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1926 Bank Robbery: Polite 'Yeggs' Caught in North Dakota
30 Jul
Summary
- Three young men robbed the State Bank of Davenport in 1926.
- The polite robbers escaped with cash and postage stamps.
- Two brothers and a musician were eventually caught and confessed.
In July 1926, the State Bank of Davenport, North Dakota, was robbed in broad daylight by three young men. The robbers, described as surprisingly polite despite being armed, escaped with over $1,300 in cash and nearly $260 in postage stamps.
A large manhunt involving law enforcement and citizens across southeastern North Dakota and western Minnesota was initiated. Authorities suspected the same group had recently robbed a bank in Mapleton, Minnesota.
Deputies apprehended Peter Stodolka, 18, at the Brandum family farmhouse. His accomplices, brothers Meloy and Currie Brandum, were also captured after a search. All three confessed to the Davenport robbery and other crimes.
Meloy Brandum received 22 years, Currie Brandum 20 years, and Peter Stodolka 10 years. Meloy died in prison, Currie served honorably in the Army and had a long life, and Peter became a musician before being fatally stabbed in a robbery in 1986.
