mrs. Blasingame screamed at Francis to run and take cover. She then raced up the alley and threw a vacant lot, yelling that the bank was being robbed. She headed straight to the police station, where Chief of Police, G.E. Bit Bedford, wasted no time in collecting a riot gun and two officers, R.T. Reddies and George Carmichael. When local men spotted the police racing towards the bank, they too sprang into action. The scenario presented an opportunity that fit within the terms of the dead bank robber reward program, offering the potential for someone to earn $20,000 should all four bandits be shot dead.

The local men retrieved firearms from their vehicles and to those who were unarmed raced to a nearby hardware store, buying out the store's stock of guns and ammunition. Chief Bedford, a veteran police officer who was tall and strong in stature, went to the front of the bank and directed his deputies to cover the back door. He was quickly joined by such a large number of armed citizens that the town's postmaster began marshalling them into an orderly line, brokering deals to split the loot if anyone made a kill. Inside the bank, Santa had finished loading up more than $12,000 in cash and started gathering up the checks, bonds and other valuables held within the vault, when suddenly a gunshot rang out.

Nobody was quite sure who fired the first shot or why, but it set off a chain reaction. Bullets flew from the street into the bank, ricocheting off walls and furniture. When a bullet struck one of the robbers through the front window, the four offenders quickly gathered the terrified customers and children around themselves and ushered their human shield towards the rear door. They emerged into the alleyway, exchanging gunfire with police as they went. Choosing two hostages to leave with them, 12-year-old Laverne Coma and 10-year-old Emma Mae Robertson, they made their way into their getaway vehicle that was parked nearby, a Navy Buick with wood trim, and sped off. Officer Reddy's corralled Cisco's man and boys

and formed an impromptu posse. Jumping into vehicles and on horseback, they started in pursuit of the Buick, initiating the largest manhunt in the history of Texas. Several of the robbers were nursing injuries and one was bleeding profusely all over the Buick's plush gray upholstery. The group yelled at one another as their two young hostages remained silent. Of the pair, Laverne Coma had reason to be especially fearful. She had visited the bank that day hoping to withdraw some of her hard-earned money to buy Christmas presents for her family, and although he was still wearing his scrappy disguise, she had recognized Santa. Laverne's mother had bought a cafe from his mother a year prior, and he still dined at the establishment

regularly. Santa's real name was Marshall Ratliff. Ratliff had been a troublemaker since childhood. He was spoiled by his mother who dismissed his misbehaviour as youthful hijinks, even when his actions led to him being expelled from school in the 9th grade. He went to work on a farm, plowing, howling, and pulling cotton, but quickly became resentful of the backbreaking work. He then joined forces with his older brother Lee and turned to the bootlegging business. Although Ratliff's reputation as a troublemaker preceded him, many couldn't help but be charmed by the 21-year-old's good looks, sense of humour, and impressive singing voice. His friends found him to be fun and generous and always happy to

share a bit of homemade liquor with them. Ratliff looked after his mother and sisters, but lost all pleasantries around those he didn't like. Although he found the bootlegging business to be easier than farming, Ratliff yearned to make more money with less effort. He aspired to be like his neighbour, Old Man Yule, who always seemed to be flush with cash despite never having a job. When a young Ratliff asked the old man how he did it, Yule confided that he and his brother had successfully robbed a bank when they were young, setting them up for life. Inspired by Yule's story, in 1926, Marshall and Lee Ratliff held up a bank in Valera, Coleman County. They fled with more than $3,000 but were later apprehended by the police.

