Ohio, F-G, 1897-1982, Undated

| ‘
Identified only as “Mack,” the bandit shown above fought
a losing battle with police, one of whom, Detective Leo.
Phillips, left, narrowly escaped death himself but lived to
write this gripping story of his exciting experience.


z = ‘a emis ee a c Mae t
Se BU eh UW PE ‘ . PeEE x *

rit hia te

“Let’s just let it ring,” she said, “I don't see
why people can’t let you alone one day.”
‘Maybe you better aswer it,” I mumbled. But
Alice had already laid aside the curtain she was
# hemming and was lifting the receiver from the in-
strument.
“What!” she exclaimed. “Honey, come here
quick. It’s Captain Gardner. He says the Ohio
National was just held up.”

WO bank jobs in three days! It didn't seem
possible in Columbus.

I hurried into my clothes, strapping on my shoul-

der holster with its regulation .38 caliber service

. revolver. I kissed Alice good-bye. I didn’t know

that the next time I would see her would be in the
emergency room of Mt. Carmel hospital.

Hundreds of persons were milling around in front

of the bank. Four motorcycle patrolmen were hay-

ing their difficulties keeping traffic moving. Inside,

six cruiser-loads of uniformed policemen were main-

taining order and

making a routine

investigation. Wit-

MT BSE ABT

GOS bide PLAT aa!

+ nesses told conflict- Fe
| Me ing stories. oe |
a Out of the con- ‘a

a

fusion, the only 4
points agreed upon
were that there had
been four bandits—

Step! boas: eds in
{ S o hear sentence deeopcness against him»
‘part in the fatal gun battle. Shackled tohimis =
Dob, Cooke, courageous Columbus officer who >

bandit: oke’s partner on the >
etective! Bob Cline, ;


' te whe:

hree doing the actual robbing while a fourth

h- stood by at the car—and that all acted like “a

bunch of crazy Indians, yelling and cussing.”

I turned my attention to the neighborhood,

searching for witnesses. In Umbenhauer’s drug
“store on the corner adjacent to the bank a clerk,
Max Throckmorton, 34, said he saw the bandits
leaving the bank.-

“I ran to the back of the store and got an old
332 revolver,” related Throckmorton, “but by
the time I reached the sidewalk they were turn-
ing south on Eureka avenue and I couldn’t get
a good shot at them.”

Eureka avenue is a narrow street made even
more impassable by the parked cars which
usually line both sides. It seemed strange the
bandits would take the chance of being blocked
by a car coming from the opposite direction.

Alvin Fox, a garageman who was drinking a
soda in the drug store when the excitement
started, ‘said he ran into Ray Coffman’s radio
shop next door. Like Throckmorton, Coffman
grabbed a gun and ran outside only to find the
fast-moving target of the bandit car obscured by
other traffic.

“We got into my car and chased them,” said
Fox. “We followed them out into the country
and almost to Georgesville, where we lost them.”

I telephoned this tip to my superior, Chief of
Detectives Harry Carson.

“That sounds odd to me,” said the chief. “I’ve
got a hunch that those fellows doubled right back
to the center of the city. Stay where you are
and keep on asking questions.. Call me if you
get anything new.”


DARING

*
{

‘Bandit guns chattered a devil’s tattvo until
police bullets blasted a cowardly gang from
the strange hideout where it sought refuge.

rey

Da

Detective LEO PHILLIPS
Columbus, O., Police Department

P 9:30 FRIDAY morning, February 4, 1938, a black sedan drew

A up to the curb in front.of the Ohio National bank’s hilltop branch

at Columbus, Ohio. West Broad street, a main artery of the

city, now was clear of office-bound workers. The small west-side busi-
ness district seemed almost deserted.

Three youths who might have passed for college students piled out
of the car and sauntered irto the bank where employes were chatting
about a holdup that had occurred two days before at the office of the
Federal Building & Loan company directly across the street. The
robbery had been the first of its kind in several years, And so the tellers
thought it was a joke when one of the well-dressed young men who
had just entered pulled a gun from his topcoat pocket and snapped:

“This is a stickup !”

Crisp orders and menacing automatics soon convinced customerd#

tHat this was the real thing. One bandit lined them up and stood guard
Another vaulted over the high guard rail of the cashier’s cage, keeps
ing employes cowed with his gun. He scooped bills into a sack.

The third bandit leveled a gun at the manager, young Curt W
cox. 5

“Take me to the vault!” was the curt demand. ®

There was a nervous‘overtone in the criminal’s voice that told ‘of
twitching trigger finger, Wilcox sensed the price of disobedience, H
nodded and led the way.

Wilcox returned from the vault dragging two heavy sacks:of coins.
The bandit, a short, callow-faced youth, followed him, watching every
move.

The thug behind the cashier’s cage was a tall, well-muscled blond.
He calmly walked around from the rear of the grilled compartment
and made for the front door of the bank,

The third man backed away from his line-up of customers.

A hoarse yell startled both robbed and robbers, All eyes turned to-
ward the door leading to the street. A fourth bandit was standing in
the doorway.

“For God’s sake, hurry!” he barked. “A cruiser just went by.”

The thin blond robber seemed irritated at the interruption.

“Get back in the car and keep the engine running,” he snapped.

Within three minutes the bandits had scooped up approximately
$3,500 in currency and silver, including $100 in pennies. With a final

flourish of their guns they backed out of the
bank, turned, ran swiftly for their car and
A few moments before —*
this picture was taken, "oared off. :
roaring gunfire made the Soon after all this happened, my telephone
frame dwelling at left rang. It was my day off. My wife, Alice,
a house of horror. didn’t.want to answer it.

~~, % Q
TECTIVE, July, 1930


rs ‘were haggard pecs Dale}
arched towdeat
nerve to the: fil fede?

cecutions practically ‘wiped |'
alition cabinet which was

t ‘they ;

Ga Say ABR er!

ee ane | a a ee ae

indictinents will not be asked ‘ugain.
; Action of the jury was taken while
hMrs, Frances N. Hall, widow of the
‘slain rector, kept vigil outside tho
jury | room with her attorney.

eee ae scans ih alta

(aring” “the ie Fecent War ¥ with
sartanartat, which ) con:
ic. . men. stated their of:
ollows: ‘

oncealed=trom _ the _people

[FIREMAN _ KILLED _ AS
ENGINE_EXPLODES _

“DAYTON, O., Nov. 29.—One man
‘was killed and two were injured

r of King Constantine's
ich. they sought in order
igh office under him..They!
blue opinion against. them
stic- methods and arranged
ed offensive against Con-

e, ther®by bringing about}.

eh sees =m :
laches from Slight Colds ~

r's .offensive.*____-----_.--------+}

10MO QUININE Tablets relfeve |
ce by curing the Cold. A ‘tonic’

| germ destroyer, Tae—-box bears

6 of E,W. turove. (Be sure. you ;

i) 30c. Advertisement. - Bass

L€

‘when the boiler of a locomotive pull-
ing an extra freight-train-on-the B-

ploded today.

-mear, fireman, Dayton.

The injured are slarry. Sifford, en-
gingers Dayton; ‘and: Charles ‘Brown,
brakeman, +

Bifford is not-expected to recover.’

Traffic on the road was tied up
for. several hours..

Toast = a | : -

delicacy | dhat you should’
h tea.

‘loaf of ‘real: ‘fall-fruited |

bread; -and-see: how-good--- jee

Hee Wisin ercfeltres lems ce
the ‘bread. at grecers or
arhood bake Lae
(OW.

pe gpan Tremp teen

4

a tempting Gnnovation. to.
o guests or friends.---~

3 erteete are: make.
for you, using -

~~

ioe

st raisins for bread ee

ee On a few: ~miles-west—here;~ exe

The dead» man 1s Edward: Kim-

tie

~ris, believed

i Kae shler
y Phome, 4
4 Thursday.

_tCinctnnatl,

Advertise

‘fbing the Strdium”’ Restaurant High. |

st, a short disgmecea north of Good
ale-st, when ® encountered Poa_
iMcemen Koehler and Friddle Tues
day: morning. He sald they planned
to hold up the restaurant 1. ord>r
to get money with which to buy gas:

Toline and oil.”

Cummins claimed’ he first met
Brady and Lewie while they were
employed as deputy sheriffs at a
‘ecoal mine In’ Fayette-co, Pa. He
said they had held up a race horses
‘man at Cincinnatl a few weeks ago.
“and” robbed“ himrot several hundred
dollars and two diamonds and that
they robbed a cabtnetmaker of $300
on Detroit-st, Cleveland.

According to Cummins, Martin ts.

kiNled Koehler and wounded F riddle.

Cummins said he thought the shoot-
ing of the police was “uncalled for”
nnd claimed that he always carried

his gun'empty and was, opposed ;to
Cummins: admittea, po- |
lice say, that the samme gang robbed | oo) 2.

taking Mfe.

the Central-av saloon ih Cincinnati,
Oct: 28... ;

Police have: in formation
will jead to evidence
Showing that. .Biady and
Ailled a policeman at Cleveland. .

LOMEELER PUNE RAL,

_ Funeral services . for Pallecaan

will be held at
387 8 B. Hague-av, at 11 a. m,
Burial. wil be . made
1 a.m In- Readi ruz Ceme-
it “Bernard, - ‘pa suburb of
Pallbearers! chosen by.
Chief Wrench are. Corporal Willlara

which it

‘Friday at-1
“In

‘| Bragé} Policeman Harry Kezeria, in
{whose place Corporal Priddis WS.
“Uworking at ‘the time he was shot,
and the regular. partner of Police-
“+man Koehler; Policemen F.. Ball;

T.F, TAH, Thomas ‘A. Scully and
5. W.

~ Koehler’ planned on pelekeatae
the® twenty-fourth anniversary of

hid marriage Thank sgiving Day.
+t Wis widow will receive $1600 from:
: the police pension and relief. funds,

PROF, RADER’S THANKSGIVING DANCE.

: Nell Ave. Academy, : ‘Thurs, eve, 8:15.

-New beginners’ class Thurs., Dec. 7
ent. :

re

the man who fired the shots which |

« Let Ww hs ¥

his late T

: Ernest, representing: each of "
the police substations.’ :

BGG ° VV. LUCMEV. - > a rea \

The body was taken to Dehion:
Donaldson & Hughes Chapel, 318 FE.
Town-st. Burial be. mada in
Green ' Lawn.

Sacn ince deaip i ae yaa lanka deat nem hoe bee

Ohio State Watearaity co-ed debat-,
ing -teams- will -meet---teams-—~-from.
Michigan Friday night. Ohio State’s
negative team will debate-at Ann
Arbor and the aftirmative team sf
the-chapel-on- the- campus:

Se ith:

bees

In, washing dishes there i always

ran ae ccumulation, of grease on the +E .

water. “which leaves uw greasy ‘line
on pan. to. clean. If Ciimalene is
used In the water it dissolves this
grease before it forms...

ys His Preserigtion

tas Te hon afl

Mr. James EH. Allen, of Rochester,

matism.  Wany tires this térrible

| disease left hima helpless and unable

to wor kk.
Ye finally decided, after years. of
ceasglesa study, that no.one.cati.be
free.from rheumatism. until the ac-
cumulated . hmpurities, " commantiy
called uric. acid. ‘deposits, were «is.
solved in the joints and mus cles and
expelled from. the body, 9.
With this idew in mind he con.
‘gultel physicians, made experiments
and finally compounded a prescrip.
tion that quickly and completely
‘panished- every sign and symptom of
rheuttiatism from his systera.

~He° freely gave his discovery,
which she called Allenrhu, to otkers
called)» marvelous success.
sufferers everywhere know about
his discovery through . the news-
papers. .
ed druggists everywhere to dispense
Alienrhu with the° understanding
that! if.the frst pint. bottle does 116%

i

ea Mes. Le nd

N. ¥., suffered for yeara with rhew-} * Gea

who took it, with what might. be i
years of urging. he decided to ltt: &

He has therefore instruct- f

“show the way, to complete recovery 4

Wile tin yoeakisa lacie abe Rana oi’
SCRA ot tae gids pe

Wi labrteating liquid.

duced in the bowel
the food waste i
_wmoring... Doctors.
| Nufjel because, i |
4 “this natural lebel:
Ms thus ranlocet Ng

ces aS i
A

ee nrnrmy me meg e

4 pieemaetia nos

he will -gladly,.return . your ‘money a


a

Manche
hem he

-

AM Scoimed Makes
Finding In Case.

Deaths of Irving Hender-
son, 31; his wife, Florence, 36:
and their four children, Ella.
7, Helen, 6, “Maine, 4, and
|Christiana, 17. months, who
revere fourid in: their home’ in
Lancaster last Wednesday,

were due to carbon monoxide

from a pas heater, according
to the. State Health Depart-
ment.

The finding, announced W
day, was the reveult of exhaustive
tests by Dr. Emery FH. Wayhurst,
congultant In Industrial hygiene of
the Health Department; Dr. M. C.
Bysort, chief of the industrial hy-

giene division, and Fred Berry, chief
of the division of laboratories.
Reports of all three expertangree

WHAT. HAYHURST SAYS:

The principal report by Dr. Hay-
hurat gives the following conclu-

ednes-

aiona in. aseribing--the ‘deatha-to- rar tg

bon monoxide gas:

1: Fathure to make provision for
ventilating a small tightly construct-

house In which three small rooms
were occupled by afx ap lauadae com:
bined with sao

2: “The breathing of carbon mon
oxide gas and oth products of In-
complete combustion produced by a
fwo-burner gas plate used for cook
Ing and probably also produced by
an ficproperly operating gas-henting
etove.

3: An element of fear of an out
aida enemy that served to distract

1A. :
‘eek the hushand and wife's attention
» {from the ventilating and heating
ifessor's |.
hted by azards present and caused them to
h Rena, | eck up the windows and doors with| Here are two of the four members
nO co unusnal precaution the nights of of the bandit gane which killed
: Now. 21 and 22. P lic r¢ 3 : ae
was his 1 2 ee me oliceman Koehler and wounded
7* * gaye . % a . Pl
1 VERS ee Se OX RGTNA. FO Pollceman Friddle in a gun battle
urn of (TUHM TN PAGE TWO). “at -Gaendste pod Meh streets Pupa.

Pema, TH Ler AE NL OMITAOY ot SekSe "acne;

tin is in St. Francts Hospital: onli:
bullet wound in the .cad, self. ae
ed. as he was captured.

Laws, thie milasing eer

found. Lewis was last seen’
pany with Martin juat before:
latter. shot himself? and weg
tured. Some officera advarieed:

a freight tn ain which statiegt
wrade near Galloway Tuenda;
ning. Others believe he $s Riis

GRAND JURY TO MEET.

Special sension of the grand
will convene
Wednesday to consider first:
murder indictments against
two men in oo It is |
ed like

oe A cralened Tuesday"
before Muny Judre Ruth;
pleaded not gullty and Was |
au dae +E nie ae

bs erie and then: 187 4
must ensue before haears vat
trinl.
Police apent a busy _
Tuesaday, trailing the bandit.
tective Lt. McNenl led. a
his men which picked ‘apie
of the three bandits at Lilly’
The engineer of a locomottiyée:
cats at Lilly Chapel’ Senn

their ald arrd hurried thern down, ‘ther
Aa ha tracks after the men, The

icred without

nny casualties

after a number of shots had
(TURN TO PAGE Aisle:


GR@ATEST MAN-HUN®|

ne. eve
c The
0 ay flyis
ONE [5 TN THE = ae :
MORGUE . haa
Dead ighwayman’ des raat
pees wy 5 ‘ts
fied As Peter. Lo as Bt
ce te (
< Y™owe
os. ing
; hom
; of th
Ke . ditio

With the identity _ of Shee
dead bandit cstablishedie “amv

two others under arrest, / fas

BANDIT wag *

CED IN-A . 5 COMMU SUICIDE, lice and farmer posses’ Wet re
TELD NEAR ce SHOOTING HIMSELE nesd: by were scourin Saas
_ CHAPEL iM THE HEAD? colnL Vaile near

So and = Georvesville
fourth member of the *s higes :
which shot and tee a) I
man (r. P. kKoehler and woutd:’ =
ed Police Corporal R. C.. Bride
dle near Goodale and Bir
streets carly Tuesday. *: Mate,
~ i The dead highwayman was's
|

ma D EATH OF N) Confessed Bandit | | icce. So oa
on [ DUE T0 GAS And His Dead Pal

lished ae the Forte Danae froma a
j ; ae ods ua partment. Longe, shot ae

‘ Blame Carbon Monoxide
For Lancaster tragedy.

nenr West Se

Loonue Cummina of Loutaviiniaied
Clevelind. and James Martin--eilag
“Shin Brody, address unknowe Care ye
the bandits captured late Tuesday. .
Cuming, who, poller ay, has’ ‘can.

fessed, ta held In County Jalic: Ser
tin is in St. Francts Hospitesd eee

REPORT OF EXPERTS


we we ee 7

of bed onto a etcher,
in dmbulatce, @: con-
he spot- selected.
TLEMEN THERE.
ids of soldiers, five rifle-
ch, were waiting there to
fallen statesmen Into the
i. They stood like auto-
yes straight ahead, as
§ as wax figures, as the
were ‘brought in.

’ was lifted out of the
and placed before the
id. He was too sick” to
catrention to what” Was]
Indifferent, huddled with

——— See ee ae:

ist deep in his pockets. he
e with his head bowed
‘olley crashed. i

; dreamed of making war

ing ‘“‘The: ancient glory
Greece’s.”’ He failed and
his life. .

7M
4YS NERVOUSNESS. —
» who has been a cabinet
nder several prime minis-
debonal¥ to the last.—--.
ynceal his nervousness’ as
eath. It manifested itself
ety way he kept polishing

le, occasionally putting it]

to look over the prepara.
xecution.

Hadjenestis, commander
ies of Greece in their fate-

it to-roll-back-the -Turks |;

inor, was forced to suffer
legradation before being

from his high office..as
if the Greek military ma-
stood stiffly: at attention
> of the very fnen he used

1d: approached” him to cut]

1s off his uniform:.tunic
us badges from his breast.
2d off the huttons, ripped
badges and left—him: dis-
row of ragged holes in his
ore his-marks of rank had |:
ars~ trickled “slowly “don |!
ace. A few minutes: ‘Idter |,
vas carried out. | Pte ie
ES OUL, CABINET."
rs were haggard and pale |,
arched to.death, Duy aeey
nerve to the: finish. =

recutions practically. ined

He}

| gree murder growing out of the]
gun battle carly Tuesday’ with Po.
Nee Corporal Friddle and officer
‘Koehler, told Prosecutor King after
h is arrest that Long, the bandit whos
was killed by Triddle, died in the
machine at a point in High-st nedr
‘Broad-st. :

“I jumped over into the back seat
when saw he was hit. and he. said.
‘They got me. I’m done for.’ That
was all we could get out of him.”
Cummins told, Kins.

STATEMENT CONTRADICTED.

~-Fe-sald- there was “no shooting
with Ed Lewis, the drivér.- This is
contradicted
Corporal Friddle. who claims _
was shot. at four times by Lewis.
who leaned back of Cummins to get
a shot at him.

Friddie says he was shot. thru the
jaw by Long before Koehler was shot
by both Long and James Martin.
‘alfas “Slim’’ Brady. The impact of
the bullet spun Friddle around twice
before he regained his balance. it
was—then_that Lewis shot_at him.
Friddle® says. His. blouse has. three
bullet holes in it as eveenee of Lew-
is’ marksmanship. .

Cummins says he “plew" in $600

NO INDICTMENT
IN HALL CASE

SOMERVILLE. N. J.. ‘Nov. 29,—
YThe Hall-Mills case was listed as an
“unsolved mystery” today, follow-
ing failure of the grand jury prob-
ing it,to return indictments.

-The jury voted “no ‘indictments’
late yesterday and while. Foreman
Gibb issued a stctement declaring
‘the action did not not preclude ac-
‘tion by a subsequent investigating
ibody, it. was, believed today that no
‘further ‘action will be taken.
r--Special- Prosecutor : Mott. declared
‘he was in “suspended animation” as
“to. what will be done next. Other

_.,,offfelals intimated..that. unless. new
and startling evidence is discovered,

"indictments will not be asked ugain.
; Action of the jury was taken while
tMrs. Frances N. Hall, widow of the

‘slain rector, ‘kept vigil outside the

front tne front seat — where” he sac

by the statement ot.
he

: taken to St, Francis Hospital.

UNE D@NDIT fh
STILL MISSING

(CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.) .
exchanged. Officer “Floyd Pierce.
driver of the police speed car, ‘aided
in heading off Cummins’ escape.

