When Santa turned into a bank robber in Cisco, Texas | Forensic Files

if you've ever felt like you don't belong you belong with an acquired taste podcast every week on an acquired taste
hosts Bethany and Kathleen get together to chat about their lives and to what's weird in the world from life's most
embarrassing questions to eerily haunted topics with a sprinkle of tactical spy skills if you've ever been too afraid to
ask your bestfriend something really strange or embarrassing or spooky this is the podcast for you pull up a chair
and pour yourself something warm or strong or bubbly there's room at the acquired taste table for everyone
newer episodes each cover one lifestyle topic like sex emotional health self-care and relationships and one
strange topic like ghosts mysteries weird court cases Spice Girls and haunted things previous episodes have
covered issues like the observation skills you need to live a life like a spy how to tell your best friend you are
in love with them comebacks - rude ass family members during the holiday season holiday life hacks and much more bethany
and kathleen are also both open about their struggles with mental illness they talk about issues like anxiety
depression and eating disorders with kindness and humor new episodes come out every thursday plus two bonus episodes
every month listen to an acquired taste podcast on Apple podcasts Spotify Google
podcasts stitcher tuned in and more [Music] our episodes deal with serious and often
distressing incidents if you feel at anytime you need support please contact your local crisis center for suggested
phone numbers for confidential support please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website
[Music] from its ranch and finely and outskirts to its humble close-knit community of
several thousand residents the township of Cisco is emblematic of traditional rural Texas it's 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 nestled 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 law 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 saw it others
continued to find new and innovative ways to keep making money there was the error 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 wired 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 festive 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 mocked at 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 team 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 men 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 two Santa's hand and tried to drag him towards the shop basanta 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 the 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 banks door rang cashier Alex
peers looked up from tending to a customer than to called out a cheery hello Santa
without a word the men 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 Alex 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 a yard stick them up this is a robbery
[Music] in the United States the 1920s had been deemed the Golden Age of crime by 1926
many parts of Texas showed the early science 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 drug store holdups increased by 1700 percent 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 five thousand dollars should shoot down an innocent
man I see no reason why the bankers should set themselves up as Lord High executioner 'he's just as justice
lindsey 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 - 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 bank robber bounty they were prosecuted for the crime but there were
many more thwarted robberies where the bandits did not live to dispute the shooters 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 men 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 to though mrs. Blasingame was reluctant
Francis wore her down and to the pier 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 colt 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. blossom game turned to wags at the front door but saw it was now guarded by one of Santa's
armed assistance as she was somewhat familiar with the layout of the bank she took advantage of the commotion and
ushered her daughter through the bookkeepers room where she knew of a door that led onto the neighboring
alleyway the robbers warned her to stop but she shielded Francis with her own body and
to 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 through a vacant lot yelling that the bank was being robbed she headed straight to the
police station where Chief of Police GE bit Bedford wasted no time in collecting
a riot gun and two officers Artie Reddy's and two 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 twenty thousand dollars should all
four bandits be shot dead the local men retrieved firearms from their vehicles then to those who were unarmed raced to
a nearby hardware store buying out the stores 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 to loading
up more than twelve thousand dollars 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 offender's 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 comer and ten-year-old Mme Robertson they made their way into their getaway vehicle
that was parked in nearby er a navy Buick with wood trim and sped off officer readies corral cisco's men 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 Buicks plush gray upholstery the group yelled at one another as their two young
hostages remained silent of the pair Laverne koma 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 misbehavior as youth all high jinks
even when his actions led to him being expelled from school in the ninth grade he went to work on a bar plowing helling
and pulling cotton but quickly became resentful of the back-breaking 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-olds good looks sense of humor and impressive singing voice his
friends found him to be fun and generous and always happy to share a bit of homemade to liquor with them Ratliff
looked after his mother and sisters but lost all pleasantries around to 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 neighbor old man you'll 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 story in 1926 Marshall
and Allie 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 elect into action upon learning that the first the National Bank of Cisco was being holed
up for their involvement in the Valero robbery the Ratliff brothers were raged sentenced to 18 years in the Huntsville
State Penitentiary the oldest state prison in Texas citizens who believed the boys deserved
the 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 Allie 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 the bunkhouse 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 a 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 open to other ideas that would increase his income the three men became friends and two
moved out of the basic bunkhouse they shared with the other royal field workers and into a much more comfortable
boarding house in Wichita Falls the house was run by one of Helms's acquaintances an easygoing woman named
Mitch tell it who was warm chatty and not at all intimidated by the ex-convicts although her husband
disapproved of the man Mitch 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 very straightforward escape route he believed that 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 swept 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 to 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 apiece
his interest grew the trio spent many evenings planning their attack they put their trust in Mitch tell it by asking
her to purchase supplies they didn't want to be witness to buying including bandages iodine and snack foods for the
road without asking any questions Mitch abhorred 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 haul from the safe and
vault they just needed one more person films 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 he's in law lewis-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 Mitch tell it had been sewing a Senna costume for the holiday season and Ratliff asked to
borrow it Mitch happily obliged the final part of the plan was the 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 boardinghouse and spent the remainder of
the evening bolstering their courage by getting drunk on Electra lightning 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 the national bank employees likely
to be on duty that day and presumed Alex Pierce would be at the cashier's desk and jewel PO would be inside the first
tellers 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 the Ratliff reassured him the guns were mostly for show and it was highly unlikely they
would be required to shoot the bank cashier Alex 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 Alex peers out of fear he would recognize 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 he'll yelled at a woman and her young
daughter who were making a break for it through the bookkeepers 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 Helms spotted two young girls 12 year-old Laverne coma
and ten-year-old Mme Robertson cowering near the counter he motioned for them to
accompany him into the bookkeepers room behind the tellers the girls put their hands up as they raced over while the
other robbers used the several of the bank's customers to create a human shield many of the civilians sustained
gunshot wounds when they were rushing 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 her Laverne and anim
from homes and to bundled them into the Buick he soon recognized the older of the pair as Laverne comer and realized
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 Buicks 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 Olsen who had been part of the
robbers human shield and customers Pete Rutherford Brady Biggs and Oscar CLE 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
it seems like CBD is all the rage these days thanks to its wide range of health benefits maybe you've heard about this
into thinking about trying it out for yourself but before you do you should know that not all CBD is created equal
unlike other brands that offer just CBD hemp fusion blends CBD with omegas terpenes and other natural ingredients