One of the officers responsible for the young men's capture, conviction, and imprisonment was Police Chief Bedford, who had leapt into action upon learning that the first National Bank of Cisco was being held up. For their involvement in the Valera robbery, the Ratliff brothers were reached sentenced to 18 years in the Huntsville State Penitentiary, the oldest state prison in Texas. Citizens who believed the boys deserved a second chance made an appeal to the governor, which was sweetened by a donation from their mother, and they were subsequently granted a pardon. Upon their release from prison, Marshall and Lee Ratliff went straight back to bootlegging. Lee swore off robbing banks, but his brother had gone over everything that went wrong during

their first attempt and thought he had it all figured out. He had a new target in mind, possessing secret knowledge about one particular bank that would allow him to pull off a smooth, lucrative heist for those involved. All he needed were some partners. While looking for work in the Wichita Falls oil fields, Marshall Ratliff was residing in a modest where he bumped into a familiar face from his time in Huntsville Penitentiary. Robert Hill, who was orphaned at age 10, had been convicted for holding up a tailor shop. He insisted he had taken the fall for others involved in the crime, as he had no wife or family depending on him. Ratliff and Hill had bonded in prison, and as free men,

they found casual work together in the oil fields. The pair soon encountered another Rex Huntsville inmate, Henry Helms. Aged in his 30s, Helms was considerably older than Ratliff and Hill. The son of a reverend, he had gone off the rails during his childhood and had never managed to get back on the straight and narrow. With a long criminal record and intimidating physical presence, most people went out of their way to avoid Helms. He had four children with another on the way and had been working in the oil fields to earn a living, but was opened to other ideas that would increase his income. The three men became friends and moved out of the basic bunkhouse they shared with the

other oil field workers and into a much more comfortable boarding house in Wichita Falls. The house was run by one of Helms's acquaintances, an easy-going woman named Midge Tellard, who was warm, chatty, and not at all intimidated by the ex-convicts. Although her husband disapproved of the men, Midge treated them as though they were her own sons. Marshall Ratliff soon told Hill and Helms that he had a grand plan to rob the first National Bank of Cisco during the busy Christmas period, when the bank held a large sum of money. Ratliff was familiar with the building's layout and knew it had a rear door that opened directly into an alleyway, which would make for a straightforward escape route. He believed the

robbery would be quick and easy, as all they had to do was go in through the front door, point a gun at an employee until they handed over the money, then slip quietly out the back. The other men were not quite as enthusiastic about the idea, considering that Ratliff had previously been caught robbing a bank and was only a free man thanks to a timely financial bribe produced by his mother. They also reminded him about the $5,000 reward on offer for anyone who killed a bank robber. But Ratliff remained convinced of his plan, pointing out that all banks were insured and that real professional bank robbers rarely got shot. He believed that regular citizens weren't brave enough to mess with armed bandits, saying, You take a smart banker and poke a gun

at him, he won't argue, he'll just shovel it out till you yell quit. After some convincing, Helms agreed to participate in the crime. Hill remained hesitant, but when Ratliff told him the job would earn at least $10,000 a piece, his interest grew. The trio spent many evenings planning their attack. They put their trust in Midge Tellit by asking her to purchase supplies they didn't want to be witnessed buying, including bandages, iodine and snack foods for the road. Without asking any questions, Midge bought everything they requested. Ratliff knew exactly where everyone needed to be during the robbery in order to secure the entire

bank, while he collected the hall from the safe and vault. They just needed one more person. Helms had the perfect man for the job, another ex-con who was experienced with firearms. Although the men didn't plan on shooting anybody, they wanted to appear as though they knew what they were doing when carrying their weapons. As their chosen date approached, the would-be fourth member of the crew became bedridden with the flu. Helms and Hill took this as an omen, suggesting they delayed the robbery until the new year, but Ratliff was adamant, as he had determined that the bank would contain the most money on the last Friday before it closed for Christmas. Helms suggested his in-law, Louis Davis, might fit the bill. Davis had never been

in trouble with the law before, but the young man had a large family to support, and Helms was certain he would be eager for the opportunity to provide for them for years to come. Ratliff and Hill were hesitant about Davis's lack of criminal experience, but as they were running out of options, they agreed to meet him. Davis seemed agreeable and dependable enough to get the job done, and so was brought in on their plan. On Thursday December 22, 1927, the day before the robbery, Ratliff had two final issues to sort out. While the other three men had never had any business in Cisco before, Ratliff's face was well known around town, including by the police chief. Midge Tellit had been