The other two men eluded the of-
ficers at that time. Others picked
up their tyrail and the chase was
continued... across. the: country. .to-.
ward... Deer ™Creek._...Police,..1nable

and Brady and Lewis were to do th
work on the inside. I stopped
the Hollenden and the Colon:
Hotels while in Cleveland,” he sai.

He saved the $600 by working 2
a deputy sheriff in Fayette-cé, Pa
this year and-met Brady qnd Lew!
there, he declares. They propose:
the Aurora bark robbery, ‘he said
and claimed it. was an ,“inside” jn’
The robbery was to have occurre.
next Monday at the lunch hou.
when certain of the officials went
to funch, Cummins says.

SAYS BRADY SHOT OFFICERS.

.
t!

to vet close to them, shot with high-
powered rifles but misged them.
As they fled, the two men, who
police later learned were Martin
and Lewis, shed their overcoats and
left them in a cornfield. WHard-
pressed and almost exhausted, Mar-
tin stopped, leaned against a fence
for a moment, placed the muzzle of
his gun at his head and:pulled the
trigger. The bullet passed thru his
right eye and he fell-to the: ground.
Detectives Gatton and James. and
Policemen Gump and Williamson
took him into custody and he was.

“PLEADS TO BE KILLED.

- tly. on and kill me; I want to die.
I’m no‘good,” said Martin as the po-
Hce surrounded him. .. ..
_ Questioning Cummins and Brady.
police wegs unable to learn anything
concerning the Identity of:the dead
bandit. Cummins said they met him
in Cleveland and knew him only as
“Rill. oP

Cummings said they had __ been
without food since Monday morn-
ing and that prompted them ta beg
r|for-a handout, giving the police a
clue to their whereahouts at Lilly
Chapel Tuesday: afternoon. " He
said they had no money when they
left Cleveland -except: the: -$2.20
which they took from. the chauf-
feur of the machine they stole. Sg
_ He said they planned to go to Cin:
cinnat! and expected to “stick up’’
a bank at Aurora, Il, next Monday.

-Cummins said the‘ bandit gang
was slowing up, preparatory to rob]
bing the Stadium Restaurant High.
st, a short distance north of Good
ale-st. when they encountered. Po. |

icemen Koehler and Friéd@le Tues

arene gat emma te he Ae slit Ae Hat Se rst

“Brady ’ admitted ee that: he
shot both the officers in the machine
as we left Long’s body :along the
road,” Cummins “said ‘to King.
“They got a good look at me but I

‘rot both of them,’’ Cummins says

Brady. remarked as they took off
across the fields of Lafayette early
Tuesday’ when the car was aban-
doned, ‘ So Mie
. “The reason we stole the Cleve-
land car was that we were broke, all
of us. We drove out toa club and
it was too well lighted or we would
have stuck it up. I stole the car in
front of the Hollenden after looking
over scores of them.
food one,’’ Cummins said.

~ Cummins and Lewis were-*in the
front seat of the car, Long sat on
the right side and Brady on the left,
according to Cummins.

PROPRIETOR OF BOOK

BINDING SHOP DIES

George J. Jackson, 64; of 657 New
York-av, proprietor of the A. W.
Jackson & Son - Book Birding Co..
3814 EE... Gay-at,
trouble Wednesday a short. time
after he had been stricken on _ the.
street at-Lazelle and Gay streets.

- Jackson was dead when examined
by physicians at St.Francis Hos-
pital...When he left home Wednex.,
day . morning for his office he was
apparently in: good heaith.:
' He’ leaves his mother, Mrs. . Pen-
inhah Jackson. and a sister - Mrs.

|

We.wanted a

“died” from “heart lIf

spironal,.the quick-acti

Ugmgmereliever, Tuthorita
nt y the laboratoi
pproved and most ent!
ndorsed by the highes!
nd proclaimed by the ¢
le as ten timés ag quich
re as whiskey, rock and
ther cold remedy... they.
‘ried.

All drug storcs aie
vith. the Wonderful’ ne
step into the neares*® <
hand the clerk half a d
‘bottle of Aspironal and
serve--you—two- teaspubn
your watch in your hdr
drink at one swallow 4
vour money back in tw<
you cannot feel relief. coi
the time Hmit.. Don’t be
all druggists invite you
you to try it. Everybod
_ Take the remainder c
‘home to your. wife and
Aspironal is by far the
most effective. the es!
and the most : agreeable
cough remedy for infan
‘dren, as well as for adu

Vou Most Vital

Your kidneys have the ¢
effect on your health. - Ia
gish kidneys cause more d
any other organ. ‘Guard t

ee “have headaches, ba:

ness wader the eyes
idney Pills—-DODD‘°|
mended by good druggists
Prompt relief or money |
bex 60c. If your druggi
out, send 60c. direct ae

ene REMI E CB. |

HPeninnah™ Rickard, who: ee ike at | Same en

$383 W. 10th-av. ee

“The body was taken ‘to eaten:
Donaldson & Hughes Chapel, 318 E.
Town- st. Burial will be..mada@ ‘In

Ee ee ee et ee

a Y ee


| here can be -stopped.”s
= The .public ean also such sgsist.
Bvery citizen. becom #0 saothog with | :

: the powers of an officer wader cer-
hold-up maa.

be or FORS. «oss eeerseoes baer)

ROS FEAF rae vrocerororsee eee
keene ve ents; i ewifter adequate P rs
galas my a : (“Ohio needs «statute: similar ‘to Sp -. ac
bo oe the Baumes law of ‘New. York, but |. Sees : ee as B
‘ |the problem will ‘pot be sdiveé entil) ; : c ;
b 7 . every. state in the Union bas such |.
a: , a law. The ériminal now is able to}®
ees flit from state» to~ state. . There}
J should be no temporary: or technt- |"
"1 cal haven for him, and the principle
of extradition. should ‘ge.enlarged
undertake 20 fable - The .baditual ~‘eriminal—and. the
°i fourth offense should make the fact
1 eonclusive:—, “should: face. B ty tife
sentence: without: hope. of: “pardon.
This will make the’ robber and bur-
giar think- a dit before they. start
; out to ply their trade. ©
i oThe death of Peter Dumet é should
assist to: ‘hasten’ ‘the enactment’ of
. indi-

pepre rs!
wes

“eer

t

tee
1b Bae

i

ea EL

Seal

” vite! importance t to “the:
“? chain conceivably: may ve composed
of Jarge and staaller: Mnks, t if it

=| standard “ch ;
° “ Led breafage among. the smalle? Tinks.
“~ pr military end

SS CeRE.  ENQUIRER'S

TFORM: F OR CINCIN NATL: bie as the greater. lnks—as impor- {*.

zDenetraction, dom, "Without Dole. on fant. - Their smatiness is. in. the}:
; aj | seeming only== Almost in the flash |
SPreand« ‘Sys of. an eye they : may bé made. to.
viee pt Op-- merge in: the mighty: chain -of the:
os {| national detense; each link 4he com:
plement. of: every. ae deacon sins ane pee
Bo oa < | vast: machine.” eb: 2 gf 12 ER HIN IE MEY EBT eae eS anda
rk and | 2 AL. times, pe apa, ‘members: eed ee
g of the Smoke Naleance.ptffese ao-called amall: unite, of: Hn ~

ai Art Conor Sua visions, may. fancy aoe OLD WORLD|; th z : : ; : : :
: | 2 ee raat

|care.- This. ‘toeling. is not” uncoth= |
i manta: @eath::

3
utLors: | of mot, gUilly:
i pre called &

p> science: Py a " serouautt

gaily more advanced and. Im- Alot: Ufosts leadn, us to call-at  j atance, muré
Bo aioe Ht wilt require no. efetébi tention to (he fact ‘that fn. Cinetn- yj agate than
% let the ‘Imagination to envision “hel pati’ the Fifty fret Fleet. Division [o> - Pie Notes .  }yurymen upped

‘an

Mai, cals Win, t

a,

Te ey,

os Soda
Sie hae
* at

+ Sy Wee x)

4
extdies Seated

ce en A Ee Nea

7 sia <i
= tem.
er Pe

62 meas

oes
‘i ;
Pray a ee a)

Ax]

veges

nis peg Saree
path TES
ey a

ne

FORD, Rodneys white, 28,

eleceOhio voces teed ida .

“DTH

rer Method
owed

3 Lan
‘STONY!

G i OTHER Al

dogd BY a

Oe nella a, MORNE RTT TRENT ROME e-

OUNEED

a a i

alt

eeagee

“I Wouldn't. Be

“1 —Rellg Wife on

lon oT YOvr WAL.

| North College Hill Officer Refuses to Raise :
Hands When Restaurant Is Held Up.

a Coward,’ ” He
His Deathbed.

a CINCINNATI April 8.—(P)—Pe.

4=F- 998 |

rT

ete,

ol pe

IN PANELN” Dumele, 50, town marshal of

Be Locked |"

: North College Hill,

was shot and
| i!

d; Samuel Keller was shot and

wouhded, and Lee Stalb was beaten
revolver by half a. dozen

But Chicago, Oh!

= +e

Wild Tribes? Bah! |

on Me

Wt annner

~ PANAA.- ravoanite: ane

av

ked\ rot:ibers during a holdup of ROW NET HALE, Texas, Parent
‘ the poolroom and restaurant of April 8—(?)—A _ con- °
| 1_Verdict; } LW tte Varnken-at-North-College ~signment of‘srild animals aod Body
4 I Hill early\today. |} birds started today from _ ,
wing Ss 8 Mershal \ Dumele unknowingly Browhsville for Italy, accom- Toc
' stepped into\the pool hall at the panied by W. A. King, animal es
ason. ;helght of the holdup. -He was or-| | and snake tmporter. ne
‘dered to “stick ‘em up’-and get in _ King, wearing an old fron-
ee line with the othef 20 +ictims. The tier army .44-caliber revolv-
ek marshal refused to comply with the er, will go first to: Chicago.
“April 6.—(P)— s weapon.| | The consignmerit of animals | | George
of a legal skirmish | ; “Give him ‘all he deserves,” the was “ordered “by the—stalian—| 1a xe,
method-of select} leader. of -the- robbers comunene 4 ngs Sale anger a4 ed trom | { tanager 0
irry I. Sinclair, oat followed as two shotgun ‘Sa Guat a - donintiee: one ‘eb wie tacts
ea es, and pistols in the hands of the rob- e Guatema ‘
~ [tor wilf ga ontriah, ners were fired. The marshal fell, the ee: territory © known in |
i 9.4moa_tomorrow in | fatally. eOundet i. hie Se at ates ms  thaddtthe-“old--.40 44 COE,
% Tcolumbia supreme |; A short. time before Stgib was] teen ahees ‘among the In. night’ in ¢
ae of conspiring to beaten on his face and head with Slane”. Kine “eeld: . "But. 1 nasi bolle
Re f, revolver ‘wheti. he failed to act] |. elit’ th " handy when 1. Bago, Fol
ament, din the Tea: quickly :eriough for ‘the .robbers.{ |. ee Chteago. " | Ho left
by © i : ia aoe shooting mamele, Ne Coe .|. & ioe for Chicas |
wa Teta ail. bej-started to back from the place. A} : ‘acrere WwW!
Me. eo shall fol- | parting shot from one of the shot- | the shotmin {ore Bway “his “Tight | yracted ta
mF guns, fired cither accidentally or o4| hand and shattered his arm." A #e0-| preparing
- 2 last-January ‘Ofte wdrning to the victims, strick |ond load ‘Of whot ‘struck hinrin his] yin ‘whent
ventremen :. --OT+ Keller n-hia Datk WHA hé Collapsed. | chest. “Keller . suffered ‘puckshot death, - A‘
ill be permisted: ‘The robbers entered an ‘automobile wounds jn his back. His condition physician,|
ing. 2 os op pend, disappeared, ; _ ~-44s not serlous, physicians reported. | ¢rom bed
ito Be Used. ee Dumele and eller wire fiureio’ “"t Wouldn't ‘be a coward,” Mar-/eurning t
Bailes; he eetit to ‘a hospital: -Physictans found a{ shal Dumele told his wife, Eva, On} stricken.
ted to pane the revolver bullet. had plerced Dumele’s; hie death. bod. He died a short; . “1 9
i hted dnd uso the | Upper feft aide and passed through | time dater. ss. cree» ‘  Ubepant
fle: sting : the fury his body. One ‘load of anes from] Before the. ehooting “ot oe ip gig
: onin ae om-him- += anes 2a nbout half of the 20 men in. the cet Gartl
a a aston anti) Tirn. Cikeots poolroond: Phad- been wenrched: sealned MY Pal
bs Dh eorstdg tae) SMITH TAKES iowa “frabbera. The robbery o-tained on, Py
a brked - ‘through a een “been- SSagimhat wot Ohlo Rtat

,

be BEM AONE OOO eg BS ee ae

jacking expedition near Lebanon, while offiers were searching for ms "

PLAIN DEALER, «Cleveland, Ohio, July 20, -1929 (1:5.) . ’
a ¢ pe d
g
: 1
:
: i
! °
° "e
c ” q
e ©
g N
ny q ba g .
4 j
q
€
¢ co
q
. g
ee g
:
4 °
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a q
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q °
a 4 @
e °
: f
e «
<
g

& Frcteom the orete =

Phe <
“ae lt 5

motive, th steamship and Uf
pian’ Se ‘Indeed, this develop-
t: has been nothing: short of
ous.-> It is a fer, far? cry
ntrivance of the
Mittyhawk Gunes
- Louis, the ship which pond
ve fame to Colonel Lindbergh.
a temerrow an) ships of the air

‘$9 2note that~ Cincinnati! has
a another “first” to her. chap-
of  distinctions—the Gesigning
budies of the frat ‘all-metal

to be all. ‘that its deaigner

54 -Datlder had hoped it would be,

i the thousands of ans
witnessed ‘the = Vest *were
i bythe exhibition. and en-

a by the itheught ‘of: what it

| employ them. in
+ etvic. ana” patrio

ig: goneralto: realize that. 20

ivea man.as Charles A.| ;

“President: of : the © Fifth-

Daion Trust Company, voiced | +-

alt) nd trust in the possibili-
2 The of airplane manutacturein this
: ty.\emphasizing bis-conviction of

future: Of this _ business by

ay 2 as impo ‘ant in tné sche ’

Government as any ‘other-4l- a

tipo branch among the factors |.
designed to insure the security of
the nation. ‘A° navy “without re-
serves would be like the apple with-
out Be core, es "body. gwithout tts
brain. :
own @ on a the banks ofthe: nio
River? the Fifty-first has its armory
at 2123 Eastern avenve-.:
many citizens. have visited - it?s
These boys -were responsible for
the recent exhibit of the forty-foot
motor launch at Foyntain Square.
It is estimated that Ofty: thousand
people have viewed this boat, which
is of a type to be used in actual war-| :
fare. But the men of the Fifty-first
are not mere exhibitors of things-——
they are fitting themaglves for stern
duty in time of tronble—trouble for
you, Mr. Citizen.”*It should be worth
while to go dows jo thearmory and
give thése lads. handshake once
in a while and ake certain to

activity. ~ They
will be found to Picea and

ini] “ec esmd oi

One of. the ‘stirring events of the
‘year <-oceurs ta": -Otipelapatl- On
Wednesday, ayhen ithe: Reds -open
the baseball: season. Not only will
it de an. event of; the year in, Cin-

4d einnati, but a national event. . The

“ “fs everyat
4: ahoald “Eet in on the ground
om this progressive deyelop-
Aviation fe no longér an €x-
seo tal thing—it.is one of ‘the
Pitweht: feets-in-all human history:
Pep bould Cincinnati peas up

plane. ‘ghoula™ “be “ “manu-

in this eity.\ It easily: may
‘elsewhere: The itve-wire

a ‘men of the. city: should be

ayes of America will be turned upon
the Queen’ City: of the West ow that}
day and the augurs” ‘of sport: will
prociaim their decrees. -Bhould the}:
Reds win ‘the omens yill be.more
than propitions; sh ‘they fail to
win their fight for. the pennant will
8 intensified...” - a

=The opening game Cincinnati
& something more than’ a: daseball
game, it is. a ecason of: high featival,
of hope ‘and: cheers, of enthusiasm
and: community~ fellowship. .. The
thousands. who: will gather at- Red-
land. Field. represent” the spirit of

+1 America—a spirit devoted to clean,

bi = at is the spirit which.
¢ | football

J world- of “sport.

healthy / aportemanahl|
sporti

and -the te

ng world —<all the
Atte /.the -sptrit|\
chiefly: " responsible” tor. , keeping
America ‘in the: van. the ‘nations,
gs it kept Greece in the van of a

‘and. -the -

doing’ her «dit. to! “goake the: world
realise. the virility. ‘and cleanness of

ery’ community |

oe ternational , beauty ~

“To commemorate
césion * be) femarkablé

banquet was] -

Prepared by 60 chefs, not to apeak of}
the. underchefe and. cooking ; staffs. ihe
Saimon. cooked tn’ champagne, barons

{of lamb.
on: the ,gmen ©) Mecoftiers ‘*Oulinary:

band. Meoge en pate”: Qgured yi

Guide” ‘was “Feproducea | in nougst. a Ass
sonnet ‘in Aria honor written by a chef Ge

{who ts also a poet was composes. fn

‘sugar, and two buste ef nimsone ‘of

rock ‘crystal, which emerged’ froma} P*"
the < other; swhieh

refrigerator. and
resembled white marble: acalptured
@.suger loaf, had « great @uccess.

‘The . orchestra ? ‘was: composed © of. eh

cooks, ‘and one ‘of: the ~artiats swes
ean - Muelty,. ‘who ts “preparing ‘Re
Jeave-the deitehen for the opera,
Herriot,’ formér’. “Prime: Minister, one
of “the principal. guests, inuded Sghe
achievements of the cwreat ‘chef'-who
had carried the fame of. bapa at
ing all over the ‘world. - :
me fe , Maurice ‘fle “Walef inrooe as
forts to Jaduce men to leave: trousers
‘and go: beck: to Aknee-breeches set
with ae little success ‘as the attempt

‘| to. banieh. the: etarched ‘collar, Sepow

much concerned ‘over> the: ‘future: sof

the ¢ressmaking arte et ereey :

posed of. ‘artiste - end Sartissne : aro
would distetbute prises for. the main-

i Thie* year. penis
lishments of Paris recelved the usual
visits from foreign buyers. who came
Yo, 56, the” models for -3938.— There
swere,: as: upual,. many. Americans

mong them. and M. de ‘Wateffe: has
‘a dread that they willjm the end suc
ceed _ In“ imposing their ideas: on the
dressmakere, that the story ‘of; the
dancing halt’ will*. be. 4 papested .and
that there will be a “Jaze band of tai-
ioring. ° Theo the  Pdrisian® women
would have ‘had her day,, She‘ would

@oll in the universe.” «

*-One reason given for this
prophecy is what happened at the in-
eompetition . et
Galveston, ‘Texas, last -year,:-whes
“Miss France” was beaten dy “Miss
New York.”<-though she had
umphed over €00+eandidates.

‘Me Walette: “may live’ ‘to see his
fears realised. © “american ‘independ-
ence: ie: still ‘ much alive. It? Ras

‘emancipated itself entirely trom Kas: (

lish: ways,-even -to.; the j-sxtent, off
speaking English, : ‘ad. ‘Lonéon <encbs
maintain. - ">: Americag “women 5" may }-
some. day” ‘come’ to ‘the Gecision that
they; too, have ideas of ‘thetr-own ta
regard. to clothes,:: and © ‘superior. “to
those of) ithe French, whose dominant
rel:

boldness, _repulalve %
tractive;

day,”
ing’ ened

cin
payin se

legal. ipirelés An: ‘France: “arg-azer-|, :

ciaed over the question whether, that}:
greatest of legal dnatitutions, Seas by

-} jury, has net broken @own.:.

ere is at any. rate. almost. feces

e- = | Amity of opinion that the present aya-

‘t@er triale, for at a

tem needs: te be: revised, and. this
view has deen, strengthened’ recently,
by sertain verdicts, notably in mar~

has been @ very serious inerease. “fin
the number of murders ana. other
crimes of violence. we have seen self-
confessed assassins acquitted mot}.

Jone or ‘twe, but at: least | a.

" ast few qmonths.

time when there} --

‘oe ty


XX»

<a

ae

38

and placed on a’ temporary cata-
falque of scantlings for view, in the
hope it could be identified. The au-
topsy could come later.

