The robbers made their way to a county road south of town and turned east. The robbers began throwing out roofing nails in an effort to stop the posse that was on their trail. The remaining three robbers soon discovered that in their haste getting back into their own car, they had left the money from the bank in the other car.

     In the gunbattle that had taken place six citizens had been shot, eleven total injuries counting the peace officers and robbers. The robbers were captured in the days following the robbery. Peace officers from the surrounding area gathered along with at least hundred citizens in efforts to catch the criminals that had terrorized the small West Texas town that had once been named Red Gap.

     The first of the remaining three that had been captured was identified as Marshall Ratliff. He was the man in the Santa suit. Ratliff was shot in the jaw. In all, Ratliff had six bullet wounds. Ratliff had been convicted of robbing a bank in Valera, but had been pardoned.

     The remaining two bandits were captured close to Graham. Henry Helms was found to have seven bullet wounds. The other robber, Robert Hill was injured but not badly. All three robbers were taken back to Eastland and were housed in the County Jail.

     Ratliff was the first to stand trial. He was convicted and received a 99 year sentence. Later he was tried for the death of the Cisco Police Chief. He was also convicted and received the sentence of death in the electric chair.

     Helms was next to stand trial . For his part, he was also given the electric chair. Hill was last and was sentenced to life in prison. On September 6, 1929, Helms was executed for his crime in Huntsville, Texas. It is said that he had cabbage, sausage ,tomatoes, coffee and pie for his last meal.

     As fate would have it Ratliff , was bench warranted back to Eastland County to stand trial again. He was again housed in the County Jail . On November 18, 1929, Ratliff attempted an escape from the jail. He freed himself from the cell in which he was housed and stole a "six shooter" from the desk in an office. He was discovered by Tom A. Jones and "Pack" Kilborn who were both working at the jail. Jones was shot by Ratliff and was killed. Kilborn managed, after a struggle, to subdue Ratliff and take him back into custody.

     Hearing about the events at the jail, a crowd gathered outside the jail. By nightfall on the next day, around 2,000 people were standing outside the jail. fifteen to twenty men entered the jail and removed Ratliff. They carried him close to the theater where the play "the Noose" was being presented. There they threw a rope over a guy wire running between two telephone poles and placed it around Ratliffs neck, he was pulled in to the air. In the day of the hanging, if a criminal was "strung" up and the rope broke, he was given a reprieve. Not in this case. The rope broke and Ratliff was not allowed to go free. The angry group found a stronger rope and placed it around his neck. The gave him a chance to say some last words, which were, "Forgive me, boys." He was hoisted some 15 feet in the air and the rope held strong. Ratliff remained there for 20 minutes before being removed. Ratliff was buried in a small service in Ft. Worth, putting an end to the Santa Claus Bank Robbery.

     In final thoughts about the robbery,many citizens risked their life to bring these four men to justice, two respected men lost their lives in a job they each knew could be and was dangerous. Thanks to each and every person that risks their live every day in the Great State of Texas and these United States of America.