sewing a Santa costume for the holiday season, and Ratliff asked to borrow it. Midge happily obliged. The final part of the plan was to source a getaway vehicle. None of the men owned a car, so they roamed the local neighborhoods until they found a navy blue Buick with the keys in the ignition and a full tank of gas. They drove it back to the boarding house and spent the remainder of the evening bolstering their courage by getting drunk on electrolytine, a powerful bootleg whiskey. In the early hours of December 23, 1927, the four men set off in the Buick for the 150-mile journey to Cisco,

avoiding driving through larger towns where they might garner attention. As they neared their destination, Ratliff went over the plan in detail once again. He knew the names of the first national bank employees likely to be on duty that day, and presumed Alec Spears would be at the cashier's desk, and Jewel Poe would be inside the first teller's cage. He didn't anticipate there would be more than a couple of customers inside the bank upon their arrival. Davis was extremely uncomfortable with the number of pistols and ammunition they had brought along, but Ratliff reassured him the guns were mostly for show, and it was highly

unlikely they would be required to shoot. The bank cashier, Alec Spears, was known to have said he would never risk being injured just to be a hero in a holdup. The group arrived in Cisco a little before midday. Ratliff directed Hill to park the Buick near the end of the alleyway, and pointed out the door they would escape through after obtaining their loot. Helms Hill and Davis lurked in the shadows of the alley, dressed in ordinary clothing, while Ratliff donned his Santa suit disguise. For all his intricate planning, Ratliff hadn't factored in the attention the suit might attract from local children as he strode from the getaway car to the bank. He thought the disguise would allow him to blend in with the Christmas shoppers,

but instead it was drawing a lot of unwanted interest. Several of the children followed him into the bank, which was significantly busier than he had anticipated. Still committed to his plan, he awaited the arrival of his three accomplices. He refused to respond to the greeting given by the cashier, Alec Spears, out of fear he would recognise his voice. When the others arrived, the heist began, and Ratliff quickly got to work stuffing his burlap sack with cash and bonds while the others stood guard. Hill yelled at a woman and her young daughter who were making a break for it through the bookkeeper's office, but he was soon distracted from their escape by a noise outside.

A crew of local men had formed an orderly blockade in front of the bank with guns drawn. When the first gunshot rang out, the mob roared to life and descended on the building. Hill fired a volley of shots into the ceiling, hoping it would signify that the robbers were armed and dangerous, but his warning shots were met with a barrage of gunfire. Davis was struck multiple times as the bank descended into chaos. Helm spotted two young girls, 12-year-old Laverne Coma and 10-year-old MMA Robertson cowering near the counter. He motioned for them to accompany him into the bookkeeper's room behind the tellers. The girls put their hands up as they raced over, while the other robbers used

several of the bank's customers to create a human shield. Many of the civilians sustained gunshot wounds when they were rushed to the rear door, as did Ratliff, with the bullet having such a strong impact that it caused him to spin around. In order to protect the innocent people caught in the crossfire, police ordered the vigilante mob to cease fire. Helms emerged from the rear door shielded by his two young hostages. He brandished the gun in each hand, shooting both weapons at once. Ratliff grabbed Laverne and MMA from Helms and bundled them into the Buick. He soon recognised the older of the pair as Laverne Coma and realised he would have to continue wearing his Santa costume to avoid being identified. The four robbers climbed into the vehicle and took

off. Police Chief Bedford planted himself in the middle of the alleyway and shot at the windshield, as citizens also gave chase. Helms hoisted himself halfway out of the Buick's window, aimed his gun at Chief Bedford and pulled the trigger, hitting him five times. As the Buick sped away, the shooting along Cisco's main drag came to a stop and witnesses surveyed the damage. Police Chief Bedford and Officer George Carmichael lay mortally wounded, and six citizens were badly injured, including bank cashier Alex Spears, who had received a gunshot wound to the jaw. Marion Olson, who had been part of the robber's human shield, and customers Pete Rutherford, Brady Biggs and Oscar Clee had all sustained gunshot wounds.