It was shortly before noon the fol-
lowing day when a young woman

among the thousands who had
viewed the body, glanced at the
bloated horror and screamed:

“Tt’s poor Bessie Little! That’s poor
Bessie!”

She broke into sobs and staggered
as she started to leave the room.
But Patrolman Wyce, who had been
standing back idly in the crowd, had
heard her. ‘He caught her by the
arm, and escorted her to a private
room in the rear of the mortuary. He
soothed her and soon the girl re-
gained her composure. She gave her

name and said she was an employe

of a West Side cannery.
“I knew her only casually,” the
girl said. “Bessie once worked with

me. We used to go to lunch together.:

I saw her downtown only a few days
ago. She had just been to the dentist
to have a gold filling put between
two of her front teeth.

“Out there”—she pointed wildly at

the room they had just left—“out.

there ... she ... she seemed to be
grinning at me. I could see that fill-

. ing in her teeth!”

Further questioning by Wyce
brought no further details. The
young woman had no knowledge of
Bessie Little’s background; had no

a 0 A Ae RRR eaten emt ite ne

Behind windows at the right on second
floor of Dayton's old Police Headquar-
ters, Chief Thomas J. Farrell did much
of the outstanding work that trapped
a murderer who was a “born liar."

idea where she or her parents lived.
However, she placed her age at about
twenty.’

Wyce's report to Chief Farrell was
made just a few minutes before the
autopsy report of Doctor Weaver and
Coroner Lee Corbin reached him.
The two officials agreed the girl had
died by drowning, and that there
were no signs of violence. Her body
was placed in a plain pine box and
buried in Potter’s Field.

Naturally, Farrell, in view of the
verdict, would have been justified in
closing the case. But his hunch of
foul play was bolstered the following
morning. when buxom Alice Bell,

‘bookkeeper at the Cooper Hotel, a

middle-class hostelry near the Penn-
sylvania Railroad Depot, called. She
appeared nervous, distraught.

“T came to see you about that
Bessie Little,” she said. She unrolled
a newspaper and pointed. “That girl
stayed at our hotel for awhile. She
registered in on July 25 and checked
out on August 20. She didn’t——” '

“Did she registér from Dayton, or
from some place else?” interrupted
the police chief. “Was anybody with

her? Have any friends in the hotel?”

Mrs. Bell, 40, matronly, pondered a

KILLER'S HOME as it is today. Behind
stood the barn that burned to the ground
on the night of Bessie's horrible death.

moment trying desperately to recall.

“She gave an address here in town,”
she answered. She fished in her
pocketbook, drew out a slip of paper.
“She gave an address on West Second
Street.”

Farrell punched a button. Patrol-
man Hauser responded. Quickly he
issued orders to Hayser to bring in
any occupants of the House. Hauser
raced down the stairs.on his mission.

Farrell, meanwhile, turned to Mrs.
Bell, nodded.

“There isn’t much else to say,” she
resumed. “Except that a young man
brought Miss Little to the hotel. He
also took her away.”

“You know his name?” pressed
Farrell.

“No, I never heard her call him by
name,” the bookkeeper replied. “But
he:-seemed very fond of her.”

She described the man as about 23,
handsome and well-dressed. She said
he had paid Miss Little’s rent each
week in advance, and appeared to be
plentifully supplied with money.

“Why did she leave?” inquired the
police chief. “Did she say where she

JEFFERSON SHANKS, perhaps more to
be pitied than censured, was the victim
of a member of the killer's family and
he also figured later in the Bessie Little
case, in a strange and ironic fashion.

> &.


FOSTER, Esther, hanged Columbus, Ohio, Feb. 9, 1844,
"Esther Foster, first woman to be legally executed in Ohio,
while in jail sold her body to a Columbus medico for all the
candy she could eat during her lifetime..."TRUE DETECTIVE MYS-
TERIES, XMKK November, 1931, page 98.


'

HE oppressive humidity of
Dayton, Ohio’s hottest -Aug-
ust had so enervated young
Eddie Harper, vacationing with rel-
atives there, that he slipped away
from a rather boring croquet match
and went to Phillips’ Bath House for
a cooling swim. He quickly divested
himself of his clothing, donned a
bathing suit and plunged off the
springboard into the comforting wa-
ters of the Big Miami.

It was midafterncon and _ there
were no other bathers. He swam
around for some time, then climbed
back onté the board for another
dive. Just before he leaped he
glimpsed a somewhat mysterious-
appearing object slowly drifting
along midstream. Curious, he dove,

_ then struck out in a vigorous hand-

over-hand, to investigate.

As he neared the object he be-
came aware of a sickening stench,
the indisputable odor of something
dead. He backstroked quickly,
halted his momentum and turned
back for the shore, but not before
he realized he had viewed the body
of a woman, floating face-upwards.

Minutes later, still in his bathing
suit, barefooted and out of breath,
“he grasped the brass rail in front of
the sergeant’s desk at Central Police
Headquarters on South Main Street,
and gasped out a report of his grue-
some discovery.

Police Chief Thomas J. Farrell
pressed a button, grimly issued or-
ders. But it was half an hour later
when Farrell, with Doctor Fred
Weaver, the police surgeon, Patrol-
men John Hauser, John Mexeill and
William Wyce, and young Harper,
reached the bathhouse in a depart-
mental hack.

There they found that Charlie
Phillips, owner of the bathing con-

“A MACABRE MYSTERY, IT
“ INVOLVED THREE EXHUMA-

‘TIONS OF THE CORPSE BE.

FORE THE LAW COULD CoN.

VINCINGLY TEAR A KILL-
ER’S STORY TO SHREDS.

FRANTZ, A lbert, white, elec, Ohio (Montgomery) Nov. 19, 1897.

cession, had ‘towed in the dead wom-
an, covered her with a piece of tar-
paulin, and was standing guard
pending their arrival. Already, as is
usual in such cases,.a crowd had be-
gun to gather.

Doctor Weaver’s preliminary ex-
amination was necessarily of a per-

functory order. The body was in an’

advanced stage of decomposition, so
swollen that the seams of her waist
had broken in some places. The face,
neck and hands had turned black,
and in many spots the skin was
broken.

“Suicide, most likely,” the physi-

cian announced, failing to find any

bruises, wounds or other marks indi-
cating violence. “Must have been in
the water six or seven days.”

‘I’ve got a hunch it’s murder,
Fred,” the police chief commented.
“Look at all those broken places in
her skin, especially that one at her.

hair roots on the left side of he
neéeck;:”

Doctor Weaver bent over, touched
the spot with one of his rubber-
gloved fingers. “I wouldn't pay too
much attention to that,” he said.
“You've got to remember she’s a
floater; might have done that on
Some rock. I’ll get Coroner Corbin
in and we’ll have an autopsy. Then
we can tell definitely.” :

Without further ado, Chief Farrell,
a towering, massive man of dynamic
energy, ordered his three patrolmen
to get a hearse and take the body to
the O. P. Boyer Funeral Home on
South Third Street, only a few blocks
away.

De back to Headquarters,

Farrell again expressed ‘his be-
lief the victim was murdered. “Look,
Fred,” he said, “surely this woman
hasn’t been reported missing. She

“One night their goings-on became so
bad that | told Bessie that she'd either
have to give him up or leave my house."

(Specially posed)
4


BY ARTHUR MEFFORD

. iy ie pe * te
t
Ke i

must have kinfolks who’d worry about
her after she had not returned for
six or seven days. I tell you there’s
something sinister about this!”

Doctor Weaver, who knew that
Farrell played few idle hunches, ac-
knowledged the merit of his logic.

“It might be that she didn’t live
hereabouts,” he suggested. “Might
have come here from some distant
city to end her life in deliberate ano-

nymity.”

“That’s possible,” Farrell conceded,
grudgingly, “but not probable.”

All night long the lights burned in
Fatrell’s private office. He was al-
ternately torn by misgivings and a
police officer’s congenital fear of ridi-
cule for getting out on a limb.

“Of course,” he assured himself
from time to time, “it can be a plain
case of suicide. But...” His rest-
less suspicions could not be downed.
Why had no one reported the victim
missing? ;

oF pie news of finding the body had

spread over Dayton like wildfire.
Hundreds of the morbidly curious
had come forward after reading the
story in the newspapers, but none
could identify the pitiful remains.
The body had been cleaned up, iced

SCENE OF TRAGEDY: A modern span has
replaced the old one, but residents con-
tinue to call it the "Bessie-Little Bridge."

*

NTT

%

>


down at her trembling hands, were barely audible.

“And then,” Charles Conger added for her, “she went
to the farm bel! and tried to sound the alarm. I suppose
she was pretty weak, because no one seemed to hear it.
After that she ran for help. I was sitting on the front
porch with Carl when she came by. When we heard what
had happened we came right over.”

Turner gave the widow time to compose herself while
he talked with Conger. “Do you know anyone who could
have wanted to kill Steve?” he asked.

The elder Conger shook his head. “No,” he said flatly.
“l’m sure he didn’t have an enemy in the world. You
knew him, Sheriff. Was there a more popular man
anywhere in the country?”

“You’re right,” Turner agreed. “But Steve had quite a
lot of money saved up—a few thousand dollars, at least.”

Carl Conger interrupted. “That don’t make sense
either. Everybody knew that Steve kept practically all
his money in the bank. He had very little around here.”

“Wasn’t always that way.”

The voice was Anna’s now, and the sheriff turned to
face her, but she was still gazing into the fireplace.

Anna sighed. “The other time—--when he was shot at.
Then he decided to put everything in the bank except
what we needed for daily use.”

HERI TURNER planted himself between the old

woman and the fireplace. ‘Please, Mrs, Huntley,” he
said, “you have some very important information there,
You said someone shot at your husband before?”

“Why, yes.” Anna Huntley looked up, as if seeing
the sheriff for the first time. ‘We never told nobody
about it, because nothing ever came of it. There was just
one shot—about four years ago. Steve had his thirty-
two on him, and he turned and fired three times in the
direction the shot came from. That’s the last we heard
from that body.’ She smiled bitterly. “Steve wasn’t
seared of nobody!”

“Does he still have that gun?”

“Why, yes -it’s in the kitchen. I guess he forgot to
take it out with him.” She looked at Turner. “He fought
anyway, didn’t he—with his bare fists?”

Turner nodded.

“Sure he did.’ She smiled proudly now. ‘Steve went
down fighting: --just like he always said he would.”

There was 2 knock on the door, but Anna did not seem
to hear it. ‘Turner crossed the room and admitted
Walters and Warren. The constable and the deputy were
soaking wet. The rain was coming down in torrents
now.

“We carricd the body into the barn,’ Warren said.
“Walters and I went over it pretty completely, but there
wasn’t a thing on him. No wallet, no watch—nothing.”

“He didn’t have his watch with him,’ Anna said,
slowly turning her face towards the open door. Turner
motioned the two men inside, then closed the door. “You
see,” Anna continued, “he was having some trouble
with his watch, and he took it to Jackson to be fixed.”

“What about his wallet?” Turner asked.

“Didn’t have a wallet, cither.”

*“Where did he keep his money? In the house?”

- “No, he kept it on him, in-his shirt pocket. I think he
had about twenty-three dollars with him.”

Constable Walters shook his head. “There
money on him when we looked,” he said to Turner.
“That shirt pocket didn’t even have a flap on it, and it
was empty all right.”

“You mean somebody would kill Steve Huntley for
twenty-three dollars?” Turner asked.

was no,

STEVE HUNTL
Old but courag:
he put up a be

THE HUNTLEY FARM BELL—
It was rung to attract the attention of neighbors,
but the sounds turned out to be merely death tolls.

“It's not much."
first real clue.”
Leach nodded. }
the bit of cloth anc
Ml drive you bac}
ratncoat before try
Turner shook his
right now. There’
Walters and Warre
and get some coats
hollow in an hour
“Come on, Sheri:
before. Let's £0 be:
Thus began the so

“Maybe,” Walters replied. “Chances are the killer
figured on more money than that. Anyway, he may not
have had killing in mind when he came here—until
Steve turned on him and gave him a fight.”

i hl THE killer had come to Huntley’s farm to rob him,
Turner mused, he had very likely carried a weapon
of some sort, probably a gun. Yet Anna Huntley had
heard nothing. That meant that the gun had not beer
fired, that the killer had used it to bludgeon the agec
victim to death. brutal crimes in J;
Leach supported this idea ten minutes later when ht had been committe !
told the sheriff that “a somewhat blunt, slightly roundé said: “We're goj ‘ “
object of some kind” had caused fatal fractures in th June fourth, 1964.
old farmer's skull. The investigation
Standing in the barn, almost shouting to make him What Sheriff Turne;
self heard above the thunder, the coroner said: “It couklaboratory equi —
have been the butt end of a rifle or shotgun which inehart their sotipee.
flicted the wounds.” sheer ddterminatic “
Doctor Frazer, on his knees beside the body, suddenk: Soaked to the pin
issued a low whistle. Turner and Leach watched hithe sea of Ohio m td.
as he struggled to pry open the fingers of the dead man't® another, askin oh,
yp At por he stood up and handed the sheriff a pietowards the Huntley.
of tan cloth. My
“It looks like a piece of an army shirt,” the doco . phe ering ie
said. ‘Huntley must have clawed it off the killer.” Some to her role i

Turner examined the cloth. It did look like the mStephen H :

: : see : u

terial of which summer military uniforms were mai “He eaghein if
Shirts made of similar material could be purchased Meighbor said i Ag
Army and Navy stores anywhere in southern Ohio, affuntley had been kill

fhe Huntley farm, anc

several farmers in the county had them.


a

STEVE HUNTLEY—
Old but courageous,
he put up a battle.

ELLER: Ril oe

TO Sate.

Fo Dt Ke Dag
ar hw ¥ enter see ig
Ge ARs seek To

“It's not much,” the sheriff said grimly, “but it’s our
first real clue.”

Leach nodded. He watched the sheriff carefully fold
the bit of cloth and place it in his jacket pocket. ‘Well,
‘Tl drive you back to town so you can get yourself a
raincoat before trying to pick up the trail of the killer.”
» Turner shook his head. “No, thanks. I’m starting out
“Fight now. Thcere’s no time to lose.” He turned to
Walters and Warren. “Maybe you men better get back
and get some coats. I’ll try to meet you down in the
bollow in an hour.”
~» “Come on, Sheriff,” Walters said. ‘“‘We’ve been wet
before. Let’s go before the trail gets too cold.”

Thus began the search for a solution to one of the most

crimes in Jackson County history. The murder °
had been committed on June 4, 1934, and, Sheriff Turner
said: “We're going to crack this case if it takes us to
June fourth, 1964—if we live that long!”

‘ ~ The investigation was as relentless as it was crude.
t shouting to make him-j _ What Sheriff Turner and his two aides lacked in fancy
he coroner said: “It could’ Inboratory equipment and scientific crime experts to
ifle or shotgun which in-) hart their course was more than compensated for by
determination. F .
Soaked to the skin as they plodded grimly through.
sea of Ohio mud, the three men went from one house
 t another, asking whether anyone had been seen going
ftewards the Huntley place that evening.
The first semblance of a trail took shape an hour later
‘when a neighbor told Walters that a strange man had
@eme to her door around 6 o’clock and asked where
Stephen Huntley lived.
“He was carrying a seventeen-gauge shotgun,” the
@eighbor said, after learning for the first time that
Huntley had been killed. “I pointed across.the road to
the Huntley farm, and he started over there.”

ttention of neighbors,
se merely death tolls.

Chances are the killer :
it. Anyway, he may not |
mn he came here—until -
im a fight.” .

ntley’s farm to rob him,
likely carried a weapon
Yet Anna Huntley had
at the gun had not been.
it to bludgeon the aged _

#

n minutes later when he |
at blunt, slightly rounded :
sed fatal fractures in the

beside the body, sudde ly’
and Leach watched h m
. fingers of the dead man’s
handed the sheriff a piece

n army shirt,” the doctof
wed it off the killer.” 3
_ It did look like the mae)
tary uniforms were made,
rial could be purchased
here in southern Ohio,
y had them.

THE VICTIM'S HOME—
For many years he had lived here comfortably and
well-loved—but his prosperity caused his downfall.

“Do you remember what he looked like?” Walters
asked. i

“Yes, fairly well,” the man replied. “He was kind of
short, had black hair and a round face. He was wearing
one of those army shirts—you know, the tan ones that
soldiers wear in the summer.”

The trail was warming up.

Ten minutes later, Turner himself found a farmer who

had seen the man in the tan shirt. “Why, I didn’t think.

nothing about it at the time,” the farmer said. “I’d just
conie back from town and was right there at the road
going through my mail box when he come by.”

Sheriff Turner eyed the farmer quizzically. “This tan
shirt he was wearing,” he said slowly. ‘Did it have a
tear in it?”

The farmer frowned. “Now that you mention it,” he
said, “it did have. I remember seeing it—a long rip just
over the left pocket.” ’

Turner fingered the piece of cloth in his side pocket.
“What time did he pass by?” he asked grimly.

“Oh, just before the rain started—around seven o’clock

or a little earlier. Rain began about half an hour later.” .

“Did you notice anything else about this man?”

“Yeh, he was kind of peculiar, I’d say. Seemed to be
in a hurry. Him and the other fellow .. .”

“The other fellow?” ’

“Why yes,” the farmer said, as if correcting an earlier
oversight, “there was a skinny boy with him—and they
was rushing along like they was in a hurry to get some
place. I figured they wanted to get home before it
began raining.” '

35

Why, he’s got a shack right next to Ray Freeman’s
1t had happened since the ”
ving in the hollow were
irough the sheriff and’ his
een killed less than three

“And where’s Freeman's place?”

The bus driver pointed to a cabin about 50 feet off
the road. .

The sheriff waited for Warren and Walters to catch
up with him. Then all three men went to Ray Free-
man’s cabin.

The man who answered the knock on the door was a
man whose age Turner estimated to be about 25. “Are
you Freeman?” the sheriff asked.

“Why—no, I ain’t.” The youth stared at the strangers,
puzzled. “You lookin’ for Ray?” ’

“No,” Turner said. ‘That is, not exactly. We’re looking

decided to start back for
trail later, the driver of &
<omeone leaving for Jack-
self a new shirt!

- told Turner. “He’s a sorry
is mind during the war, 12
, him around. Everybody

“What’s his full

his head. for someone named Woody, and we thought Freeman
might be able to help us.” ,

y shrugged. “I don't think “Come in.” The young man stepped aside and mo-

>ther name, least of all hi tioned the visitors into the long-room that appeared to

d all'day with that shotgut
n’s pension.”
Jackson this morning to bu

serve as eating and sleeping quarters as well as a living
room. Another man, about the same age, was sleeping
on a cot in the far corner. ‘‘He’s tired,” the first young
man said. “He was up most of the night—can’t stand
thunder.”

The ‘sleeping man was awakened, and he and his
friend faced the investigators. The one who had opened
the door introduced himself as Herb Thacker. ,

“Do you know a man who calls himself Woody?”

- Turner asked.

Freeman blinked, rubbed his eyes wearily. “Yes,
“everybody knows Woody.”

“Do you know where he was yesterday evening?”

“I didn’t see him around at all. Last time I saw Woody

x of it, it’s kind of strang
ig enough money to buy
nna get one of them arm,

iple of dollars.”
ew shirt,” Turner ventured

suess he did, at that. The one

- badly torn.” :
ener. “Where does this Wood

a
*y ‘ie
‘er f

THE LAST OF THE HUNTLEYS—
Phote above shows Jim, of Columbus, and Anna, his
qrendmother, who underwent such a terrible ordeal.

was, just after two o’clock in the afternoon. Then he

came out of his shack next door, carrying that shotgun

of his, and—”

Thacker interrupted. “Wait a minute. What’s all this
about? Mind telling us?”.

“No, I don’t mind.” Turner leaned forward in his
chair. “Stephen Huntley’s been murdered—and the only
clue we have as to the killer’s identity is that he was'
wearing a torn army shirt when he left the place. We
also feel pretty sure he had a shotgun. Besides, we know
that he had a round face and black hair and was a

‘little shorter than medium height.”

The two youths looked at each other. “Sounds like
Woody,” Thacker said incredulously. He turned to the
sheriff. ‘Who is this fellow Huntley?”

“A farmer. Lives about three miles from here.”

“It don’t seem possible!” Freeman exclaimed. ‘Woody

‘isn't the kind that would kill an old man!”

“Did you know Steve Huntley?” Turner asked Free-
man.

Freeman shook his head. “No, I never met the poor
fellow, but I’m just as sure as I can be that Woody
wouldn’t kill anybody. He’s perfectly harmless.”