to help you feel your best hemp fusion does this because CBD works best when combined with these other nutrients
everything they do adds up to a better product and that adds up to a better day for you case files composer Andrew
recently received a hemp fusion package that included the sleep CBD distressed CBD and to the mind and to body balance
hemp extracts he took their mind and body balance formula while working and it gave him an extra level of focus he
was so impressed that he plans to buy some more soon hemp fusion is available at natural product retailers as well as
online and is shipped everywhere in the u.s. please use promo code case file for
20% off your first order and free shipping at hemp fusion calm that's promo code case file get hemp
fusion shipped anywhere in the US have you recently noticed changes in your four-legged friend maybe your dog has
difficulty sitting or standing deaf burr is not as shiny as it used to be or perhaps they have been having more
frequent accidents in the house these may be signs that your dog is not getting proper nutrition dogs leon's
provides canine owners with supplements made in the UK specifically for their beloved pets they have a range of dog
supplements including Mobe to help with mobility berry to assist the bladder and
kidney function and tummy to help with sensitive stomachs dogs lounge have prepared a special offer for case file
listeners order today at / co uk and to get 20% off your first order by using promo code case file
that's dogs lounge co uk and use promo code case file at checkout that 20% off your first order dogs
lounge supplements for your best friend audible has the world's largest selection of
audio books and audio entertainment including audible originals audible originals of stories created exclusively
for audio including documentaries exclusive audio books and scripted shows that you can't hear anywhere else access
they're unbeatable selection on any device anytime anywhere with the audible app every month you can choose one
audiobook regardless of price as well as two audible originals from a fresh selection you'll also enjoy easy audio
book exchanges and your own audio book library you keep forever even if you cancel I recommend checking out my new
favorite book can't hurt me by david Goggins david's childhood was a nightmare poverty prejudice and physical
abuse color these days and haunted his nights but through self discipline mental toughness and hard work he
transformed himself from a depressed young man into a US Armed Forces icon and one of the world's top endurance
athletes start listening with a thirty-day audible trial choose one audiobook and two audible originals
absolutely free visit audible.com slash case file or text case file to five double zero five double zero that's a UD
IB le dot-com slash CA SE Fi le or txt case file - five double zero five double zero simply safe is currently offering
their biggest sale of the year so if you're looking to fully protect your home with award-winning 24/7 home
security now is the time to do it burglary spark during the holiday season because families are traveling and
burglars know people have left expensive gifts lying around luckily simply safe has everything you
need to protect your home and family there's a smart lock and video doorbell Pro to defend your front door
an army of sensors and cameras that guard every window door and room in your home and if there's a break-in they can
give real time video confirmation to police as it happens so law enforcement responds up to 3.5 times faster with all
these features it's no surprise that simply safe as one CNET and PC Magazine Editors Choice Awards simply safe made a
holiday of up with case file listeners in mind but it ends December 31st they rarely do deals this big so now's your
chance visit simply safecom slash case file to find out just how much you'll save and
remember this sale ends December 31st go today simply stay calm / case file given its head start the Buick would
normally have outrun most of the vehicles that were pursuing it but every one of the cars windows had been
shuttered except the windshield and the front bumper had come loose and had jammed under the axle two bullets were
embedded in the backseat 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 and after completing some last-minute Christmas shopping
Ratliff still in his Santa suit waved frantically from the side of the road in the spirit of the season
the Harrises 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 rubbers 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 backseat officer Reddy's decided to call off the police pursuit to tend to the
traumatized Terris 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 revealed 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 when 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 girls 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 twelve thousand four hundred dollars in cash and 150 thousand dollars
in securities in the backseat of the Oldsmobile with Davis Ratliff barked at Laverne and MMA to get
back into the Buick in July 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 girls snuck a glance and two watched as the bloodied and Olympian
Santa 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 panic two voices of Laverne and Donna Mae crying out from inside the car the pair were cowering on
the floor of the blood-soaked vehicle but Harvard had no physical injuries they were taken to the police station
where Laverne revealed she had recognized Senna has been 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 room has started
almost immediately after she returned home many residents of Cisco had known Marshall 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 Holmes 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 the boys house described to 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 gasp arose 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 to last brush with the law
the arm to vigilantes who continued to seek out the now 15,000 dollar 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 searchers 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 boys 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 teenaged 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 5:00 a.m. 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 Karl
didn't take the opportunity to kill the weekend bandits while they slept but as they had been good to him the teenager
didn't feel that 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 need to the Brazos River the trio ditched to 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 saw
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 two
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 searchers were able to track their footprints and early on the morning of Friday December 30 Robert
Hill and Henry Holmes 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 burster 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 to
journalists the boys houses 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 Oldsmobile into his pocket before they fled from the robbers was
presented with a gold pocket watch by the first the national banks 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 Alec 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 H 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 have to come to Paris
France he made it as far as Houston Texas before he was recaptured back behind bars he decided to life would be
easier if he became a model prisoner and worked towards securing his release some
more honest the way marshal 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 Hey - 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 twenty years he told
Texas Ranger saw Bradford that's no Hill for a high-stepper like me [Music] Henry Helms was identified as the
shooter responsible for killing Cisco's Chief of Police gee a 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 said
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 Holmes 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 fifty three-year-old a 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 ten 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 watered 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 in a into once above the heart causing life-threatening
injuries when Pak Kilbourne heard the sound of gunfire he came running and Ratliff shot
at him too the shots missed and packed 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 packs daughter Mesa raced into
the room and aimed her own gun at Ratliff other officers quickly arrived and restrained me so before she could
take a shot and risk hitting her father PAP struck Ratliff over the head with his gun sending him into a daze then
press the 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 townsfolk were 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 ACE Blount Jail where he was imprisoned a majority of the crowd came from Cisco
but people had also joined from neighboring and faraway 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 to let the courts do their job an
enraged mob of 200 men overpowered pack and seized two 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 rope 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 Ratliffe into the
air the jerk of the rope was so violent that a broke incent 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 slow at 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
the 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 Kilbourne 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 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday November 20 1929 deputy sheriff Tom Jones died
from the wounds he sustained at the hands of marshal 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 the bankers dead Robert bounty for Ratliff but
several people came forward to declare they had been the ones to shoot Lewis 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 it 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 the 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 Le way 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 Clause bank robbery December 23 1927
[Music] [Music]