The bank was riddled with more than 200 bullet holes, making it impossible to determine whether the bandits, the police or the bounty hunting mob had been responsible for the injuries. Given a Ted start, the Buick would normally have outrun most of the vehicles that were pursuing it, but every one of the car's windows had been shattered except the windshield, and the front bumper had come loose and had jammed under the axle. Two bullets were embedded in the back seat, and one tire was completely flat. In addition to the damage, the robbers soon realized they were facing another major problem. Having already driven the vehicle for a couple of hundred miles, the fuel tank was now close to

empty. They reluctantly pulled over to the side of the road and hatched a plan to steal another. Driving in the opposite direction was a brand new Oldsmobile that contained the Harris family, who were returning to town after completing some last-minute Christmas shopping. Ratliff, still in his Sanders suit, waved frantically from the side of the road. In the spirit of the season, the Harris's pulled over. When the vehicle came to a stop, Ratliff raised the barrel of a gun at its passengers and ordered them to surrender. The Harris family did as they were told, exiting their car and running from the scene. The robbers piled their loot and two hostages into the Oldsmobile. Davis was badly injured and

had passed out in the Buick, so the men carried him into their new getaway vehicle. When Hill went to turn on the ignition, he realized the keys were missing. Before escaping with his family, 14-year-old Woodrow Harris had snatched the keys and stuffed them into his pocket without the carjackers noticing. None of the robbers knew how to hotwire a brand new Oldsmobile, so they hastily returned to the Buick. They didn't have time to carry Davis back to the original car, and believing he was near death, they took off without him. The three robbers hoped there was enough gas remaining to allow them to intercept another passing vehicle. The vigilante group caught up and surrounded the abandoned Oldsmobile,

discovering Lewis Davis bleeding in the back seat. Officer Reddys decided to call off the police pursuit to tend to the traumatized Harris family and to place Davis under arrest. Davis was taken to Fort Worth Hospital and placed by the window in a ground floor room as crowds gathered to gawk at him. When he regained consciousness, the police demanded he reveal the names of his accomplices, warning he would be put to death in the electric chair otherwise, but Davis remained tight-lipped. Several armed citizens continued to chase after the Buick, prompting Ratliff, Helms and Hill to throw roofing nails out the car window to puncture

the tires of any vehicles following behind. The three men then decided they would have a better chance on foot and veered off into a pasture where they brought the car to a halt by a wall of scrub oak, cactus and mesquite. They ordered their young hostages to carry a satchel from the back seat, which was so full and heavy that the girl struggled to lift it. They whispered to one another that it might contain stolen gold, when in actuality had held hundreds of rounds of ammunition. As Ratliff, Helms and Hill scrambled around the car, gathering everything they needed, they suddenly realized they had left their stolen loot, including $12,400 in cash and $150,000

in securities, in the back seat of the Oldsmobile with Davis. Ratliff barked at Laverne and Demma May to get back into the Buick and lie on the floor with their hands over their eyes so they couldn't see which direction the three men fled into the scrub. He warned that he would shoot them if they peaked. Regardless, the girl snuck a glance and watched as the bloodied and limping centre disappeared into the night with his two companions. Three armed citizens of the vigilante group came across the wrecked Buick and through its broken windows they spotted four raised hands. They lifted their guns in anticipation,

only to hear the panicked voices of Laverne and Demma May crying out from inside the car. The pair were cowering on the floor of the blood-soaked vehicle but harboured no physical injuries. They were taken to the police station where Laverne revealed she had recognized Santa as being Marshal Ratliff. She was told to keep her suspicions to herself so that the officers had a better chance of trapping the fugitives, yet the rumours started almost immediately after she returned home. Many residents of Cisco had known Marshal Ratliff and were not surprised to learn of his involvement in the crime. Authorities determined that the Buick had been stolen from Wichita County and upon speaking to the local sheriff they zeroed in on Henry Helms

as being one of Ratliff's two accomplices at large. On Christmas Eve, the day after the heist, the story of the Santa Claus bank robbery hit the local papers in the neighboring town of Eastland. Journalist Boyce House described the incident as quote, the most spectacular crime in the history of the southwest, surpassing any in which Billy the Kid or the James Boys had ever figured. The crime had a profound impact on the local community, especially its youngest members, who were left terrified by the idea that Santa was capable of committing murder. When a man in a Santa Claus suit entered a crowded Eastland church that same day, a collective gasper rose from the congregation and a young boy asked in