“Well,” Turner said evenly, “maybe he didn’t. I
think we'd better stick around until he-gets back,
anyway.”

OODY RETURNED at 11:30. There was a look of
almost idiotic glee on his round face when he
learned that he had visitors. “Golly!” he said excitedly.

“People don’t generally come to visit me.” ue

He ran back and forth in the single room of his
shack, blowing dust off the makeshift furniture -and
trying with ridiculous haste to tidy up the place for
guests. :

“Can I make you coffee? he asked.

His face took on a look of genuine disappointment
when the visitors refused.

The torn shirt was still on his person, and he was still
carrying his shotgun. Turner noticed that part of the
trigger assembly was missing. The man who killed Hunt-
ley, he recalled, had probably broken his gun in his as-
sault on the farmer. °

The sheriff couldn’t help feeling sorry for the little
man. He was particularly touched when Woody opened
the package he had brought from town and proudly ex-
hibited his new army shirt. “Cost me two dollars,”
Woody said, his narrow chest swelling with pride.

The shirt was evidently the only new thing the un-
balanced man owned, and he seemed intent on making
as much of an impression as he could with it.

“Woody,” the sheriff said at last, “we want to
where you spent. yesterday evening.” ‘

Woody chuckled. “I was killing Indians.” He looked
about, as if apprehensive lest some redskin might be
listening. “I do that all day long,” he whispered in
Turner’s ear. es

The sheriff looked at his.aides, then shifted in his
chair as he returned his attention to the suspect. ““Wheré
did you get that rip in your shirt?” he asked.

- Woody stared for a long second before he seemed to
realize what the question had been. Then, in.a fit of em-
barrassment, he covered the tear with his hands.
“Golly!” he said, “I guess this is an awful way to enter-
tain guests.” His eyes brightened. “I know! I'll change
shirts. I’ve got another one now, you know.”

Turner was on his feet. “Woody, I just want to know

how the shirt got torn.”
A puzzled expression crossed the man’s face.
“y’know,” he said shaking his (Continued on page 75)

\

know

37

“Was the man with the torn shirt carrying a shotgun?”
Turned asked.

“They was both carrying shotguns. The one this fellow
in the torn shirt had was busted. He held the stock in.
one hand and the rest of it in the other. | took particular
notice of that.”

“Did you recognize either one of them?” Turner

pressed.

The man shook his head. “Can’t say as I did. No, I’m.

sure I never seen ’em before.” .

“One more thing,” Turner said. “Which way were they

heading.”
“Down towards the hollow.”

got AFTER midnight the rain stopped. A few stars
struggled through the blackness, and a pale half-
moon started floating overhead. Soon the countryside
was alive with the noise of crickets.

The dogged search for the killer, or pair of killers,
dragged on, but the trail itself was perceptibly cooler by
2 o'clock. Men and women appeared at the doors in
nightshirts and held up lanterns as they spoke with the
sheriff and his aides. But no one except the two who had
already given information could remember having seen
the men with the shotguns.

Around 6 o’clock the sun made its first gingerly ap-
pearance. Exhausted, chilled and hungry, Turners, Wal-
ters and Warren moved into the hollow and continued
their search from one cabin to another. For a while it
seemed that the trail had disappeared completely, as
though the rain had washed it away. No one could re-

SPOT—4" %
4 m Huntley is shown holding bucket yaoi
~ Just where his grandfather held it {/

* when he was stuck up and murdered.

7

ee a —

member much of anything that had happened since
downpour began. People. living in the hollow we
learning for the first time, through the sheriff and‘h
two aides, that a man had been killed less than thre
miles away. ;

Then, just as the three men decided to start back f
town and try to pick up the trail later, the driver of

school bus said he had seen someone leaving for Jack

son at daybreak—to buy himself a new shirt!

“It was Woody,” the driver told Turner. “He’s a sor

sort of fellow—kind of lost his mind during the war, i

France. Maybe you’ve seen him around. Everybodte

knows Woody.” a

“Woody?” Turner shook his head. “What's his ful,
name?”

“Just Woody.” The driver shrugged. “I don’t thinl
anybody knows him by any other name, least of all him
self. He just marches around all’day with that shotgu
of his, and lives off a veteran's pension.”

“And you say he went to Jackson this morning to by
himself a shirt?”

“Yes. And come to think of it, it’s kind of strange
Where would he be getting enough money to buy:
shirt? He said he was gonna get one of them arm
things—and they cost a couple of dollars.”

“Maybe he needed a new shirt,” Turner venture
hopefully. /

The driver laughed. “I guess he did, at that. The oa
he was wearing was pretty badly torn.”

This was enough for Turner. “Where does this Wood
live?” he asked. ;

2 “Why, he’s gi
Place."’

-.* “And where’s

The bus driv;

)-the road.

The sheriff w
up with him. T
man’s cabin.

The man who
man whose age
you Freeman?”

“Why—no, I a
puzzled. “You lo

“No,” Turner :
for someone nar
might be able to

“Come in.” T}
tioned the visito-
serve as eating a
room. Another n
on a cot in the f
man said. “He \
thunder.”

The ‘sleeping
friend faced the
the door introduc

“Do you know
Turner asked.

Freeman _blin}
everybody know:
“Do you know -
“I didn’t see hi

_

FRO TUNIS a

ve ning ba UY e aU,
. ~ @r* i” hc. CLO Lh ahpy ) 4 or
jon 16 ElGu,. Vilod (. ”
i) a La 5

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<~
Co

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LIKE THIS WITH NEW Questions about what the law really is

AeA
VILE ahs OOT DUNGEON DOOM. ................ 10
ad m mF Ruth went to get her skates sharpened
ERE A he we ETF
we Bee 28 w/a ™ SP

DEATH TAKES AN ALIAS........... 14
The victim lived a double life

REJECTED SUITOR AND THE
AMMONIA CRIME................ 18

Who waylaid the Michigan musician?
HEADQUARTERS QUIZ... 0.0... 21

A brain teaser for. detectives

MURDER STRIKES WHEN THE MOON
1S FUL

eS ee nee |

Panic spread in the -big steel plant

CHEATING THE CUSTOMS....... - 26
Even the slickest smugglers fail

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CASE OF THE "EXTRA EYE"........ 20
The crooks were shown in movies

NON-ALCOHOLIC

CONTAINS
LANOLING:

QUEST FOR THE WHISTLING KILLER 34
Bernice knew some strange people

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POSTMASTER: Please send notice on Form 3578,

and copies returned under Label Form 3579 to
Madison Avenue, New York 16, New York

MOM An comers FRONT PAGE DETECTIVE, Volume 11, No. 2,

Lawotine June, 1947, yright, 1947, by Dell Publish’
from your barber or ees) ing Co., Inc. Published simultaneously in the Da.
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ud CLUES TO THE OUTDOORS......... 6

THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY ASKS—...

M THE EFFECTS of a spirit of wartime
abandon have not yet run their course.
Juvenile delinquents of the war years .are
graduating from petty thieves to armed

Rela of more serious
crime. Those two statements by J. Edgar

or to.lessen the horror of their crime. All

that can be hoped for is that Hoover’s

die in the electric chair and Ned Chapman
right) is under a life sentence for the
hitch-hike murder of a salesman near
Youngstown, O,

Just kids. But a part of the great anti-
Social force which last year lifted crime
to an all-time high in the U. S.

* * *

first time since 1938, the age group of 21
supplied the greatest number of prisoners,

Past years it was a lower class, showing
how Mr, Hoover reached his estimate that

juvenile delinquents, as they grow up, are-

to serious crime.

* s e

WARDEN. WILLIAM E. Snyder of Sing
Sing is a man who knows that crime is

vacancies. We did not think the housing
shortage would ever get that bad.
On the other hand, even though | the

Plymouth, Ind., as “clean and inviting,” a
notable shortage of customers was reported
by the jailer, who said he’d like to keep
it that way indefinitely. ;

* * *

IF YOU'RE OF a Statistical turn of mind,
there was a homicide, robbery or burglary
Somewhere in the U. S. every 73 seconds in
1946, —THE Curer

=~


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’ Roche

more,” Leahy said. “If that fails, we've
no grounds for holding him.” >
Leahy and Brophy questioned Walter

fp three hours—and got nowhere.
Roche stuck to his denials. Finally Leahy
ordered him released.

More detectives were assigned to the
case and the survivors, their friends and
relatives and neighbors were questioned.

The sale of gasoline and gasoline cans
in the Bensonhurst area had already been
investigated without any results. Leahy
now ordered this search extended to
other parts of Brooklyn.

Finally a detective found a small hard-
ware store in the Brownsville section
where the owner had sold an empty gal-
lon gasoline can the evening before the
fire to a part-time chauffeur named Ed
Williams.

“He came in just as I was locking up
and I opened the door for him,” the mer-
chant went on. “Then I found that my
clerk earlier in the day had sold the last
gasoline can we had in stock. All I could
find was an old can with a bad dent in it,
but Williams said he’d take it any-
way.”

The detective learned that Williams
often hung around a nearby bowling al-
ley and pressed his inquiries there where
Williams was pointed out to him by the
proprietor. To the detective, the stoutish,
carelessly dressed 18-year-old Williams
appeared very preoccupied and nervous.

E REPORTED Williams to Ser-
geant Leahy, who instead of sending
directly for the youth put a tail on him to
learn his habits and the names of his
friends. Leahy’s men discovered that Wil-
liams had spent the evening before the fire
playing cards at the apartment of a friend
named Ralph Crane, who appeared to
have no means of support and seldom
left his apartment.

The superintendent of the building said
that Crane was frequently host to groups
of men who .came there to play cards.
Further questioning brought out that
among the visitors was one who came
quite regularly, but the superintendent
was unable to give a good description of
the man.

Deciding that to question Crane about
the mysterious card player might result
in warning him, Brophy and Leahy
waited and watched for several days,
hoping to identify the man with the help
of the building superintendent. But dur-
ing that time Crane had no visitors at

all.

So finally, Brophy ordered both Wil-
liams and Crane brought to the fire house
of Engine Company 222, which had re-
sponded to the Andrews house fire of
tragedy. He set the scene with great care
and called in members of the battalion
which had fought the blaze. Among them
were George Minor and Charles Schrei-

. ber, who had carried the scorched bodies

of the six victims out of the burning
building.

Crane was brought in first. He was a
small sharp-faced man in his late 20s.
Actually all that Marshal Brophy had on
him was that he was the friend of a man
who had bought an empty gasoline can.
Crane apparenty realized this, because
he steadfastly behused to talk beyond say-
ing that he knew Williams. .

Finally Brophy gave up and ordered
Crane taken out while Williams was
brought in.

One glance at Edward Williams’
frightened face told Brophy to use a
different psychology. Without telling
Williams why he had been brought in,
Brophy began to talk to him in a grave
tone about fires in general.

STARTLING DETECTIVE, January, 1949

Williams’ every movement betrayed
strain and anxiety as Brophy’s voice went

n:

“Burning alive is a horrible death,
Williams. I suppose only firemen know
how terrible it is. We see it happen—
people trapped, being slowly roasted
alive, screaming in agony. There isn’t a
man:in this room who wouldn’t risk his
life to save a human being from a death
like that. You'd risk your life too,
wouldn’t you, Williams?” ;

“Yes, Sure, I would.” Williams glanced
nervously at the grim faces around him.

“It’s worse when they’re women and
children,” Brophy went on. “For in-
stance, there was a fire a few nights ago
where six people died of slow torture. Two
of them were women and one was a‘15-
year-old girl. Poor thing, she was just on ~
the threshold of life. She was serene

burned alive. These two men can te

- FLASHES

STARTLING CASES

*

CHARM GIRL’S LAST DATE
. (October, 1948, issue)—E. L.
Fowler was found guilty August
27 in the murder of Helen Beavers
in Duncan, Okla., and sentenced to
life imprisonment. The crime was

committed January 22, 1948.

SNARING OHIO’S MAD DOG
SLAYERS (December, 1947)—
Donald Frohner went to the elec-
tric chair in Columbus, O., August
20 for the slaying of William C.
‘Spieth near Youngstown, O., Janu-

» ary 13, 1947, ‘

NO TIME FOR. MURDER
(June, 1948)—Donald Tucker_has
been sentenced to life by a Colo-
rado district court for the fatal

- shooting of Robert Hutchins Janu-
. ary 1, 1948, near Castle Rock, Col.

*

you what her death was like; they carried
out what was left of her.”

Brophy nodded toward fireman Minor
and Schreiber.

Williams sat in the chair, his hands
shaking. He turned his head slowly. His
eyes met the hard, grim faces of the two
heroes. ;

“Do you want them to. tell you how
she died?” Brophy repeated.

“No, no, anything but that!” Williams’
shrieked.

His head fell forward and he began
to sob. “What do you want to know? I'll
tell. But you’ve got to believe I didn’t
do it. Ford did it! Ford killed those
people, not me.” ;

Brophy and Leahy looked at each
other.

“You mean William Ford, George
Keim’s son-in-law?”

“Yes, yes. I just bought the empty can.
He bought the gasoline and set the fire.
I didn’t know he was going to do it.”

Williams poured gut the story. He and

Ford often went to Crane's apartment
to play cards. Lately Ford had been
railing against his father-in-law for re-
fusing to finance real estate deals
upon which Ford would make a com-
mission,

With his source of income cut off, Ford
had brought up the matter of $9,000
which he claimed Keim owed him on an
old real estate deal. They had had the
matter out a week before the fire; Keim
had denied that he owed Ford the money
and had refused to pay. Ford had
threatened to get even with him.

“Does Mrs. Ford know about this?”
Brophy asked.

“JT don't believe so,” Williams replied.
“Ford always kept his fights with the old
man from her. Lately Ford had started
drinking heavily, and then he became
like a crazy man. The evening before the
fire, Ford called me up and asked me to
bring a gasoline can when I came to
Crane’s. I didn’t know why he wanted
it, but I brought one anyway.

“We played cards most of the night.
Around 4 o’clock, Ford suggested that
we go for a ride in his car. He had the
can filled with gasoline at an all-night
station—I still didn’t know what for.

“Then he had me drive him to the
Andrews house. He took the can up to
the porch and before I realized what he
meant to do he had poured gasoline all
around and touched a match to it. I was
so scared that I started the motor with-
out waiting for him, but, he jumped in the
car as I was pulling away from the curb.
He told me to keep my mouth shut or
he’d shut it for me—permanently.”

The police at once obtained a warrant
for the arrest of Ford and a detail
surrounded his home. When Leahy rang
the doorbell, Ford’s wife answered.
Leahy, hearing the sound of running
steps within the house, plunged through
the door. He caught up with Ford in a
bedroom as he was making for an open
window.

AY HEADQUARTERS, Ford denied

any knowledge of the crime. He also ”

denied knowing either Edward Williams
or Ralph Crane.

“Then how did a dented gasoline can
which a hardware dealer sold to Williams
get in your garage?” Brophy asked.

“I’ve had that can for years,” Ford
said. “Can’t there be more than one
dented gasoline can in Brooklyn?”

“The superintendent of Crane’s building
has identified you,’ Brophy pointed
out, °
“Then the superintendent is crazy,”
Ford announced. “Why suspect me, any-
way? George Keim and I were on the
best of terms and I was sound asleep
when the fire started. My wife will tell
you that.”

Brophy sent Ford back to his cell.
Neither he nor Leahy had forgotten that
point. Mrs. Ford had told them that her
husband had come to bed at quarter after
one. And both men were convinced that
she would not knowingly shield her
father’s murderer.

They asked her to come to head-
quarters. She was near collapse and they
treated her with the greatest courtesy
.and consideration.

“How did you know what time your
husband came to bed that night, Mrs.
Ford,” Leahy asked. “Are you sure you
looked at the clock. Perhaps you simply
asked your husband and he said it was

quarter after one.”

The woman hesitated. “No, I’m sure I
looked at the clock,” she said. “It has a
luminous dial and is right beside the bed.”

Brophy an:
They knew }
cerity would

Suddenly }

“Mrs. For
when your |
mean you he:
door?”

“N-no.”

“Then just

The woma
reconstruct t!
she said at la
the light was
ing beside th

“Did he us
he came in 1].

“Not usua
this time he

[Con

Reilly. “We's
to the Hotel
eral drinks t}
“TH let the
tell you what
tigator finish
A short, st
“Like the
began, “I te
didn't know
now that all
ber he did cc
“He came
on Friday an
a man namec
customer, wl
time. Well, t
his own bus
to him and s
living?’ Alle
Commerce I
was in a bel
a noise like :
The barm:
facts to see tl
on the office
“T moved
were standin
his own bu
trouble. But
He just smi
this Broderic
state employ
this man Al)
did wince a
bought the g
not, they lef:
be. That wa
“You say
Broderick?”
does he live
The barten
a rooming h
far from the
Coffey tha
mation and
turned to Li
“Take Car
go to Brod
bring him ir
shows up or
Detective $
assigned to 3
Toms in the

@ @
Him Die
By AVERY HUNTINGTON

This 16-year-old slayer paid
for his crime in the electric

chair. But was it mecessary?

AVE you ever wondered what it would be like to

be in a position where you must plan methodically,

meticulously for your own death—a death which

would take place at a definite hour, and in the
first blush of manhood? A demise for which you select
your own meal, but in which you will be without the
comfort of family or friends at your side; an agonizing
experience which will be calmly witnessed by a group
of strangers? You have surmised correctly—lI refer to
death in the electric chair. .

During the past few weeks I have come in intimate’

contact with such a situation. It was an experience
which I hope never to meet again. It has made such a
profound impression upon me that I must tell the
sordid story in the hope that somehow every man,
woman, boy, and girl may read it and learn from the
awful tragedy of a boy who, at eighteen, perished in
the electric chair for a crime which he committed when
he was barely sixteen. :

Don Frohner, 16-year-old youth of Youngstown, Ohio,

wanted money, easy money. To obtain it he concocted

a ridiculously bizarre plot which included the kidnaping -

of a young, teen-age friend, Richard Masters, whom he
planned to whisk away to a hideout and then demand
$5000 ransom from his parents. In order to carry the
plan into effect, an automobile was needed. So he
persuaded his pal, Ay

a party to his scheme. The two boys hitchhiked a ride
a few miles outside of Youngstown with William C.
Spieth, 52-year-old Ashtabula, Ohio, salesman. They
‘planned to knock out Spieth with a blackjack and make
off with his car.

Chapman, riding in front with the driver, slugged
the unsuspecting man but the blackjack broke. Frohner,
riding behind, rapped him over the head with ‘a gun.
Spieth, still conscious, . began calling for help ‘as a
Greyhound bus loaded with passengers pulled alongside
the victim’s car. Frohner became panicky and shot the
salesman in the back three times while the horrified
passengers looked on. :

Four hours later, the two lads were arrested as they
walked along a road leading into Youngstown: A three-
judge court subsequently sentenced Frohner to death
and Chapman to life imprisonment.

Then began a desperate, last-ditch fight to save the
youngster from the chair. Young Frohner’s case at-
tracted nationwide attention last spring when his
23-year-old brother, Ted, hero of a sea rescue’in Alaska

Donald Frohner, the

thur Ned Chapman, also 16, to be

Ohio youth who was
executed for murder.

for which he received a presidential citation, got a
special discharge from the U. S. Coast Guard and hurried
home to try to save his kid brother from the chair.

Veterans’ organizations and civic groups throughout
Ohio joined in efforts to have the sentence commuted
to life imprisonment. The pleas for the young killer’s
life stressed his youth and claimed. he was the product
of a broken home (divorced parents). But Governor
Thomas J. Herbert declined to intervene:

I SAW Don Frohner for the first time last spring when

~ he came to the state prison from Youngstown under
sentence of death. He was cocky, unrepentant, and
calloused in his attitudes. He didn’t .want to see his
family and, when they did visit him, he spurned their
expressions of love and their desire to save him. His
philosophy was summed up when he said:

“T killed a guy—I’d do it again.. The state of Ohio
can’t electrocute me! I’m not afraid! I’m too young to
be electrocuted. Public opinion will take care of that.
I'll do my 20 years and be out—that’s not such a long
time. I'll only be forty!”

The last time I saw him before he took the fatal
13-steps was on the morning of August 20—his day of
execution. What a different person Don Frohner had
become—transformed almost overnight! Fear and sor-
row gripped him as the electric chair loomed closer.
He had embraced the Catholic faith and I heard him
confessing his sins to the prison priest. His philosophy
had: changed to one of repentance and humility.

- “If I had gone to church and known God, I would
not have gone wrong. I always figured the easiest way

was to try and outsmart the other guy. I was fighting ~

the world and kept a chip on my shoulder even after
the killing. It is God’s will that I go to the chair. I can
do nothing more than I am doing now.”

