#768 THE TIMES TRAVELLER by Barney Moorhouse Two Part Special For reproduction Rights call Access 1.800.893.5777
THE HAVELOCK BANK ROBBERY
In January I read Grace Barker’s book – The Bad Luck Bank Robbers – concerning the 1961 Havelock Bank robbery. It’s available at Ashley’s Book Store. While it was fresh in my mind I took the opportunity to discuss the book with Layne Moore and his dad Gerald. They provided more detail to this infamous, or famous, depending upon your point of view, bank robbery. Here is what they had to say.
Following the holdup the masked gang rushed by a shop keeper, who was sweeping the sidewalk in front of his store, and jumped into a get-away car. “It must have been easy for him to get the licence plate numbers,” said Moore. They then escaped Havelock to the “West road” and had to wade across the Deer River, which flows out of Wollaston Lake and eventually joins the Crowe River, in order to meet up with another car where the “West road” meets The Ridge, a location called Mailbox Corner by some. According to Layne, after crossing the creek the men buried the loot in 3 holes behind a rock outcrop from where they could hide and see if they were being followed. Some stayed behind to bury the loot and hide the guns, masks and other paraphernalia. Herb Moore, Gerald’s father, later found one of the coveralls under a spruce tree in the area. The others continued on and were picked up as apparently planned at Mailbox Corner.
An OPP officer picked up a Mrs. Reid who lived where Henry and Janet Ellenberger now live, across the road from the Zion United Church. Mrs. Reid was returning a pot to the Moore’s and told the officer of one unknown car that had passed her earlier and when she saw it returning apparently commented that now there was more than the original driver in it. Layne maintains that had the robbers slowed down and just waved the police would have been none the wiser but the robber “put the pedal to the metal” and inspired a car chase, after the officer first stopped to let Mrs. Reid get out of his vehicle.
The police maintained that all of the robbers were in that vehicle but Layne said Herb (his grandfather) heard someone climbing over the wire fence during the night.
The escape car continued along a very rough road to Bass (Steenburg) Lake and blew both right side tires. The occupants abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot.
Local trapper, hunter, guide, and township clerk Bob McGeachie helped the police trail the crooks. “He did a lot for the police,” said Layne. When the robbers had been apprehended McGeachie insisted that all step into a “sand box” so he could study their tracks. When the police said they had all the crooks McGeachie said “no, there’s still another on the loose” as one noticeable print he had been following was missing. That bank robber might have escaped otherwise.
Layne said that Bob McGeachie told him that one day he and his dog were near the creek where the crooks had crossed, near where they had hidden the loot, and they were relaxing as Bob enjoyed a sandwich. Suddenly his dog raised its head and focused nearby. Then Bob heard voices, what sounded like a shovel scrapping/digging and then a loud “whoopee “or the French version. Soon after some men appeared and left without detecting Bob or his dog. Bob discovered 3 empty holes behind the rock. Later, they heard from the Montreal police that the robbers had enjoyed a real wing-ding celebratory type party. Conjecture has it that McGeachie heard this while working closely with the O.P.P. after the force was informed by the Montreal police. Did the loot from the bank holdup fund the party? Of course the police were alarmed by the stolen $85,000 in cash but the numbered bonds have apparently never surfaced.
Also, the Lummiss family….who were stuck on the bridge with a flat tire when the robbers came along, testified at their trial and shortly after disappeared. Some years later a building on their property burned and Acting Fire Chief Dave Jackson tried to contact them – to no avail. They were still listed on municipal tax rolls as the owners. Then one night Jackson received a phone call from a lady who said she was the daughter. Due to the family fears from testifying they were put in the witness protection plan. She said “you will never find us.”
“She did eventually visit the scene of the fire,” said Jackson.
As an aside, Dave Jackson, born in 1957, was playing outside with his older 10 year old brother when the crook’s car sped by his house. He said the men were wearing balaclavas. “My brother still has a copy of the subpoena requesting my father’s appearance in court,” he said.
Later, while enjoying a meal at a restaurant, a family friend from Layne’s youth entered and seeing Layne sat down. Barker’s book had just been released about the robbery and he asked if Layne had read it. Yes, he had. When the discussion turned to the loot the friend commented that his dad said – “Hell, the Moores found that money and they have never looked back!” to which Layne still laughs.
A giant scavenger hunt followed the robbery. One search party looking for the loot, story has it, included some Boy Scouts. Everyone was in a line and fanned out. One boy left his post to get a pop in case he got thirsty and the scout master went after him. By time they returned to catch up with the line it had passed where the loot was buried. Otherwise, perhaps, they may have discovered the stolen goods.
In Part 2 we will see what The Bancroft Times reported.