a tearful voice, Santa, why did you rob that bank? That evening, Lewis Davis succumbed to his injuries and died. The Santa Claus bank robbery had been his first and last brush with the law. The armed vigilantes who continued to seek out the now $15,000 bounty vowed to continue their hunt until the other three fugitives were brought to justice. Ratliff, Hill and Helms had spent the night after the robbery in the thick scrub near the location where they had ditched the Buick. Searches came within a few hundred feet of their hiding place, but failed to find the wanted men. In the morning, they stole another car and headed in the opposite direction to the search parties, managing to evade them for another

day. On Christmas Day, members of the vigilante group took a break and headed home to join their families for the festivities. The hunt resumed on Christmas night, with the group now joined by journalists and reporters, including Boyce House, who had initially broken the story. When sheriffs in surrounding towns heard that the fugitives might be heading in their direction, they assembled armed mobs to protect their communities. By Monday, December 26, more than a thousand citizens were participating in the search. Ratliff, Hill and Helms crashed their stolen vehicle near the small township of Putnam, 13 miles west of Cisco. There, they caught the attention of a father and his teenage son who

were driving past in a dodge and commandeered the vehicle. Overcome with pain, exhaustion and fear, the trio forced the teenager, Carl Wiley, to act as their driver, ordering his father out onto the road. As Carl drove off, his father pulled out a concealed pistol and shot at the car in an attempt to hit the assailants, only to shoot his son in the arm. Carl attempted to converse with his abductors, who had fallen quiet due to their deteriorating health. When the Dodgers gas tank was almost empty, Carl helped the trio find another appropriate car to steal. They settled on an old, poorly maintained Ford that was stocked with plenty of petrol. Once they secured the vehicle, they released Carl. Ratliff advised him to seek medical attention

for his arm and to make sure he told the authorities his own father had shot him and not them. At this point, Ratliff, Hill and Helms were under the impression that they kept true to their original plan by not killing anyone. They didn't realize that Chief Bedford had died shortly after the robbery or that his colleague, Officer George Carmichael, was in hospital, mortally injured. Carl agreed to tell the truth, including that the men had treated him fairly and bid them farewell and good luck. At 5am on December 27, Carl walked into the Cisco police station and asked for a doctor. He told officers that the robbers were heading towards Wichita Falls and that Ratliff and Hill were badly wounded, the former to the point of

immobility. He doubted the group would last another 12 hours. The sheriff was unimpressed that Carl didn't take the opportunity to kill the weakened bandits while they slept, but as they had been good to him, the teenager didn't feel it would have been fair. Ratliff, Hill and Helms were penniless and considered robbing a store, but deemed it too risky. Helms was eager, but the feeble state of his two accomplices meant they would have little energy to run away. As they neared the Brazos River, the trio ditched the fort and stocked up on firearms and ammunition before making their way on foot or occasionally hands and knees across an oil field towards the woods by the river. Police set up an ambush at South Bend, an unincorporated community in Young

County located near a bend in the Brazos River. Certain the fugitives would soon pass through the area. Texas Ranger Cy Bradford was now involved in the hunt. He had a legendary reputation and according to some reports, he stood in the oil field with one cartridge in his shotgun and another two in his hand, certain that was all he needed to halt the offenders. When he caught sight of a weak and exhausted Marshal Ratliff across the field, Bradford aimed and pulled the trigger. He reloaded, then fired at Henry Helms. His final cartridge was spent at Robert Hill. All three shots hit their targets. Carrying six pistols and described as a walking arsenal, Marshal Ratliff was badly

injured and easy to capture. In total, he had sustained six gunshot wounds, including one to the jaw. After being shot by Ranger Bradford, Hill and Helms had managed to stagger into the nearby woodland by the river and disappeared out of sight. Despite wounded and without food, the pair survived and hid from search parties for two days, moving slowly under cover of the woods while an aeroplane scouted for them from above. Eventually, searches were able to track their footprints and early on the morning of Friday, December 30, Robert Hill and Henry Helms were finally captured in the north Texas city of Graham and taken into custody. By the time they were arrested, one week had passed since the men had entered the first