Don never saw the death house or the awful chair
that claiméd his life. He was led into the tiny chamber.
with his eyes tightly shut, clutching a crucifix to his
breast and clinging to the arm (Continued on page 68)

WXNAMXEXWKRKRX REAL DETECTIVE, December, 1948

Radio part
meter, per
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the beginr

LEAR?

New develop:
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FUNSTON, John, white, 20, hanged at New Philadelphia, Ohio, on December 30, 1825.

Raat erie PS he, ea u-
i eee | é CHAPTER VII

Se (a « HISTORY AFTER THE INDIANS

% The last Indian scare in Tuscarawas County was in the War of
18

12 after Governor William Hull of Michigan Territory surren-
< dered Detroit to the British early in the war. The scattered white
| \{ settlers north of the Tuscarawas River feared an attack by the
| - Indians still in this region and fled across the river. The ferry at
sf m™ ‘ Dover was crowded day and night. The settlers and their families
homes ee Prgathered at New Philadelphia. the county seat, under protection

~ ! Sof the militia. They remained there for some weeks until danger

e wof an Indian uprising or an invasion had passed. }
: sp A number of Tuscarawas County men served in the War of
\ ! 1812. Gen. Abraham Shane was local recruiting officer and Chris-
as ‘tian Deardorff, founder of Dover. served in the army paymaster

aes commisary department.

ake In the Mexican War of 1846-47..a company organized in Dover
CJatd New Philadelphia got no farther than Coshocton until they _
were ordered to return home. although some few from Tusca-
4 Tawas County saw service with other units in this war.
During the period from the War of 1812 to the Mexican War the

at reonacauied

CLR SSAA ARS:

county was developing under the impetus of the canals and the
coming of the railroads. Biggest local events were muster days
when the home guard militiamen drilled, and Fourth of July cele-
4 brations. But during this period two: unusual events occurred in
oon ‘ Tuscarawas County — the hanging of John Funston for murder at
qe] , ty New Philadelphia and the coming of the Zoarites.

we THE POST BOY MURDER

The only legal execution in Tuscarawas County was the hang-
ing on December 30, 1825, of John Funston for the murder of Wil-
liam Cartmell. At that time executions were carried out in the
county in which the crime was committed.

William Cartmell was a post boy living in Coshocton and carry-
ing the mail from that place to Freeport, Harrison County. While
making his trip on September 9, 1825,‘he was shot and killed from
ambush on a lonely Oxford Township road near the Guernsey
County line. William Johnson of Steubenville, who had met him
and was riding with him, had paused for a drink at a wayside
Spring when he heard the shot.

As he rushed to the side of Cartmell he found a stranger bend-
ing over the body. The man said he had been passing and that he,
: i too, heard the shot. He suggested that they go separate ways to
epee rpm notify the nearest settlers and raise an alarm to hunt for the slay-

Metis 2) RET: er. Johnson hastened to the nearby cabin of John Booth and the
Stranger said he would go in another direction to the cabin of an-

69

i
T aca

4
" pete SERTER eR Tee, yc Cored

re

s

my ts

Frew:

sat fae ria Ee A ahs be to ine 2 ch - pao ec wh ma Sekt f A

Ait eA Soe LOB PR
Shs ae ee


%

other settler named Morgag. But he never appeared there and
vanished completely.

Unable to prove that another man had been present, Johnson .
was accused of the murder and placed in the County Jail at New
Philadelphia. He protested his innocence and declared he could
recognize the stranger who had disappeared. He persuaded Sher-
iff Walter H. Blake to issue a call for all young men in a wide area
around the scene of the murder to assemble at New Philadelphia.
There Johnson picked out a young farmer of Oxford Township
named John Funston.

When Funston denied he had been at the scene of the shooting
Johnson described a scar he had observed on one of the stranger's
hands. After examination revealed such a scar, Funston was
jailed and Johnson released. Other corroborating evidence was
found. A $10 bill stolen from Cartmell’s body had been paid by
Funston toa gunsmith.

Funston was indicted by a grand jury for first degree murder
on November 14. He was arraigned on November 15 and pleaded
‘not guilty.”’

The trial started on November 16 before a jury and three judg-
es. The trial lasted two days and Funston had three defense law-
yers, but he was found guilty and was sentenced on November 19
to be hanged on December 30.

On the night of December 29, Funston tried to hang himself in
his jail cell with his suspenders but they broke and he fell, bruis-
ing his head severely. Later that same night he made a con-
fession to James Patrick, publisher of the Chronicle, a New
Philadelphia weekly, and the first newspaper in Tuscarawas
County. Funston said he had intended to kill and rob a Coshocton
merchant and cattle drover who always carried a large sum of
money and who had planned to pass over the road on the day of
the murder. The merchant was delayed on his trip and Funston
killed Cartmell by mistake. __

The date of the execution, December 30, was a chilly and dis-
mal day, with drizzling rain. The gallows had been erected in that
section of New Philadelphia later known as Allentown at the cor-
ner of what is now West High Avenue and Tuscarawas Avenue.

Despite the weather, an immense crowd gathered and the
Leesburg Light Brigade, Coshocton Cavalry and the New Phila-
delphia Light Artillery were called out in full force to preserve
order. The bruised and battered Funston was conveyed by Sheriff
Blake through the gaping crowd, held back by the soldiers, from
the County Jail for more than half a mile to the scaffold.

As he stood on the gallows with the noose around his neck, the
Reverened Parker Williams, an itinerant preacher, conducted
religious services while Sheriff Blake cried out, at intervals, the
few remaining moments until he cut the rope that supported the
trap door through which Funston was swung to eternity.

70


%

Following is Sheriff Blake’s terse report to the court:

‘1825, December 28, received writ of execution and on the 30th
of December, A. D. 1825, between the hours of 12 o'clock, noon,
and 2 o’clock p.m. I executed this writ by hanging the within
named John Funston until he was dead. No fees charged.”’

When life was pronounced extinct, the body of Funston was
placed in a coffin and taken home by two younger brothers. Thus
ended the only public execution in the history of the county.

The place where Cartmell was murdered is still called Post

Boy. A small settlement at the site of Booth’s cabin near Post-
boy, is called Booth.

THE STORY OF ZOAR

Zoar in southeastern Lawrence Township is widely known as
the scene of the most interesting experiments in communal liv-
ing in the history of the United States.

Scores of communal societies have been founded in this coun-
try at various times, and the Moravian mission towns among the
Tuscarawas Valley Indians in the 1770's were largely communal,
but none of them lasted as long as Zoar. Zoar was settled in 1817
by refugees from the turmoil that followed the religious wars and
the Napoleonic wars in German, and endured until it was dis-
solved by mutual consent in 1898.

Zoar was not founded as a communal society but was driven by
dire necessity to establish the system in order to pay off the
$16,500 debt the refugees, mostly from Wurttemberg, Germany,
had incurred in buying the 5,500 acres on which they settled in
what was then a Tuscarawas County wilderness.

Their experiences in Europe. the hardships they endured ina
three and a half month sailing ship voyage across the Atlantic
and their plight as stranded immigrants in Philadelphia until the
Quakers loaned them money, impelled them to give their new
home in America the Biblical name of Zoar, the town to which
Lot fled from the destruction of Sodom and the evil forces of the
world.

In the fall of 1817, Joseph Bimeler, an outstanding leader of the
group, who had been a school teacher in Germany, brought the
vanguard of the refugees to the site of their new homes. The first
house was finished in December of that year and others were
built in the spring of 1818 when more of the band began to arrive
insmall groups over the long rough overland route.

The difficulty of making a living in the untamed wilderness and
the pressure of their financial obligations forced them to pool
their efforts, as was done many times by desperate frontiersmen
and pioneers. But the Zoarites, all from the same part of Germa-
ny, all bound together by the same general religious views and
speaking only an alien language. were bound into a tighter com-
munity than most frontier settlements.

71

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1922

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(LEINMAIE

nee

YECORD IS MADE )
AOFESSOR 0. D. WEEKS |
eclines Head Profes
ship in Science. 2
‘sor Ol!ver Dougtas Weeks,

ed (te. D. Weeks, of

Ty t. (338 city, hes been

v7 bed the heag profes.

f the depart meat of polities!
Side college, Bloax

RRS

So teatractors at Moroingside, an4
has been the Quality of his work
when the new department of poll
science way Organized, he was offered
charge of tt However, he Geclined,
a8 Stated, to returg to the Loalversity
of Wieconain, which, In
sfanted bim two sebolar
More “Yecentiy conf
fellowship, making him an aaacciate
Drofasson of the university, that he
may complete his studies looking to
the degree of Goctor of Philosophy.

euch
that
tical

Sor-

ships and
erred on bim a

{ Mornis
a. Sales

ta. Se atraight.—
176-¢¢

“Smoke La Rt
AGy,

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(be past has,

HL GACKENBACH DIES
_ PROTESTING INNOCENCE

beeen

OFFICERS ELECTED By ~~
PROTECTED HOME CIRCLE

ers

FIRST MARION COUNTY. .
* SLAYER TO BE'EXECUTED

rey, ¥ . * ~ 2 eh Se nn al
| Only One Application of Current Well-Attended Meeting of Kos-
for the Slayer of Joseph ciusko Odd Fellows “Conduct- |

Charies Boone.

ea

od—Lodge News.

———e

“Iam Innocen: of thie crime ang

I forgive you a)] and may Ged dbieas!

roe. Pe , | Eastern Star, was hela: Mctaay oh ae
ikig was the dying statemen: Maseaic temple. The

;RiBg tm the i
oes fe oath | address of the evening ous deliver. :

! ey }
te the *! by J. D._ Deriing, pastor of

> L
The ancual Memorial service of
Ly dig Chapter, No, 83, Orden of the

ee tes sno

4

Yar‘a, as he sat Strapped : i
Gea’h chalr at the penitentiary 1g | Wesley MK eharch sod the eulogy i
Columbus shortly after midnignt| Of the order was delivered by James.
tig morning. E. Messenger, worthy patros. The

fo tha] Program opened with a Yoeal num-
4s an ber, ‘Lead, Kindly Light, by the
Be be wes seated in the chair sort, Kastern Star @tartet, composed of
lot ‘Mile Went over his face as he! Mrs, George A. Greteer, Mre R. G.
Bifneed with an enconartous look; Willismson, Mra. George T. Myers
| OVer the Gathering of witnesses. and Mrs. N. F. Tilton Miss Cether-
| About tweaty-fve from * Merion | tne Vies presided at the Piano

; Were present ang newspaper men A-violln solo was contributed by |
from a number of plarnaa and others) George A. Greveer and Mre. George
were on hand to see him OOy. ther A” Greiner sang a number by Gotta-

Oates 4 "Be Socace of Jo8en chal, accompanied om the violin by
om oone, ag seventy-twy ‘
years, ‘aight. wateb oes The memoria! flower

F ibe tori | Mr. Gre'ser.
m © fealy |
Dairy company, the evening of Fet.|7Ch re Was a beautiful feature of

Gackenbach was brough!
Ceath chamber By two guar

ae

oo

—

nee abe ke

hoig 'h® program and as the name of

ruer 3, last, a

im 6 ied he mb hat AE Be M each member on the MeMorial role 4
One Application of Current was read @ Bower was placed in a

vase by the flower girie. Those tak-
ing part in thts service were Misses
Eloise Tschenen, Catherine Headley,

Qa
Tent was

RS: SPUR Ie oe,

the

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we

Travel Accident :

5 aE ke
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red tape —Ro trouble,

at our office and get Yours tomorrow, a
HE MARION DAILY star |

|

i
4

———

roposition, and an investment

» he) Mabel Line, and Beulah Smith Fol-
@ of making; lowing the flower servies the me-
Id to make it! morta} adéress was Aelivered.
He complied and! Dr. Darling wox for the theme of
Dlaced over hia his address the lesson of Doreas ang
were being a4-j| seid in Part: “It ts the desire of
ng. = every heart to be remembered after

Wes turned on | we have passed on. We do not like
lectricity were sent

We sill has
Twill and Pix

-

a

Fie

x ee ::- &=—

A very inte

through Gachenbach's body for » Uae MOE One hae Ae a | > 3
period of ten seconds. The Current pti: (hat our mames will pelted. he Quart Size Ther
Was then dropped to 990 volts for'al.; 5: nae ea
duration of fariy seconde and vnen| “TRete are three forces ne TISSUL GINGE
ack to the frst current for ten aec.{!>at make it worth while ead | fi ide. Wedneads
onde. ’ ‘ j Sorthy of chicane oie — ser. qi wide. eanest ,
Thera was nothin unusual int vice and sacrifice. A love that issues ais sigs oe
appearance of the Salen toses stag In service for others, even @ mervike i EXTRA SPECL
the Juice was applied. his face being; that calls for sacrifice om ovr part. several pretty p |
Kept covered until) after the wit-{ Based upon these qualities or forces y eat :
nesses jeft the death chamber. As Of life there sre certain § reasons 4 , |
S00n 8s the current was turned um! why we hold memorial services. For Wednesday
Dr Willis A Whitman, the prison; calling before us ‘again faces of ‘ 40 different patie
PRysician, made Sm\eram!nation and! those whom we have loved and Jost } se *
Pronouncag Gackenbac) dead. awhile, that tead to Make a service _ ee
Viret To Kaplate Crime, ike thin signincant {ee
aa sean person "First, we remember them be-| ure. Co Akron, vecretar
Marion somniy ne ie mide ren }€@Use we love them... Love has not | Mary Murphy gave a very im
Penalty tor nis erime * Geath i pees killed by what we refer to 88 | report of: ihe thate convact
Bdward Raner e compaatin death. Je still holds dear those who im Cleveland June 5. 6, Tt
of Gackenvach, “who. Was also as have walked and talked with us. / Bchoes of the conrmaticn w
rested in connection with the dtm Recond, because of What they were. Siven ty) Btate Deputy % M.
‘9 now a@ prisoner: ,| The nobility of character Stsplaying ‘of Dayton. and M. 3. Ba

rat the Mansfield
reformatory. the manly or womanly

‘pik Pe
Mt was not long aftete Baker's con} Which they have exhibited ,
fession that Gackegbach aiso mate| their livew still tives. challenges our, whies Uthe the Bistory of tb
& confession and) after being indies. | love and “vite their names Upon our i will be given by JA Rice_lor

ed by the Brand Jury, he entered , Memories Third. berause of whee!
Plea of wultry Kuo ee vioe .

Qualities ; Faseements were made to bi
during j house Monday evening. Jal:


-) FIGULI, Stephen, white, elec, Ohio State Prison (Franklin County)

oh December 21st, 1938.

Fig cli Cals As= =
“He Goss ta Death

conic ag mag os

}--——-+.---

Shaver ae Dee tive. Cline $
2 Pay a with Liic. oy
: “hy

-- —I--,

tm

‘Stephen Fig, 21 ~year-old a
Cieveland band:t, ‘the lait of ay.
quartét-of bank crebber who- ed!

mitted they bs¢ “only- etarted™ *

on the ros@d of crime when cut!
Ginn. by. policemen’s bullets, went ;
to his Benth Wednesday night tn =
the eleciriz chair at the Ohio pesi-
With his lps pressed in 4 fine.
hard line arm! clutching a smatt.
prayer book in bis left hand, - Fy.
guli marched-ints the-deatnh cham- ©
ber and -sat down in the chai>
without sbowins the . atightest
trace of feer, *. |
- Wot Afrald Te Die’ _
“Shortly before he walked -the
“Jast mile,” the bandit told his at-
torneys: “Im not afraid to dic.
Everyone bat to die sometime.”
- He. Walked into the. ‘chamb=-
: with the same defiant expressic:.

[coer ves ON PAGE es Cok.” [FmRE:

soon

@
ited en ee a

COLUMBUS DISPATCH, Columbus,Ohio, 12-22-1938,


\Fieuli Calm As” :

| 2 RT ee aetetd vo
“He Coesto Deaths

oma. Ss LLL, t- “ys
‘CONTINEED YROM PASE OXE.
on bis face that greeted news-
papermen.a few minutes after Fi-
guli and the three. other memoers
4of the gang shot it out with patic-
in a furious gun batUe during &
‘lrald on a rooming house at 18
Guilford avenuc, Feb. 4, durinz
which Detective Robert Cline and
two of the bandits were killed.
Figuli sat quietly as the guards
strapped bim tight. As Rev. D. P.
| Holioway, paster of ‘the Cleveland
'} Pentecostal, churchb“read from tic |
TBible, the robber nodded to his at-
torncys and the hood was place
tover hiacface. His fingers wert
clenched and his long, brown hair
fell across his face. 9 0 oe.
Then Rev, Holloway’ stepped
back and said, “Goodbye Steve,”
but not before the current smashed
through the youth's body. He was
pronounced dead at 8:08 p. m. by
tprison physician George \W. Keil
[The book SU wis crumpicd in
his hand as witnesscs and news-
tpapermen filed out-of the cham:
ber. a 2 kt wet 8: . ar ’ re |
Warden James C. Woodard said
Figuli “never peeped” before walx-
ing to his death. wy ged hl sees ys als
‘Shortly ¢ before nee execution,
Figull gave Rev, Holloway two,
Rt ee Later were
opened at -the office of Merle
Champ, altorney for the ‘con-;
demned man. Tae oe ‘ieee 4
One note, addressed to Gov, .

4

—

pone |

“ i A . e ah
{an eye for an eye! coe |

Martin L, Davey, sat jn parti
ty hold no malice or quarrel”
with any -of you. You seen your:

blint duty and you, fotlowed the;

"tXmast” 2 4

‘|to ““someone” — an * unknown
‘lwoman who wrote verse to him

—Thanklng- the governor. forthe!
time and effort he had spent jn
Lpevwrw_of his case, Figuli near the)
finixh of the Jetter wished the
chief executive the “Merricat of|

~.

The second letter was addressed

frequently. He thanked her for ber
interest. cook om tf

None of Cline’s fcllow officers.
who were with him when the
shooting took place, witnessed the
exceulion. They were Detectives
Robert Cooke, Leo Phillips and
Wilham Danner. Those present
from the police department were
Detectives Wiliam Murphy and
Arouut Cabel.and three tnotor-
eyele officers. About eight dep-
uty shernffs were present. . *

Mrs. - Susanna Figull _ the
youth's mother, who knelt in,
prayer in Gov. Martin L. Davey’s
Hreception ~room - Wednesday “atter-
noon, while waiting to beg the
executive for clemency, stayed in
the offica_of her son's. attorney |
during the electrocution. She said
later she was-(aking the body to
Cleveland for burial. t
“The death closed onc of the
bloodiest chapters in the history
of the Columbus police depart-
ment, The raid of the West side
Procmlay Baila fallow a” by Bev:
eral hours a West side bank hotd-
up and the shooting broke out as
officers arrived. Detective Clinr
was fatally :- wounded -end -two-of
the bandits killed. They were
Jacob Miller and Vincent Grinko-

wicz, both of Cleveland. Car)
Boettcher, another member of the
gang, died in the Ohlo peniten-
(lary. April 6 _while awaiting exe
cution. Figull was the last of the
gang. Two of Cline’s fellow offi-
CEE, Dettetives Danie? and Pril-|
lips, were wounded, but survived.

Figuli contended at his trial
that he took no part in the shoot-
ing, but a jury upheld a prosecu-
thon contention that all four of the |
men hed Intended to Jd ans: por:
lice. officer. who approached them. |


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working in the window of the

First Federal Savings and Loan

Association, across the street from the

Hilltop Branch of the Ohio National
Bank, glanced up. /

shiver ran through her. She

pushed her chair back and stood up.

“Helen!”’ she cried.

Helen Tannehill, another employe,
came running. She took one look and
screamed:

“Mr. Deems!”

Herbert Deems, secretary of the
company, looked out, dashed for a tele-
phone.

“. . . just ran out of the Ohio Na-
tional,” he shouted. “They’re pulling
away now—hurry up!”

The time—9:26 a.m. The day—Fri-
day, February 4, 1938.

Wednesday noon, three days previ-
ous, three bandits had swooped down
on the loan company, departing swift-
ly a few minutes later with cash loot
totaling $2,250. Before that there hadn’t
been a bank robbery in Columbus,
Ohio, since 1934.

Six minutes back, at 9:20 am... .

Curt Wilcox, youthful, clean-cut
manager of the busy branch of the
Ohio National Bank on Broad Street,
leaned his elbows on the smooth
marble counter that fenced his office
and gazed proudly around him.

His bank.

He did not own the bank, but it was
he who ran it.

