The Daily Record

Bonds Are Reduced For Angier Bank Defendants

Bonds for three defendants being held in Cumberland county jail in connection with the Angier bank robbery were reduced Saturday during a special hearing before U. S. Commissioner T. L. Hon, in Fayetteville. The commissioner said the bonds were rearranged since the investigating of the FBI in the case has been completed and a majority of $44,055 stolen from the First-Citizens Bank at Angier has been recovered. Commissioner Hon reduced the bonds for James A. Murchison, alleged two-gun bandit who entered the bank and removed the money, and David Watkins, charged with conspiracy in the robbery, from $40,000 to $20,000 each. Watkins was identified by FBI agents as the driver of the get-away car. The commissioner reduced the bond of Jess Frank Arnold from $10,000 to $2,000. Arnold was charged with conspiracy in the robbery. Commissioner Hon was also expected to reduce the bond for Pvt. Will Roger Arnold, charged with aiding in concealing the bank loot. The soldier's bond originally was fixed at $10,000.

MAKE BOND
Watkins and Jesse Arnold made bond late Saturday morning. In addition, the two defendants waived hearing scheduled before Commissioner Hon July 1 and the bond was fixed for appearance at the October term of U. S. district court in Raleigh. Murchison and Private Arnold were bound over to the Raleigh court term during an earlier hearing before Hon. FBI agents in co-operation with local authorities in Lillington recovered $37,700 of the bank loot. Army engineers with mine detectors helped officers Thursday to locate $8,200 buried in a gallon paint can. The FBI said that the defendants spent the majority of $6,355 still unrecovered. The Angier bank was held up April 29 by a lone gunman who held three bank employees at gunpoint while he filled a paper bag with money.