national bank in Cisco. The largest manhunt in Texas had finally come to an end. Officer George Carmichael succumbed to his injuries a week later on Saturday, January 7. The press were enthralled by the great Santa Claus robbery and journalist Boyce House's coverage of the crime propelled him to fame. He moved to Fort Worth, a city in north central Texas, where he built an illustrious career writing books, a syndicated column, and hosting his own radio program. He was twice nominated to run as the Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Texas, but lost both campaigns. 14-year-old Woodrow Harris, the teenager who slipped the ignition keys to his family's automobile into his pocket before they fled from the robbers,

was presented with a gold pocket watch by the first national bank's insurance company to commemorate his heroism. The swift act led to the perpetrators accidentally leaving their loot behind and ultimately allowed the bank to recover all the stolen money. The cashier Alex Spears made a full recovery from his gunshot wound and eventually became president of the Cisco first national bank. He worked at the bank until he passed away in 1945. Ratliff Hill and Helms were each tried separately. Robert Hill represented himself and was sentenced to 99 years in prison for armed robbery. Throughout his incarceration he managed to escape three times. On his third attempt he left behind a note that read,

If you want me you'll have to come to Paris, France. He made it as far as Houston, Texas, before he was recaptured. Back behind bars he decided life would be easier if he became a model prisoner and worked towards securing his release a more honest way. Marshall Ratliff was identified as the group's ringleader, but given that nobody had seen him fire a single shot he could only be convicted of armed robbery. He too was sentenced to 99 years in prison. Having expected to receive the death penalty Ratliff was delighted and felt he could do his time easily knowing that a model prisoner could be released from a life sentence in as little as 20 years. He told Texas Ranger Cy Bradford, That's no hill for a high stepper like me.

Henry Helms was identified as the shooter responsible for killing Cisco's chief of police GE Bit Bedford and his colleague officer George Carmichael and was sentenced to death by the electric chair. In an attempt to avoid the death penalty he immediately set about trying to convince everyone he was insane. Meanwhile the public was incensed that Marshall Ratliff appeared to be so pleased with his sentence and unrepentant for his crimes. They demanded he be tried again. The authorities agreed. During Ratliff's second trial the prosecution was still unable to find any witnesses willing to say they had seen him fire a single round. Regardless they found him guilty of involvement in the murders of police chief Bit Bedford and officer George Carmichael.

Ratliff was sentenced to join Helms on death row. Despite Helms putting on a convincing show for the court his insanity plea fell on deaf ears. On Friday September 6, 1929, nearly two years after the Santa Claus robbery Henry Helms was dragged kicking and screaming to his execution in the electric chair. Once again Marshall Ratliff's mother attempted to come to her incarcerated son's aid by submitting that he was criminally insane. Ratliff spent his time in prison studying the behaviors of the mentally disordered and became convinced that he could succeed in convincing the authorities that he was not of sound mind and thus unable to be put to death. While awaiting his insanity hearing, Ratliff

complained of paralysis and the prison guards had to physically lift him up out of bed to feed him. 53-year-old deputy sheriff Tom Jones was a father of eight who took on the responsibility of caring for Ratliff by feeding and bathing him as well as assisting him to use the bathroom. By Monday November 18, 1929, Ratliff had remained completely motionless for 10 days. Convinced he was unable to move, the guards became sloppy in their security measures. That night, as deputy sheriff Jones and his colleague Pack Kilbourne prepared to feed Ratliff, the pair left the door to his cell open. In reality, he had been faking the symptoms of paralysis all along and slipped out of his cell and snuck downstairs to the sheriff's office,

where he found a pistol on the desk. Ratliff then attempted to break free, but was soon warded by a locked door. He returned to the office to search for keys, and along the way he encountered deputy sheriff Jones coming down the stairs. Ratliff raised the gun and shot at the deputy three times, once in the stomach, once above his left knee, and once above the heart, causing life-threatening injuries. When Pack Kilbourne heard the sound of gunfire, he came running, and Ratliff shot at him too. The shots missed, and Pack tackled him to the ground. As the two men struggled, they both fired their pistols at one another, but their bullets kept missing their marks.