“Good morning, Mr. Wilcox.”

“Good-morning, Mr. Dellinger.”

He saw Dellinger step up to one of
the deposit wickets. At the wicket
alongside stood Mrs, Ida Thompson,
another patron. Approaching him from
another wicket was Patron W. H.
Gibbon.

“Can you spare me a minute, Curt?”

M's: MARGARET FLETCHER,

2

asked Patron Gibbon, who wanted
some advice on a business deal.

“Sure can,” said Manager Wilcox.

At that moment the big clock on the
wall over the front door clicked:

9:30 a.m.

And at that moment a black V-8
sedan pulled quietly up alongside the
curb opposite the front door of the
bank and stood there, chugging softly.

Inside the car sat four men.

Behind the wheel lounged thick-
jowled Carl Boettcher, bank robber
and one-time confederate of the no-
torious fugitive Charles Bird, jail-
breaking bandit de luxe, recently
branded Public Enemy No. 1 by J.
Edgar Hoover.

Next to Boettcher sat slanty-eyed,
dough-faced Steve Figuli, Cleveland
gangster and rat-about-town, | still
cocky over the victorious outcome of
his $5,200 robbery of the Cleveland
Lorain Street Bank, January 14, 1938.

ad THE rear seat lolled the two most
dangerous bank robbers at that mo-
ment in the United States,

They were granite-chinned Jacob
Miller and steely-eyed Vincent Grin-
kowicz—both fresh from a series of
brazen, big-time robberies in northern
Ohio.

In the pockets of these four desper-
adoes were two .45 caliber automatics
and four .38 revolvers. On one of the
automatics were two notches,

The car they were sitting in was a
stolen high-powered police cruiser
from Newburgh Heights, a suburb of
Cleveland, Ohio. It was equipped with

Death stalked every room of this
house when four coppers fought to
the end with four bank looters

a short-wave police radio, tuned in to
the Columbus police department. The
regular police numbers had been torn
off and replaced wiih stolen license
plates.

9:30% am,

“Get this,” said Jacob Miller. “I’m
giving the orders on this heist, Is that
clear?”

“Yeah—clear as mud,” said Grin-
kowicz.

From the pallid, snarling lips of Carl

Boettcher, later, I heard the amazing
story of two pairs of deadly enemies
joining forces and hoping to work in
harmony through a diabolic series of
daylight bank robberies throughout the
United States.

Miller and Grinkowicz were one pair
—Boettcher and Figuli the othor.
Figuli, I learned, had joined the gang
for the sole purpose of killing Grin-
kowicz. He wanted revenge on Grin-
kowicz for shooting him four times in

OD10a

Ug <


—#

NALONY ‘

Okuma

But I guess I got excited. I didn’t wait
for Fox to get to the street. I just ran
out and didn’t know who to shoot at.
There were a couple of cars on the
street going both ways. I sure would
have taken a crack at them if I had
known where to shoot.”

Alvin Fox, the garageman, with R.
H. Cramer, who was in the drug store,
leaped into an automobile and set out
grimly in pursuit of the fleeing bandits.

“We followed them to Georgeville,”
they said. “There we lost them.”

9:38 a.m.

The telephone jangled and I called
downstairs. “Answer that damn tele-
phone!”

My wife, Alice, called back at me up
the stairway. “Listen, Honey, you’re
going to stay right in that bed up
there and catch up on a little sleep.”

“Well, answer the phone,” I said.

“I will not. Do you think I don’t
know it’s the office? Do you think I
can’t feel it? They want you down
there—you can’t even have a day off.
Isn’t this your day off?”

I remained silent and waited.

MOMENT later I heard Alice an-
swering the telephone. “Yes—yes
—oh, all right,” I heard her say.

Resignedly, I crawled out of bed.

“Leo!”

“I know,” I said. “You don’t have to
tell me.” Lazily I picked my socks up
off the chair. ;

“But it’s a bank, Honey,” cried Alice
excitedly. “They just robbed a bank!”

“A bank?” I yanked my socks on—
two minutes later I was running down
the stairs, three steps at a time.

“You’re to call Danner,” said Alice.

ae grabbed the telephone and dialed
the

tective Bureau. Bill Danner and
I were partners on the Robbery Squad.

“Hello, Bill?”

“That you, Leo? Listen, I’m heading
for the bank now. Jump in your rattle-
trap and hop over there. I’ll pick you
up with a squad car.”

“That rattletrap will nose yours out
by forty miles,” I said. “What bank?”

“Curt’s on Broad Street—thirty-five
hundred bucks. Step-on it.” °

ot

4 =

TEST ace

iepipenese—het eben

ed th recovered bank loot and captured bandit armament with great satisfaction

Assistant Chief Hoffman who
directed the hunt for Co-
fumbus’ bank-robbing gang

fal

I hung up and grabbed my hat and
overcoat. “They just got our friend
Curt Wilcox for three and a half
grand,” I told Alice, “Wait’ll I get those
mugs.”

“You think you'll get them?” smiled
Alice.

“Let me out of here,” I growled. I
kissed Alice and hurried out the door
to what Bill called my “rattletrap.” It
could make 70 in the mud!

On the sidewalk I looked back. Alice
was standing there, in the doorway,
smiling roguishly. “When you get
them,” she called after me.

I pulled my hat down on my head
and leaped into the car.

10:00 a.m.

I walked hurriedly from the park-
ing lot to the bank. Bill was there.
We saw Curt Wilcox and he told us
everything that had happened in the
bank.

“That guy shook me like a carpet,”
said Curt. “I’d like to punch him on the
nose.”

“Come down to the station tonight,”
I said, “and we'll put you in the same
cell with him.” I turned to Bill and
said seriously, “These guys are luna-
tics. Been any escapes from the Asylum
lately?” -

“I just phoned them,” said Bill.
“Nothing doing there.”

Bob Cooke and Bob Cline, the well-
known Cookie-and-Cline team of the
Burglary Squad, were there. They
jumped in a squad car and drove off.

10:30 a.m. ;

We stepped briskly ‘across the street
and talked to the garageman, Alvin
Fox, and the drug store patron, R. H.
Cramer.

“You say you followed them to
Georgeville and lost them?” said Bill.

“That’s right,” said Fox. “I sure wish
I’d had my own gun when I had that
lemon-coke in my hand.”

“Georgeville,” I said. “‘That’s over at
the southwest corner of the county.”

“You thinking of going over there?”

“No,” I said. “Let’s eat.”

We ate a platter of pancakes, smoth-
ered in syrup, butter and sugar. Drank
a quarter-gallon of coffee. Then we

went out and roamed around for two
hours, talking to people. We combed
the neighborhood for witnesses to the
bandits’ getaway; went from one end
of the city to the other, and back again,
puttering around—routine work. We
learned nothing. Near the bank, we
crossed tracks with the Cooke and
Cline team.

“Glenn Hoffman wants to go over a
few things with you at the Station,”
said Cooke to Danner. “Leo can steam
up later in his jalopy.”

“You mean leave me alone?” I said.

“Don’t be a sissy,” said Cline. “Gaze
around here a while and see if you
can’t work up a hunch.”

“IT got one now,” I said.

“The Asylum again?” asked Bill.

“T got a hunch, too,” said Cooke.

ial es GOING over to a poolroom,” I
said.

“Game of billiards?”

“Maybe. But go ahead. I’ll round the
gang up myself and ring you later.”

The two squad cars drove off and I
went and got my car. Then I went toa
restaurant and ate. I ate a steak, two
orders of mashed potatoes, a side dish
of corn and a piece of strawberry pie.

1 pm.

At Oakly and Broad Streets, a short
distance from the bank, was a pool-
room—Emmett’s Recreation Parlor. I
parked the car and went in. There
was a pay phone near the door. I went
over and called Bill.

“Anything new?” I asked him.

“We got a few tips. Come on in.”

“Vm at the poolroom,” I said.

“The whole police force in Colum-
bus,” said Bill, “is racing madly all
over town trying to ferret out those
scatter-brained bank robbers. And
what are you, of the Robbery Squad,
doing?”

“Nothing,” I said.

“You’re screwy,” said Bill.

“T know it,” I.said. “I just had a
hunch, that’s all.”

I hung up. Emmett, the proprietor,
came up.

“Hello, Leo,” he said. “Got the bank
robbers yet?”

oD10


“We know where they are,” I said,
“but we're giving them a chance to
rest up before we-tackle them. You
know, fair play.”

“Yeah,” growled Emmett.
play.”

“Listen, Emmett,” I said, “all kid-
ding aside—got any ideas?”

“Me?” said Emmett,

ea of the guys that come in here
—you know.”

“They’re all good boys—no,” said
Emmett. ‘“They’re all good boys.”

“Okay,” I said. “See you again
sometime.”

I was stepping out the front door
when a friend of mine, a young sales-

“Fair

ge ee gee ani aii aie

“H’mmm,” I said. “How do you
know?”

“T followed them.”

I grabbed his shoulders and pulled
him up close in front of me. “Where
to?” I asked.

“Well, I was right in back of them
going up the hill just this side of the
State Hospital when suddenly they
turned into Schultz Street. When I
got up the hill there they were gone.
I went down Schultz and up and down

&

every street in the neighborhood but °

no sight of them. They were gone.”
I thanked him, said good-by to Em-
mett, and hurried out. ‘
1:30 p.m.
In Assistant Detective Chief Glenn

Hoffman’s office at Headquarters I laid
out the néw set of directions.

“Sounds good,” said Glenn. “Look
into it. Cooke, Cline and Danner are
downstairs—the four of you run out
there together. Cooke and Cline have
a couple of leads, too. Those fellows
carried on at that bank like fiends.
You’d better ride in one car together.
Keep your eyes open.”

Later, a few uninformed persons

criticized Glenn for sending only four.

of us out. But how could he guess

what was going to happen? Tips had’
been pouring in by the scores—this
was just one more in a hundred to
Glenn. Of one thing you can be sure—
he ordered us to investigate that neigh-

of
PHILLIPS i ff
M a6. WoT RING

\

P—G

eS

MN

An artist's cut-away drawing gives
a clearer conception of the battle
that raged through the frame house

man from Sciller’s Dry Goods Store
on West Broad Street, came in.

“Say,” he said, “I been looking all
over for you. Did you hear which way
those guys went from the bank?”

“Yes,” IT said. “West on Eureka,
south on Eureka to Sullivant, west on
Sullivant-—and out of the city. We got
the whole State of Ohio looking for
them.”

“You're all wet,” he said.
store fellows were excited and fol-
lowed the wrong car. The car went
west on Broad to Eureka, south on
Eureka to a side street I don’t know
the name of, out into Highland, east
on Highland and back to Broad.”

“Back to Broad?” I said.

“Yeah, and passed two cruisers on
the way.”

“Those

obit

——_—_—_—

A

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oma
aa Tn a

order...

The four of us, Bob Cline, Bob
Cooke, Bill Danner and I, piled into a
squad car and drove off.

“Where to first?” asked Bill.

“I got a hunch,” said Cooke.

“You mean a tip,” said Cline. “Don’t

_try any of that genius stuff on me.”

“T still got a hunch,” said Cooke.

“What is it?” I said. “J had a hunch
myself and it worked out fine.”

“It’s an old house at No, 128 North .
Guilford Avenue.” *

“Say,” Ivsaid, “that’s my hunch.”

“Your hunch?” _

“IT mean my direction,” I said.
“That’s where those guys headed for.”
I reminded them of the new route.

“There you are, Bob,” said Cooke to
Cline. ; -

“Okay,” said Cline, “let’s go there.”

We went to the vicinity of No. 128
North Guilford Avenue. Not to the
number. There is no No, 128. Some
day there may be—today the address
is a vacant lot.

MAATRE they tore the old .house
down,” said Cline.

“This is the neighborhood, anyway,”
I said. “Let’s prow! around a little.”

“If this really is the neighborhood,”
said Cline, “I got a friend—a grocery-
man at Central and Wendell Streets.
I used to sell him soap.”

In 1936, as a result of defeat of the
three-mill levy, a big chunk of the po-
lice department was laid off for a
period of 90 days. Bob Cline and an-
other officer started a soap business.

“Okay,” said Cooke, “let’s visit your
groceryman. Is it a hunch?”

“Yeah,” said Cline.

We drove over to Central and Wen-

: :
borhood. If he hadn’t given us that
4

Mrs. Violet Wotring ducked un-
der the sink, but a gangster’s
bullet caught her in the hip


the back in October, 1937—because he,
Figuli, had once given Cleveland police
information that helped lead to the
capture of Grinkowicz’ brother, Bruno,
a big-time bank robber. Jacob Miller,
on the other hand, hated Boettcher be-
cause Boettcher was too lucky at cards
—when they played together. And
Grinkowicz hated Miller, his. partner,
because Miller wanted to be leader
every time a job was pulled.

“Listen, punk,” said Miller, “Boett-
cher stays here at the wheel. Steve
gets the manager to spin the box—-you
and me pick up the dough. Is that
clear enough?”

“Go to Hell,” said Grinkowicz

“Shut up, you guys, and get going,”
growled Boettcher. He stepped impa-
tiently on the starter,

“Cut that damn _ racket,’ snapped
Figuli. “There’s a guy in there looking
at us.”

Nerves volcanically on edge, Miller,
Grinkowicz and Figuli stepped casual-
ly out of the car.

9:31% am.

“This is a stickup!”

Curt Wilcox stiffened, the hard nose
of a blue .45 automatic jabbed rough-
ly into the small of his back. He shot a
glance at paralyzed Patron Gibbon.
The blood had drained out of Patron
Gibbon’s face—his hands were high in
the air.

“My bank,” said Manager Wilcox
weakly.

He heard sudden yells from the cen-
ter of the lobby. Two voices were
barking orders to the frightened pa-
trons and tellers. A voice in back of
him exploded: “Back to the vault,
you ”

Curt Wilcox gritted his teeth. He
took a deep breath and wheeled, fists
clenched and raised for combat.

“Want to fight, eh?” yelled the man

Opn10

with the gun. It was rat-eyed Steve
Figuli, ‘his face hidden by a handker-
chief.

He reached out and grabbed Wilcox
by the neck, spun him around and
marched him briskly around back of
the cages to the big vault in the rear.
He released his grip on Wilcox’ neck
and pushed him violently against the
vault and down on the floor.

Curt Wilcox, by this‘time, realized
that he was up against a gang of des-
perate criminals. He could hear the two
other bandits screaming profanities as
they lined up the three patrons and
the four bank employes against the
east®wall. Shaking fearfully, he got up
from the floor and opened the vault,

“Now the big box inside,” barked
the man with the gun.

“It works on a time-lock,’”’ said Wil-
cox.

HE man with the gun took a step

forward. “When’s it open?”

“About twenty minutes.”

“Youre a liar—open it up!” He
pressed his gun to the back of Wilcox’
head.

9:33 a.m,

Miller and Grinkowicz, meanwhile,
were mouthing foul, incoherent orders
and spitting curses at each other across
the marble floor of the lobby.

“Hey, you rat,” yelled Grinkowicz
to Figuli, “hurry up back there.”

Figuli jerked his gun from Manager
Wilcox’ head and retorted: “Hurry up
yourself, you brain-livered !” He
marched Wilcox around the cages, to
the line of terror-stricken patrons and
tellers faced forward against the east
wall.

“Big box has a clock,” he shouted.
“Won't open for twenty minutes. Get
the dough in the drawers.”

With the agility of baboons, Miller

Detective Leo Phillips, co-author, remembered his
wife’s words, grabbed for an old hat when shot
above the eye, but helped plug a fleeing gunman

and Grinkowicz clambered over the
eight-foot bronze wicket cages.

Just then a patron, Frank Sargent,
opened the front door and walked in.
“Over here on the wall, you!” yelled
Figuli. Patron Sargent took one startled
— around and stepped wisely into
ine.

9:34 a.m,

Miller, landing in cage No. 1, ignored
the packets of bills in the open cash
drawer and darted wildly into cage
No. 2. He scooped up banknotes by the
handful and tossed them frenziedly
into a money bag.

Grinkowicz ran out of the cage he
had landed in and dashed into the
vault. He grabbed an assortment of
heavy coin bags. He couldn’t carry
them all. He ran out of the vault and
threw a small one at Miller, now in
cage No. 4. Miller let out a yell and
tossed it back at him. .

Figuli, brandishing his automatic
from the lobby, bellowed: “Come on,
you guys, let’s go.”

“Go to Hell!” yelled Miller.

Grinkowicz emerged from the vault,
dragging two heavy coin bags and
puffing laboriously.

9:35 a.m,

The front door crashed open and
Carl Boettcher leaped in, gun in hand.
He had on a pair of smoked glasses.

“What’s the matter with you nuts?”
he croaked. “Come on!”

“Plug the guy!” shrieked Miller.

“Shut up, punk,” snarled Boettcher.
He slammed the door shut and pound-
ed loudly across the smooth marble
floor of the lobby. He burst into the
vault and pounced on the coin bags

Grinkowicz had tossed aside. He strug-
gled with them as if they were wild-
cats, kicking at them, blabbing out
curses like a demon with the D, T.’s.

9:36% a.m.

“Herb Deems of the Federal Savings
just phoned that a gang of bandits are
pulling away from the Ohio National
on Broad,” said Detective Chief Harry
Carson to Assistant Detective Chief
Gienn Hoffman. “Start the ball roll-
ing!” .

9:3634 a.m,

Alvin Fox, garageman, was drinking
a coke in the Umbenhaur Drug Store.
Drink in hand, he stepped up to the
magazine stand in the front part of the
store, reached for a magazine.

“My God,” he called back to Mrs.

“Sally Umbenhaur, “they’re holding up

the bank!”

Max Throckmorton, the pharmacist,
darted back to the rear of the store
and grabbed an old .32 revolver. Gun
in hand, he dashed out the east door
of the drug store, directly opposite the
escaping bandit car. He told me later:

“They were just starting the car. I
thought I was a perfect target for their
guns. I ran into the store again...
pushed the customers aside ... and
ran out the other door on Broad Street
to get them as they pulled away. But
by the time I got out they were turn-

ing south off Broad Street and I could .

not have hit them if I had shot.”
Meanwhile, Alvin Fox had dashed
next door into Ray Coffman’s radio
shop. ay
Said Ray Coffman: “When Fox came
in and yelled to me, I grabbed my gun,

which I always kept pretty close to me. ~

3


ee ae en

house was found a black sedan. Its doors
were freshly painted. Close examination
showed it to be a cruiser stolen from the
Newburg Heights, Cleveland, police de-
partment. There were 12 sets of license
plates for it. The short-wave radio was
tuned to the frequency of the Columbus
police station's broadcasting station.

Bags in the back of the car contained
part of the money stolen from the Ohio
National bank. More of the loot was
found strewn around the floors of the
house, as though scattered in the con-
fusion of the fight. Of the $3,542 taken
from the bank, a total of $2,413.57 was
recovered.

On the floor of the garage was a police-
type service 38 with the serial number
filed off and two notches cut in the butt—
a fact that played an important part dur-

ing the trial of the two men. The com-
plete arsenal of the bandits consisted of
two automatics and seven revolvers.

When Detective Cline died, first degree
murder charges were filed against both
Figuli and Boettcher, the only living
members of the bandit quartet.

In a trial which only lasted four days,
Figuli was found guilty by a jury which
refused to recommend mercy. Common
Pleas Judge Dana F. Reynolds sentenced
him to die July 1 in the electric chair.

Boettcher, also pleading “not guilty,”
elected to stand trial before a three-judge
court, without jury, a provision of a re-
cently-enacted Ohio statute. He refused
to speak for himself at any time before,
during, or after the trial.

Hopelessly paralyzed and wracked with
fever, Boettcher was taken before the

Oregon’s Tragedy of the White

“Curly,” had acquired other properties
in the section, until they had actually be-
come a force in politics and city affairs.

“I’m a necessary evil,” she said to re-
formers.

She boasted that her girls were always
“clean,” and that her place was orderly,
but for all that she didn’t hesitate to
take any class of trade that applied. She
was quite pleased at the appearance of
the diminutive red-head and welcomed
her to her corps of girls. Among these
were Alice Camp and Pat Wilson, Dell’s
girls, still unknown as such to Susan
Parks; Toyo Watanabe, an Indian girl,
supposed to be an Oriental for purposes of
attracting trade; and a slim, young slip
of a blonde girl called “Happy,” who
coughed constantly.

“She's leaving,” Toyo told Susan Parks.
“She’s got consumption. She won't be
able to work much longer, poor kid.”

So little Susan Parks, with nothing to
her back but a party dress, went to work
in the hotel and did what she was told
to do.

