Boy Bandit | Laurel History Boys

Laurel’s Billy the Kid

By Kevin Leonard

I came across a Baltimore Sun article from 1911 that was an extraordinarily detailed account of a failed bank robbery in Laurel. Just writing about someone trying to rob the Citizen’s National Bank on Main Street in 1911 would have been fun, but the details in the Sun made it an irresistible story to me. The story contained many Laurel characters of the day (some of whom I’d heard of), as well as an interesting twist as to who the bank robber actually was.

My son, Jeff, served as my research assistant and photographer for this one. We interviewed Bernie Robinson, the current manager of the bank (now PNC Bank), who gave us an extended tour of the bank, especially the original structure from 1890 that is completely absorbed into today’s bank. We also talked to Jim McCeney, Ken Skrivseth, and Karen Lubieniecki, downtown residents who provided valuable information on the neighborhood where the robber fled. When Ken showed us the alley that runs between Main and Prince George Streets, the Kid’s path while running for his life became obvious.

The column ran in the Laurel Leader on Jan. 31, 2013.

This article is a follow-up to a 2013 "History Matters" column Kevin wrote for the Laurel Leader. You can read that original column by clicking on the image above. BALTIMORE SUN

The Kid was guarded by Constable Valentine Kaiser until a Baltimore detective arrived to interrogate the prisoner.

SOURCE: LAUREL HISTORICAL SOCIETY

The Kid turned out to be 17-year-old John R. Morgan from a town in Virginia near Roanoke.

SOURCE: LAUREL HISTORICAL SOCIETY

In 1911, the Citizen’s National Bank of Laurel was a tiny brick building on the corner of Main and Fourth Streets. The original structure has been expanded many times. The bank was built in 1890 for approximately $7,000, half of which was the cost of the vault.

Bank Manager Bernie Robinson gave us a tour and showed off the bank’s original vault.

PHOTO: JEFFREY LEONARD

With information provided by residents, we were able to track the Kid’s flight from justice using Google Earth. In 1911, however, more than half of these houses were not built yet.

ILLUSTRATION: KEVIN LEONARD

Charles H. Stanley, Sr., the bank’s first President. He helped interrogate the bank robber and later asked the court for clemency for the Kid.

SOURCE: LAUREL HISTORICAL SOCIETY

George P. McCeney, Laurel’s Magistrate. He also helped interrogate Morgan and remanded him to Upper Marlboro to face a grand jury.

SOURCE: LAUREL HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Cashier George W. Waters, who fired a shot into the ceiling before taking a shot at the robber.

SOURCE: LAUREL HISTORICAL SOCIETY

The Executive Board of the bank, meeting a month after the attempted robbery, voted to confiscate Mr. Waters’ pistol for shooting a hole in the ceiling. On our tour of the bank, Bernie Robinson moved some drop ceiling tiles to reveal the original ceiling. We couldn’t see the bullet hole.

PHOTO: JEFFREY LEONARD

A nice epilogue to the story was written by Prince George’s County Circuit Judge C. Philip Nichols Jr., a Laurel native, who followed the story with great interest. Nichols did some research to find out what happened to the Kid. Here’s his contribution:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/howard/opinion-talk/ph-ll-column-nichols-0214-20130207-story.html

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