Case 135: The Santa Claus Bank Robbery

As Santa Claus 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 banking business to tend to during the holiday season...

CREDITS

Narration – Anonymous Host Research and writing – Eileen Ormsby Creative direction – Milly Raso Production, scoring – Mike Migas and Andrew Joslyn

SOCIAL LINKS

Website https://www.casefilepodcast.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/casefile Twitter https://twitter.com/case_file Instagram https://www.instagram.com/casefilepodcast Patreon https://www.patreon.com/casefile Casefile Presents https://casefilepresents.com

RESOURCES

For all credits and sources please visit https://casefilepodcast.com/case-135-the-santa-claus-bank-robbery

Brief Summary

The Santa Claus bank robbery in Cisco, Texas, turned chaotic, leading to a violent shootout and tragic outcomes for both robbers and citizens.

Key points

An Acquired Taste Podcast. Hosts Bethany and Kathleen discuss life's weirdest questions and topics with humor.
The Christmas Robbery. A Santa Claus impersonator leads a bank heist in Cisco, Texas during the holidays.
Chaos in the Bank. As the robbery unfolds, chaos erupts with gunfire and hostages taken.
The Aftermath of the Heist. The robbery's consequences lead to injuries and a community in shock.
The Santa Claus Bank Robbery. A robbery that shocked a community and left a lasting impact, especially on children.
Davis's Fate. Lewis Davis succumbs to his injuries, marking a tragic end to the robbery.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

He was clearly homemade and barely covered his street clothes underneath.

4:31WatchDec 21, 2019

Tension

85/ 100High tension

More from Casefile

Solve the Crime

Read a real case one clue at a time, then see how your call held up against the investigators.