That night, while Dell Richardson and
Claire were transporting “Happy” to an-
other spot in Reedsport, Oregon, Susan
Parks went to her room with 15 men.

If it was a terrible experience for her,
“Happy” underwent an equally frightful
one on her trip to Reedsport. Sick, dis-
illusioned, certain now that Dell Richard-
son had seduced and trapped her merely
to make money from her, she announced
that she was through with him and his
filthy life. Dell Richardson, true to the
code that his women, his slaves, must do
his bidding, stopped the car, called
“Happy” to the roadway and hit her in
the mouth. Claire calmly watched the
proceedings. Three times, before they
reached Reedsport, Dell Richardson re-
peated the beating as the girl still said
she would not go back to the life she had
followed in Klamath Falls.

And all this time another girl, Connie
Moran, long in Richardson's stable,
pleaded with “Happy” to quit crossing
the man.

“I’m through,” sobbed the beaten girl.
“I'll never go into such a house again for
any man.”

“Happy, listen to me,” pleaded Connie,
shaking the girl by the shoulder. “Use
your head. Wait for some chance to get
away. If you don't he'll give you the
“water cure.” I’m not going to tell you

56

[Continued from page 13]

what it is, but beating is a picnic com-
pared to it. He’s famous for it. No girl
that had it ever crossed Dell again.”

So, while Susan Parks was being initi-
ated that night by 15 customers, “Happy,”
hacking her life away, entered another
house in Reedsport to earn money for
Dell Richardson, with Claire returning to
collect every few days.

Did the girls save their money until
she showed up? They did, for one way
or another they had learned of Dell
Richardson’s “water cure.”

Susan Parks wanted to quit after her
first night. But she had no clothes save
that evening gown and, as yet, no money.
Saturday night the farmers, sheepherders
and cattlemen came to town. Before dawn
of Sunday Susan knew 29 more men. The
popular Toyo Watanabe had a total of 50.
Believing the red-head would now stay
in the house, Sarah Flynn paid her off
with half of what she had taken in. Al-
together it amounted to about $45.

Packing her clothes in the over-night
case, Susan Parks fled in her evening
gown. She gave a taxi-driver $15 to take
her to the next town and instead he
circled the block and took her back to the
hotel!

Another taxi happened to be passing
the house. Susan hailed it and jumped in-
side. This man had been out looking for
her to take her back to the hotel, too.

Sarah Flynn had pull in that town!

But, with a bribe of $25, Susan per-
suaded the driver to forsake his trust and
to take her to Medford, Oregon, over on
the Pacific highway.

ND from Medford, after buying a
ticket for Portland, Susan Parks
spent her last cent to telephone to Dell
Richardson! He did not seem angry. He
was much too smart for that. He told
Susan to come to him at one, in Portland,
and she did, meeting him at a hotel.

“T don’t blame you for not liking that
place, Sue,” he consoled. “But it isn’t
a bad life and there’s lots of money in it.
I'll set you up in Seattle if you'll go.”

Susan didn’t promise and before any
further plans could be consummated the
G-men, informed by the father of the
girl that she had disappeared, found the
trail of Dell Richardson. Learning from
his record of 30 arrests in California and
Oregon alone on charges ranging from

court in a wheel chair to hear sei!
pronounced. Judges Reynolds, (
Randall and Henry L. Scarlett «
that the cripple, too, should share |
fate. Boettcher was to die July
two weeks after his 24th birthdas

But death, which had hovered so loux
over Boettcher’s hospital cot, could
wait. It followed him and his whee
to the special room arranged for
death row at Ohio penitentiary. ©
morning of April 4, Warden James \
ard was notified that Boettcher
coma for three days, had cheated 1
chair.

(To protect the identity of an innocent fr
the name of Mrs. Robert Brown, used |
story, is not actual but fictitions, Edit

Slave Bride

vagrancy and rape to highway ©
that he was a notorious “procurer
ferreted out the girl. Then they |
Richardson under arrest, only t
that he had not crossed the state li
Susan Parks and therefore they cou
nothing with him. It was up to the s!
He got 30 days for vagrancy, sing.
all that could be placed against him

So Dell Richardson served his tim
the Multnomah county jail, and w
got out he met with a great surpris:
Wilson was awaiting him, but she ins
upon marriage. Disillusioned to a 1
extent, the girl, believing no other ‘le
now lay before her, decided to make °
best of things. Since she was stil! in-
fatuated with the man who had brousnt
about her downfall, she decided to stick
and try his game.

Dell Richardson and Claire Brumbach
held a long conference. Then for some
strange and unexplained reason he found
it necessary to have his sister’s consent
before he married Pat Wilson. Day }s
day the girl became more insistent. | ven
a friend brought Dell news that territed
him.

“The Feds are on your trail, Dell,” he
warned. “They've got your number and
your name. The mother of a girl in
Frisco has told the cops that you took
her daughter with a promise to marry
her. If they ever catch up with you and
Pat, if she’s that girl, and if she talks. it’s
going to be a stretch on The Rock tor
you. This is a straight tip, Dell, irom a
pal on the inside.”

Alcatraz! Visions of that grim silent
prison rose before the sleek procurer.
Whatever chance he had to take he
couldn’t allow that to happen, and he
knew but one way to silence the cir!
without killing her. If she was his wife
she couldn't testify against him.

But there was a bar to that marris 2
Just the mere fact that years prey
Dell Richardson and the woman he 10
called “sister” had gone through a j
ding ceremony in a western state. \\ iat
a pair. Certainly it would have been «
shame for either of them to have cver
married anyone else. That was the rea-
son the man had to obtain the woman's
consent, and finally she gave in.

Under the names Dell Richardson and
Patricia Wilson, the two were marrie( in
Vancouver, Washington, just across the
Columbia river from Portland, on Octo-


a
FIGULI, Stephen, wh, elec. OHSP !IFranklin) December 21, 1938

THIS STORY SEALED

(Editor’s Note: This is the tale of
the long trail of crime that led
Stephen Figuli to his execution in the
Ohio Penitentiary. During his wait
in Death Row, he confided his story
to Albert Lippe, who was also wait-
ing to be electrocuted. Lippe, later
given a commutation from sentence
of death to life imprisonment, now
relates Figuli’s story.)

OUGHY” Figuli, as he was
known to the police, started
talking first of his early life
and how he had outwitted the
law on many occasions. He
seemed to be desperately trying to
convince both me and himself of
his toughness. Desirous of anything
that would pass those long-short
days, I encouraged him to talk.

“Want to know why the coppers
never bothered me much?” asked
Toughy. “Well, I was smart, see?
I got propositioned after getting
knocked off a few times and after
that the cops didn’t bother me.”

“You mean you were bribing
them?” I asked.

“Hell, no! Me pay money to a cop!
That’s foolish, Why a lot of
dirty ’s in my neighborhood
done me dirt at one time or another.
I found a way to even things with
them and at the same time keep the
cops off myself.”

“A stoolie,” I muttered a correct
guess. The disgust in my voice was
apparent to him and he immediately
attempted to dispel it.

“Now listen, Al. I’m no fink.

Es ed

I met a dame on the lake front who later did us a lot
of good. | took her along with me and after the rest
of the mob met her, we told her about our racket.

03
Our money never lasted very long and

soon this dame was nicking me for some
of my share of the cabbage we made.

Those guys done me wrong so I was
only repaying them. Hell, I’m no
rat—I’m a bank robber,” he fairly
pleaded with me. “I'll tell you the
whole story so you can see for your-
self.

“ BOUT the middle of 1937, I de-
cided to join up with a few old
friends and pull some really big
jobs. Mack, Boettcher, Gruniciez
and myself sat in the back room of
Freddie’s Tavern and talked until
the small hours of morning. We all
wanted big money and our ideas all
finally sifted down to one method—
banks!
The only thing I didn’t like about
the set-up was Gruniciez. A few
months before, he had heard that I

With a hatred that had probably been brewing for
months, Gruniciez emptied his rod at me. Five times
I felt shots hit me, and he thought sure | was dead.

§ y ) i

RPE SS PD

_—

eae

put the finger on him for some j
Through a letter he asked me
meet him at the Art Museum as +
had a good job in mind. As I waite
for him at the lake below the Clev:
land Art Museum, I took out t
letter he had sent and re-read
I thought then that there was som:
thing fishy about the whole thin:
because he had accused me of put-
ting the finger on him and ha
acted with cold distaste wheneve:
we met. However, I finally reasone:
that he must have learned other-
wise and was willing to squar:
things by giving me a chance at :
good touch and that he probably
wanted to work with me as in th:
past.

I was still holding the letter whe:

tt


MY DOOM

I heard him approaching. His over-
coat collar was pulled up and only
his eyes were plainly visible.

“Hello, Toughy, I see you got my
kite,” he cracked, looking at the
letter in my hand.

“What's
asked.

“I have a swell job in mind,
Toughy,” he answered slowly, “one
that I’ve had in mind for some time.”

“Much money in it?” I wanted to
know.

“No, but there’s plenty of satisfac-
tion connected with it,” he laughed
hoarsely. “Before I go into it, tear
up that letter if it’s mine.”

I tore the kite into small bits and
threw them into the air where the
wind took them out over the lake.

By
ALBERT LIPPE
AS TOLD TO

on the program?” I

GEORGE CHAPMAN

“Carrying any heat?” he wanted
to know.

“No, I didn’t think you’d be ready
to pull the job right away and so I
wouldn’t need any. Besides, I’m
liable to a pinch any time and I
wouldn’t want them to find me with
a rod,” I told him.

“That’s right,” he rapped, his
voice hoarser than ever, “you won’t
need any kind of heat from now
on!”

With a hatred that had probably
been brewing for months, he

~ bank robber—told as
~ he- awaited his end
gin a Death Row cell -~

ae ee

It might have been because
of the fracas we'd raised in
the gambling joint, but my
date seemed half-scared to
* death when we went back to

) the apartment with the rest.

f ‘ -
7 [tee
wns, Bee J
#) 4
es j

emptied his rod. Five times I felt
the impact of striking lead.

It was his first shot that probably
saved my life—it smashed into my
leg and spun me to the left. The
following four shots all tore a slant-
ing course through my body with-
out hitting any vital organs. Al-
though still conscious, I fell to the
ground and played dead pigeon.

After a quick glance around, Gru-
niciez looked down at me and spat
with a grim laugh. Taking me by
the coat collar he dragged me be-
hind some bushes by the frozen
lake. He departed seemingly satis-
fied that his revenge was complete.

I had no particular thoughts about
dying that night. All I knew was
that I would have to get to a hos-
pital somehow. Naturally, I was
losing a good deal of blood; and it
was with great effort that I struggled
toward Euclid Avenue. The cold
wind beating against my face kept
refreshing me. Bracing myself
against a. tree, I stood there waving
my one good arm at passing motor-
ists. None would stop. Finally my

legs weakened and I sank to the
ground, managing somehow to
crawl out to the curb where I was
found some minutes later by a pass-
ing pedestrian. I was taken to the
hospital where I remained for about
a, month.

When the cops tried to pump me

-as to who planted the slugs in me, I

wouldn’t squawk. I wanted to get
Gruniciez in my own little way.

KEPT a straight face when Gru-

niciez walked in that day with
Mack and Goettcher. Though it
took a good deal, I managed to stifle
any remarks or actions with regard
to evening the score with him then
After all, I decided, I wanted
money bad and Gruniciez was an
experienced head. Plenty of time
and opportunities to nail him later.

Cleveland, Ohio, was a little too
hot at that time to pull any bank
jobs. So the four of us crawled into
a speedy Packard and headed west.
Reaching St. Louis, we met

a friend who was willing
to (Continued on page 38) a

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CRIME CONFESSIONS

promised to meet them in Boston in
two weeks.

Bill and I had a lot of fun, driving
to odd little places in his convertible,
swimming, sailing, and just ——
and sipping. I was in love—hea
over heels.

S the two weeks drew to a close, it

seemed as if the world was about to
fold up. Then Bill surprised me.

We were on the beach after a late
swim, that night.

“Honey,” he said, “there are a few
things I want to say. I don’t know
much about you, because you haven’t
said a lot about yourself. In many
ways, you’re a mystery. For one thing,
your friends jumped the lease they
signed on the house they took, but
I'm not beefing about that. It’s you
I’m interested in.

“IT know one thing for sure. With
me this isn’t just a summer romance.
I want to marry you.”

That nearly floored me, even though
I'd been sort of expecting it. But I
had to put him off.

“Bill, dear,” I whispered, “I’m
sorry that I’m a mystery. I don’t
want to be. But could you wait—just
six months—for my answer? I hate
to ask you, but I must.”

I was afraid. I didn’t want him to
get in any jams, bringing me back into
the midst of my phony heirlooms. He
didn’t understand, but he did agree
to wait,

That was the dopiest thing I ever
did, and maybe the nicest. For six
months after that, the whole world
had folded, as far as I was concerned.

I met Nita and Charlie in Boston,
and we headed south again. I couldn’t
get Bill off my mind.

In Louisville, an unfortunate inci-
dent occurred. We usually took ad-
joining rooms—Nita and Charlie in
one, I in the other.

That night, I was in bed, reading a
love story, when Charlie popped in
with a bottle.

“Hello, duchess,” he said. He sat
on the side of the bed.

“Look, baby,” he went on, “Nita’s
out. How about you and me sharing
this quart?”

“Oh, no,” I answered. “Get back in
your room, Charlie. None of that, and
I mean it.”

He didn’t take my word, and came
at me. I jumped out of bed and
slammed the book at him. He chased
me—and then Nita walked in. She
hadn’t gone as far away as he’d
thought.

It looked bad. I tried to explain,
but she wouldn’t listen. From then
on, relations were strained.

We went back to the old Admiralty
ag, and it worked well several times,
ut the zing was gone. I had to do

more acting than ever before, and the
pace was getting me.

Then real disaster hit us. Just as
I’d met Bill in New Hampshire, so

Charlie was spotted in Florida by one
of his customers who’d visited his
shop in Maine.

I went to bed early that evening.
while Charlie and Nita went to a
movie. This dame saw Charlie just as
he was buying the tickets. She called
a cop, and the two were nabbed as
ig Le mes out of the theater.

e dame was plenty mad, and they
soon learned why. Charlie had sold
her a so-called Chippendale dining
room set, table and six chairs, for

’ $1,500. She had tried to give them to

a museum, saying they’d been prop-
erty of a distant relative, but they'd
been sent back as forgeries. The news-
papers had gotten hold of the story
and made a big play of it. They left
out nothing.

If Nita hadn’t been so angry at me,
I think she’d have tipped me off some-
how and let me make a getaway. But
she was so filled with venom that
she pulled me in too. We were
hauled back up north.

Well, all three of us drew sentences
Charlie’s in a pen, Nita and I in the
same woman’s reformatory. We'r:
not talking.

I do my best to forget about an-
tiques—and Bill. I should have mar-
ried him when he asked me. Now
I never will. And I can’t see what
the future holds for me at all. By
the time I get out of this place.
I'll probably be marked for life—
just another phony antique.

TVPG THIs STORY SEALED MY DOOM

furnisn us with all the heat we needed
and a less flashy heap than the one we
were driving.

Mack for some reason kept want-
ing to go back to Cleveland to pull a
few jobs. The rest of us voted him
down. The notoridus Bird gang had
too much heat on the town with their
bank capers and the Feds were
swarming around there like bees.

We stuck around St. Louis long
enough to pick up some operating
cash in the usual manner and then
headed out of the city for what we
— decided would be the first bank
job.

Mack, who had been selected to be
the driver on all occasions while the
rest of us handled the heat, had tough
driving as he followed the muddy
highway leading into the small town.
To this day, I can’t remember the
name of that burg. Boettcher had
cased the jug and town previously.

We stopped at a respectable look-
ing tourist home and went over de-
tails with Boettcher before turning
in for a night’s rest.

However, I didn’t get much rest
that night. I didn’t know for certain
exactly how the others would act.
I hated Gruniciez’ guts_and vice versa.
The others, while not in exactly the
same mood gave the impression that
it was business only between us four.

Our first bank job was like swiping
an apple from a fruit stand. Those
rubes seemed frozen when we went
into action. We didn’t even get a
dirty look on our getaway or our
drive to Kansas City.

I kept one hand on a rod when that
six G’s we had lifted was being di-
vided. Those other three guys
looked penny money hungry. May-
be I did, too.

We picked he some women that
night and toured the high spots. Mack
seemed to be well known around
there and we had a swell time.

The next night we visited a gam-
bling joint where Mack was known
and after introductions, the four of
us became engaged in a game of cards
with some of the boys running the
joint. Then Gruniciez started to get
sore and started an ar, ent with
one of the housemen. the fracas

CONTINUED FROM

a couple of shots were fired with the
houseman getting slightly clipped.

After leaving the joint we went
back to our apartment with the wo-
men. My dame seemed half-scared
to death—maybe because of that
fracas in the gambling joint. But
after I batted her a couple of times
she joined in the fun. .

After awhile, I got up and went into
another room for a drink. Mack was
in there looking over a road map
and called me over. “Sit down,
Toughy, I want to talk to you about
some jobs we're going to pull next
week—and I want your word to keep
this under the lid.”

“Okay, Mack,” I told him.

“Toughy, you’re a smart kid,” he
tells me,:- “and you work like a vet-
eran. Now, how would you like to
go in for bigger dough than these
bank jobs can give us? Dough run-
ning into plenty of G's instead of a
measly six? And it’ll be easier grab-
bing, too.”

“The more money, the better,” I
told him. “But why not cut the
others in on it?”

“Listen, Toughy, you hate Gruniciez’
guts, don’t you? And you'd like to
pay him back for the dirt he done you,
wouldn’t you? That means nobody
no good. I don’t like him either and
the sooner he kicks in the better. We
can shake Boettcher the same way.”
He drew his finger across his throat to
demonstrate.

Just then, Gruniciez and his woman
came into the room. “Dammit, Mack,”
yelped Gruniciez. “Can’t you forget
business for a couple of hours? Your
dame is lonesome as hell. G’wan and
talk to her.” He grabbed a bottle and
took a stiff drink, straight.

Mack folded his map and went to
his room. As he closed the door he
gave me a warning wink and nodded
towards Gruniciez.

| faa next morning, Mack woke me,
saying that it was time to pull our
freight.. By the time I was dressed
and had gone into the front room,
Boettcher and Gruniciez had the bags
all packed.

ack told Boettcher to do a little
driving for a change and he sat in

PAGE 15

the back with me. Gruniciez was ir
the front seat polishing his rod with
a handkerchief. I thought Mack might
say something in regard to our last
night’s planning but he didn’t come
anywheres near it.

t was about a week later that we
finally made a score. Gruniciez had
left us at the next town and stated
that he was going to take a train
ahead and do a little casing. We told
him the different spots we'd be stay-
ing at along our line of travel so he
could get in touch with us if he found
something.

The job was only about a hundred
miles away—a payroll. It wasn’t a
bank as we had been hoping for but
made a nice little score anyway and
the money took us to Chicago where
we decided to settle for a while.

I happened to be walking along the
lake front one night when I met a
dame who later did us a lot of good
She seemed to be a good head and
after talking to the rest of the mob
I told her our racket. We also asked
her how she’d like to do our casing
for us and get a good share of the
take. Soon she was casing jugs for
us anywheres from ten to 300 miles
out of Chicago and we were doing

e

However, our money never lasted
very long. Wecould sure spend it
fast and the dame was a plenty loose
spender too. She was even nicking me
for some of my share to keep going!

About this time, Mack seemed to
be always on edge. He never referred
to our talk in St. Louis again and |
always tried to make sure that he
wasn't behind me. Never knew what
the guy would pull.

_ To add to this, Boettcher began go-
ing to pieces. He told me that he was
having dreams about dying soon and
sudden. I would laugh at him and
try to make him snap out of it but
it seemed to be cracking him. He
was only 24 and was on parole from
the Ohio State Reformatory. The
way he was acting now you couldn't
tell what he would do. Hell! He
ay pass out on a job!

runiciez decided to take one of
his train rides and go to Cleveland.
He told us that he’d let us know how


pote haw . frou d 3 detoete wuthn he Dok are bron
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'

FROM THE DEATH HOUSE

SRR -icaaeareeereneeecapt™

ts Ln

By LOOMIE

Doomed to spend
the rest of his
days hehind bars,
this man takes
up the torch to
enlighten others
“who may doubt the
futility of crime.

CUMMINS

LONDON PRISON FARM
(LONDON, OHIO)

HE PULPIT from which [I
preach against crime—the stage
from which I wage an endless
campaign—is Death House - in
Ohio Penitentiary, at Columbus!

