After the First National Bank in Sedro-Woolley was robbed of over $11,000 in gold in
late 1914, the bandits escaped and led posses on a manhunt that extended north
through Whatcom County and into British Columbia. The Wages of Sin chronicles the
entirety of this fascinating story along with stunning photographs taken as the events
unfolded.
Rustan Robertson was born and raised in Sedro-Woolley, and joined the Sedro-Woolley
Museum board at the age of 13, working with a dedicated group of volunteers to create
the city's first museum in a 13,000 square feet facility.In 1994, Rustan began researching the Great Sedro-Woolley Bank Robbery of 1914 in
great detail, and spent the following three years conducting interviews, finding historical
documents, and combing through newspaper archives. Following this, his research
gathered dust until 2014, the year of the bank robbery's 100th anniversary, when he
partnered with the Sedro-Woolley Museum to publish a book on the topic, The Wages
of Sin: The True Story & Photos of the Great Sedro-Woolley Bank Robbery of 1914.Rustan currently lives in Anacortes, WA with his wife, son and daughter.