As the scuffle continued, Pack's daughter Mesa raced into the room and aimed her own gun at Ratliff. Other officers quickly arrived and restrained Mesa before she could take a shot and risk hitting her father. Pack struck Ratliff over the head with his gun, sending him into a daze, then pressed a knee on his prisoner to hold him down. He aimed his pistol directly at Ratliff's head and pulled the trigger. However, the gun was out of bullets, sparing Ratliff, who was taken back to his cell. Deputy Sheriff Jones was beloved in his community, and when the news spread that Ratliff had caused him serious injury, the townspeak was sent into a vengeful frenzy.

On November 19, 1929, the day after Ratliff's botched escape, a horde of approximately 2,000 men, women, and children descended on the Eastland Jail where he was imprisoned. A majority of the crowd came from Cisco, but people had also joined from neighboring and far away towns. Pack Kilbourne didn't believe in mob justice and stood at the door of the jail, pleading with the crowd to go away and let the courts do their job. An enraged mob of 200 men overpowered Pack and seized Ratliff, stripping him naked and dragging him outside. They carried him past the Majestic Theatre, where a production called The Noose was playing, and came to a stop on a well-lit Main Street. One man tied a hemp-robed noose and secured it

around Ratliff's neck. The length of the rope was tossed over a nearby utility pole, while a dozen men took hold and hoisted Ratliff into the air. The jerk of the rope was so violent that it broke and sent Ratliff tumbling to the ground. Members of the mob held him down until another rope could be retrieved. When asked if he had any final words, Ratliff mumbled incoherently. Displeased, the crowd started chanting, string him up, string him up. Ratliff was raised, slower this time, and just before his feet left the ground, he offered his final words. Forgive me, boys. In the 1920s, lynchings were not completely unheard of in Texas. However, Eastland was considered a progressive area, and its residents claimed that this was the county's

first lynching since 1888. The last one on record had resulted in the hanging of a notorious horse thief. Three years prior to that, two young men who were crucial witnesses in a pending court case had also been lynched in the county. After Ratliff was hanged, his body remained on display for several hours until a justice of the peace ordered him to be cut down. It was then taken and put on display in an Eastland furniture store, where several thousand people stopped by to view it, before his family came to take possession. When Pat Kilbaugh told Deputy Sheriff Tom Jones that he had tried his best to stop the lynching, Jones nodded and allegedly whispered, that's good, I'm glad they did it. Others have claimed they heard him say,

that's bad, they shouldn't have done it. At 11am on Wednesday November 20, 1929, Deputy Sheriff Tom Jones died from the wounds he sustained at the hands of Marshall Ratliff. He was the sixth and final death arising from the Santa Claus bank robbery that occurred almost two years earlier. An investigation into the lynching was launched, but resulted in no arrests. A marker observing the event was eventually placed on the utility pole in Eastland County where Ratliff was hanged. Nobody was able to claim that bankers dead Robert Bounty for Ratliff, but several people came forward to declare they had been the ones to shoot Louis Davis. Rumors spread that the Texas Bankers Association was encouraging as many people as possible to

come forward in order to muddy the waters, which would mean they could avoid having to make any payments. Ultimately, nobody was allowed to claim a bounty of any kind in relation to the Santa Claus robbery. The only surviving bandit, Robert Hill, succeeded in becoming a model prisoner and was released in 1948 after serving the minimum of 20 years. He changed his name, got married, moved to a small town in West Texas and went on to live a quiet, uneventful life until his death in 1996 at the age of 90. The first National Bank of Cisco remained at the same location on Main Street for the rest of the century. It eventually grew in size and was replaced by a more modern building that remained next to the alleyway where the 1927 shootout had

occurred. The back door where the bandits escaped became the drive-through deposit window. A mural of the robbery was placed in the lobby, becoming a popular tourist attraction. Since August 2009, the bank building has been occupied by an auto parts store, but the Texas Historical Commission placed a medallion at the site that reads, Scene of Daring Santa Claus Bank Robbery, December 23, 1927