For five years I have been doing
my level best to prove to thousands
of Ohio’s  school-children—and
adults, too—that there is more than
just theory to the four-word phrase,
“Crime Does Not Pay!” I believe
I'm doing a fair job of proving that
it’s more than just idle gossip!

Icame to Ohio Penitentiary eight-
een years ago, when I was in my
early twenties. A police officer had
been killed when he attempted to
question me and three companions.
One of my friends was killed,
another died in the electric chair,
and a partner and I served life sen-
tences. -

To Death House, where I act as
porter, come thousands of visitors
annually. When I was first assigned
to Death House, to keep the dingy
building clean and in order, I mere-
ly opened and shut the door for
visitors. Then, as they stood there
looking at the grim electric chair,
their faces showing the horror they
were experiencing, many asked
questions: and I found myself an-
swering them,

They got me to talking about
crime and criminals—and pretty
soon I was making it my business
to tell them some things I figured
they’d remember :a long time after

‘they left—particularly kids.

I’m no orator. I just try to talk
sense, particularly to the young-
sters. I tell them at the outset that
what I’m about to tell them isn’t
just something I read in a book or
magazine, saw in the movies or
heard on the radio. It isn’t some-
thing I learned in a school-room or

CRIME CONFESSIONS,. published by Crime Confessions,

eae di rding subseri
ace an correspon lence rega ing subscrip
accept no ponsibility fi fed

_ bornness,

Entered as second-class matter May 31, be Ye ape + phyA
eons shou addresse: rime
ipts and ail manuscripts should be d a

er ia CLE]

for
& Bie Cov EESTOAE.,

a church. I tell them that when I
say crime doesn’t pay, I’m giving
them the honest Injun lowdown—
right out of my own experience!

The stage setting is something no.

stage director could supply in Holly-
wood or on Broadway—because this
is the real thing. I am talking from,
and my audience is standing in, the
place where a great commonwealth
collects the maximum penalty—
where nearly 300 men and one wo-
man have died.

I don’t attempt to frighten the
youngsters who come to see the
prison. I like kids and I’m trying to
do all I can to make them see the

futility of crime—trying to help

them guard against the mistakes so
many youngsters seem to be making
all over the country these. days.
Most of them are surprised when I
reveal that I am a prisoner, that I
am serving a life sentence for mur-
der. I tell them that to make them
understand I’m no theorist or just
talking to hear myself make a noise!
I show them how I, a kid myself,
got jammed up eighteen years ago
—because I thought I was smarter
than the law—and wound up be-
hind the 8-ball for life. I make
them understand that I was no dif-
ferent, eighteen years ago, from
what they are today—that my stub-
stupidity and juvenile
cockiness brought me here and
nothing else. I make them under-
stand that nobody, kid or adult, can
beat the Law for long—and often
I tell them’ little things men have
said to me as they sat in my cell,
in an adjoining room, waiting for
the chair. I tell them about young-
sters I know in prison—lads of sev-
enteen and eighteen—who made
mistakes. I tell them that we have
four thousand men in this peniten-

inc., at Dunellen,

ay Pe a yn
elec, VALO (] 4

postoffice at Dunellen, N. J., under the Act of March 3, 1879. Price 15¢
Confessions, Circulation Department, 1476 Broadway,

, Cit)  &
STIOTS

Ses arINC MLR ORRETE TAR ost
rier aroma ee Lanne eee TTD

mie}
Bde mln

in)

tiary, all of whom thought they
were smarter than the Law but who
discovered that they weren’t.

I make them ‘understand, by giv-
ing them facts, that criminals aren’t
brave or colorful—and I tell them
about some of the men whose names
they know because they’ve been on
page one of the newspapers so
often—and show them pictures of
those men on the wall in Death
House, or tell them: how they live
in prison!

I paint crime as it really is—a
sordid, cowardly, cheap and petty
business, entirely lacking in com-
pensation. I tell them about how
the so-called “big shots” always
wind up in prison so badly broke
financially that they are forced to
beg or steal tobacco! And I tell
them just a little about how men die
in the chair—not too much, but just
enough to make them realize that
none dies bravely as so many boast
they will as they grin out from page
one. :

I see myself in the eyes of every
kid who comes to this little red-
brick building. I was an orphan,
a kid with two sisters to watch. I

landed in an orphanage, then in a

boys’ home and next a reformatory.
I came up the hard way—and if I
can make it easier for other kids,
then my little talks in Death House
are well worth the breath I use in
making them!

I believe we must aim directly at
America’s youth if we are to make
any real headway in the fight
against crime. The pace outside was
fast when I was out there and met
my fate, eighteen years ago. It
must be faster today. That makes
it tougher on youngsters. Too, when
I was a kid, jobs were plentiful if
a fellow wanted them. . Now they
tell me a kid can’t get a job. That
means there’s too much idleness.
Kids aren’t happy when they’re
idle. I think the country should do
something to keep its youth busy,
either in school or at.work. I think
the 3 C camps have done great
good, but there are other things
waiting to be done, too.

I tell these boys and girls who
come to visit prison that they want
to make pals of their dads and
mothers. I tell them to take their
problems to their folks and not to
be afraid to tell them if they get in
trouble. When kids stay close to
their parents, and when parents un-
derstand and:are close to their kids,
there isn’t much chance of another
criminal being born! ;

I think, too, it’s an excellent idea
to bring youngsters to prison so that
they can see, with their own eyes,
what has happened to youngsters—
and adults—who thought they could
pull a fast one and get away with
it. When these youngsters stand
here and look out through the door
into the yard and see thousands of
gray-clad men marching. by, they
can’t escape the conclusion that
crime is a pretty rotten business and
that the pay-off isn’t worth the
gamble.

If ever these youngsters are in-
clined to applaud a criminal about
whom they read in the papers,
they’ll soon change their minds
when they remember what they
saw here. And I know, too, that
when they go outside and stand in
the sunshine, they’ll realize how
much better the air smells—and
they’ll always want to enjoy that
kind of air!

N. J. Executive and Editorial offices, 1476 Broadway, N. Y. C. Volume 2, N

copy, $1.80 a
yr.c.

it ure 1941, by Crime Confessions, inc. . The publishe

LIONEL WHITE
EDITOR

BOB BECKER
ART DIRECTOR

APRIL
1941

VOL. 2 NO

CLUELESS CRIME OF THE
GORY GARROTINGS

Camera glimpses of a murder mystery

ee ee eee ee ee

| FIGHT CRIME FROM

THE DEATH HOUSE
A “lifer” preaches on the wages of folly
By Loomie Cummins ; ;......Pag

DEALER IN DEATH 6)

Murder-for-a-price was his business
By Joe Hawner.... 2.2... ..Pag

I KILLED THE MAN I LOVED

The end of their life together meant death
By Irene Drago... .......

| AM THE FORGOTTEN
MAN OF MC ALESTER
A lie sent him to prison for life

- By John Ciehola ... 23.5... Page

CASE OF THE WILLING
KIDNAPING

The strange story of a girl who wanted to
be a boy

By George Weiss .

MY WRECKED LIFE
' BROUGHT JUSTICE ©

She. sacrificed her’ happiness to, right o
wrong

By Betty Austin... ..2......

CRACKING THE DOUBLE.
SURE MURDER

Why did he die with a lie on his lips?

By K.K. O'Neal,......,.

SUCKERS’ ANTE
The Low trumps the last trick

By James Gerard
AM I TO BLAME?

Murder by mistake is still murder

By Samuel Radford........
KISS TIP-OFF FOR THE LAW

A. woman's lips spell death for a des-
perado

By Jerry McKillion....:.... Page

CASE OF THE CORPSE IN
THE PIT
An abandoned mine yields a sinister secret

By Jane Hereford

ees

eee

Seren veees

nee ee

LADIES OF THE LAW

Meet the modern policewoman in pictures

ee eee oe ee

ser. 7, April, 1941, Printed in the United States ¢
rin the United States and possessions, All remi


|f FORBES, Stanley, white,

elec,

Colin faces Marlin lei ae
LhiLin Pothepe OSP (Zrautlin Co) _\E YLE/IZB

RECORD

CRIME J DATE = = | OTHER

MOTIVE

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SYNOPSIS

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/

APPEALS

EXECUTION

FRANK NEWTON office fuPPLY—foTHaN

ae
Aerage Cane alicos Capt hatact Hew Yok} James LyeaughT;
L 1, Neatnue F , Mea. 5 Thonae Fry, nalwi vy
Jennerioa jt fames Kniabt, OL tae IWritliam Arar, h ative o
Wet | LO IT yt od —au hamachyacturcite lean.
bur (/2b)1gbb Ths Prerrder’ og CU- Nipper moun ; dur ad +
Sa ctype [Cra sut ih dared Aa Kauear_

Ba f Wrrtd Fhoy Thon lbidoosehn Un oni
on Were hetung drcurn one hood .

Wewreterd dnd requinad Wm te gon a mutt por lie (Payatbe
Avatey, Ela. Be See dents ae OPT bain
Minto dere t the 63 Gores th th heniettcedts Ce nenstt Cie
bith, potting ol wher nance» Ou hed lieu, hame Lopypct

|

Aga Aetel On Emanorelts (hon hy pathy a ASX
Wrwlher pho BT oe oul Woes Ang a protsd Waris + <
deed aes from Trem; Lt hot he drut Avg Lud


: such: a:disiance ee!
sit sation tn ones ithreatcnd : :
by tf deeyiap dis- 5 Nussia had 2 repercussica | here Acday | have: made the eame etatemé

: een ae when acteral hundred Muasten, ym-{moraing. that he made: hevaft
> atop neon, Rearing, name)
ans ‘anything ‘pdintzerse gathered: in front: “of. the) ieved Ford innocent

2h} nese Consulate Tw - Astor ‘Places Pa, heard others ay Pe:
*yaised ‘such = rumpus police | cperves}-* : Father_O'Brien obvion
were required to | Gjsepesee: * them. appointed, but ind ted tu
> Erght. men and ‘four irle, were ct cus infcrmation 4a

gested, 6 42808 ; iz :
+ The demer.strators bearing ‘pincards hed come. tn: him: as’ 2 ‘elergsman:
ee shouting ~ -“gomn “with: the (utes: and Mesaner=nre- not. ‘members 2
| chinese” Bee Te hig faith, although Ford was, Se iesee eae ‘ } ose] tere Eres
shortly after the noon hour : had hou information uppni which, rte feel neler
‘trathe policemen in the aa! rep iight..be.. based, he sald.’ 4): oo
ne longer able te. keep. ‘the -

ee

in Prints: (Colum
j—Twe Gente From: Litas. Tummie ants:

1v—( hreuss) Bridge tea program.
Nm Ten - tnusic qcvlumbia),

sored. do when’: er a ww
started ceiyine 2 apg are preia ee entay | 3:40—-¢Orpheum) Fipgram,

‘ Pearers into “patrol wagons the TOV sociated . ‘convicted gangréera.“ Both; $:57—Weather.
_$: acepia!: Era)

TAmong those.
“ rinstone. Secretars of he: 2 .
: candidate.

19: 4$e—Kundays with: Our
11:00—Instrumental ‘I
‘4 21230-—Weather,: rivi
11:33—Time slignala,
‘12:96. NOON:

hert > Bascace
: fe ‘Phillipa, tenor.’
fereptees eres tone ae ies are stat jena Cocineaes
preference =e Giga : eras | S—4 ate = me vd
the religious “the.” phous, arts: #ey : te Te sere wie See ic

20:70—xl
; < ne ‘Pollack’s: 4 4
FS, HO.) WDA

Bom sebody:
* The Thee: Bell.
(Follow T

ps ‘ggsWeether
o— (Enna Psettick ‘Dance
‘Quartet: Greetings, Fone

ick Girl: F
“Dewn Wheres the


pede

We > [" "
en ee ee ee

Cua. aed

= “Did The Right Thing
| Fie Wi


’ ‘Ainge, Me formar Some,

; moved fotinee = in pen —

a ‘Later Father OBrien “Aeclined to re-
‘Zyeal. ‘what he had. said,: but’ added ot
- wes, ‘nothing ‘6f importence.*

his. religious” ‘confessor’ ‘gemained a

. seccret..° ‘He’ made: no statemept. and
‘eo fates known: Test no statement for
Barer’ publication.”

was that of. a man: jnter4ing to xo
on a Journey.: Hie: clothes were black.
x. relieved by ©. checked ‘necktie of neat

et ‘the. case ‘that was begun with the

«22-2

3

~

c

; ef the facts to ‘Governor: Cooper, whe

fe. ‘ pare
2 MELATIVES. VISIT rorv. ‘.

Dering the day Ford “received visits

-

<<:

>

Ferd “terveatip  ttaned the , crucifix
“twice tenight, once when he walked
tnte the room end egain after he had
been strapped in ‘the chelr.. His lupe

Ke

aus last moments. ::

apie wo ayee vn ee

alter all hed. been prepared save ‘

the placing ‘et, the death: ‘mask over
his. face, “Fora beckoned | "to Father
OBrien. ‘The priest bent ‘evef. him
ang they whispered for. a. tew seconds.

2% tee + MAKES NO STATEMENT.” =
as) What: representations Ford made to

“Ford: was. miewly” * attired ° and ‘nls

appearance, save for the shaved head.

patterns: “He wore ‘tah shoes, 3 2
with: his. éxecution thie fitst phase

‘marder, of. ‘Marahal ‘Peter: J;.Dumete
“autiag: ‘s poolroom: robbery, ‘at “North
‘Colles % oh) Easter: _ morning. 1928,
passed nto history. ~ Sea. Hi
swick,1s FUGITIVE...
The next. phase: ‘Ais to be the ultimate |
eaptureand: trial” ot: Robert: Zwick,
“now-e a‘ fugitive: [from “justice: Zwick |
* way be" put. onthe spot™.as: ‘others |

concerned: in the robbery and. murder :

/ bpge deem defore biz ‘aan by. stiew gans-

“AEE:

eters.:

exused the ‘murder was that the wang.
iowa. seeking: funds. for attorneys. of}:

Jack “Parker, “Hamtiton,” “when: they a y
became, Involved io wert meter trode ty HEY,

*

“otnietal of esithweetern Onto. ‘sti
“are working. oe, bene® cal: unde: of, Abs
ease together: WES

2 The,.eftorts. ‘tédax” ‘te, “save Ford

“gouthwestern: 0 te: panciand.” aia
everything tows power ‘to spare re
le deom: on the. “hot: feat” :

The’ “efforts. of: the: gangsters: es
“bet. ofticials. and brought. half.a- doy
ag abrorners 40 Columbus. oo"

ese aloo resulted: tis sotcuinaiga tie

S07, ‘attending - Abe. sbonterence: of. Gow
~“erners.. in the ‘East: :
& “Aaide, (ror, ‘the botner ther. Fagned,
tke ‘eltorte: $f tha gangpters. were in
e Forde executten
went ahead.” Pb a Pe te
oe effort nt the: igconsiets, te. eave:
“thelr aszociate wae “Gevined Tans!c gly
te cast *: “dend Spp7 the Bon viction ro &
‘Pers: at ‘the: dest: mament ‘ant if Pies 4
arte is nares tos. Bim. . ‘play trom the
cahiet™ ‘eretuire - Rey Mr. Quoper’s
aide. Craries, ‘Re, Jouta. ‘the Governor's
_aereate overviary: Mercy D. Shiver, Rast

eee

“Tharm his own child.
ip rosseutee Quinn nald: ae
fod | believe this” kiting: owas. falls

‘A theory: as. to. ike: ‘robbery: euil

hat ied her LO
When the child. bed ended her: re-
cital,’ “Prosecutor John Pie coees: of
Monmouth County, announced: oe
“No grani jury of New: Jereeyans
ever, will indict -her!* a pag as
First knowledge, of - Catherine's
tragedy. was. when she dashed from
her. home early: today, and wollapaed
on the porch of ‘a neighbor's home.
that of Mr. and ke Ry rene “phe ripen
whispering: “h : : Cae ss Sg a
“Tye killed my daddy?” :
<The child soothed, ‘police: ‘were sum-
moned. They. found the girl's father.
Constable = George H.| Crawford,’ F 80.
sprawled in B | corridor outside bia pee?
room. ? . : .
as “The ‘ehild was. taken Into” cuskeay:
technically: "Her mother, Mrs. Bertha

S&S

la hold, N.J

‘Catberine: sald che ae a when
roused by the tread of her father. in
the hall. She went on: | se" ¢ >
room. I told him I couldn't do that,
but” he: ‘threatened. ‘me: if: I. dldn't:
Then’ he ‘asked _me to Jock the door.
1 saw the pistol on'-the dresser. ~ 3
Brabbed it. 1 thought 1 could det
en Rint. But he ran toward me.”;

¢ The girl -dcclared that several siines
previously her.father. ‘had made such
advances. She had. complained to her
mother about, these, “but Mre. Craw-|"
ford could not bring herself to:. be-

lieve the father. would: attempt to

Summoned For Sueok sci Hear-|,
clngs_County Machinery” povees
: Fast pleward thie Oar os

la et

P Coiambual Ohio? :  yuty® 49 AP)—
Deputy Sherifts tonight ‘had almost
tompleted the job. of notifying -13

Franklin. County women and 37. men (e

to appear Monday morning as proe-
pective jurors in the. hearing: to” de-
termine whether Dr. James: iH. Snook,
ousted university professor, Le zane
or Insane. “when he killed. ‘Theora K.
Hix, by beating. p with: a hammer
and slashing her throat-e month

Ve The names cwere: drawn: trom
jury wheel this morning and the ‘dep-
vties dispatched immediately as the
the county's jegal machinery: ‘moved
rapidty toward the ~sanity “hearing.
which must-be held before Dr. Snook
ran< stand trial ‘on: charges: of. frat
degree ynurder. of s* i eae
+t Meanwhile three Siichiote: appoint-
ed by Common Viesse Judge HMetry
| ah ‘Scarlett prepared written reports
bn the resulta: of thets anneoten of
Dr, Snock: gi eee Si gt
-Yolicwing Pe gxeminailon ‘which
was. very” ‘brief. Judge” ‘Scartete, ans
nounced the atienists “had told: im

ii

». .

en

conciasion. te ala mot een: whet he

He. ordered me to come *into. his a

2 cluding her Busband and: promiaet yt

thet they. ‘ped all: reached | the’ same:

-The entire Burgess family. includ-.

Kalamazoo County Jail” Git: ta* ‘the

ie, ‘8

tory- ef the county- *:
“Mra, , Fairchild... has - ‘caused: “the,

whom he, twice: “omg confessed: ‘the
slaying. , x

"Bhe killed -my tikes a ert

It 18 through her evil mentat influs}
ence | ‘that many people are. “made” nt
’ xo “have. Rone; _thes Teh thing.”
Bargeiai cried.“ rea § ca

can't: see. I “have. aches and ‘paids
trouble breathing. « ee
: HER LIFE on. MINES ‘

_ SShe’s-to blame for it all.” ‘ze you
men felt like me you wouldn’ t blame}
me. 1 know. you. wouldn't feel sorry,:
It was either: Mrs.: Fairchild’s life or!
the liveafof my; family.” a4 ©

told: police he had’ ney |

«Ss

Sha

a we,

sald,’ she hoasted of a “mental power”:
> Mo annihilate whomever «she © ‘chose.|
They” sald she told. them” she « had
killed more-than 100 persone a -year
for ‘the past 265 years. + F ae as

2 Mree Burmpss said the women had a
long list. of persons; she contended

were victims ‘of her “evil” eye,” Anse.

Kelemasoo citizens, / pa2t
: Eugenie. “Burgess became | Mi: saat
April when- visiting her* uncle and

< eg tr

Cy #
“That woman could wake you have hee
any kind: of disease. -¥° stagger: jot :
of times and there. are: times when: ay

ing Eugenia; "17 Yeats 14. and ‘her | *
brother, Buracth-S6-years off; are: a .

firet: witchcraft raurder in the his- ve

death of hundreds of people.” Burgess os
told police. and: Sheriff's officers,; fo qa

she kiiea Mra. Irene Lovetend. who #8
was a Christian Science practitiones:: hare

searching wreak

unnounced | Ney
vin: the wre

in my head and: mys arms and: i have |. ee Bae

; foot bridge

Frhedie
bodies: ‘were fo
from the wreck,
jcarried by <hei:
An attisntay
fotiows: “4s

by hitting her on the hea@}:
ad; ewe ones a- coreenter® "1
When. Mrs: ‘Falrehiié called. ‘as ‘the ap
Burgess home,’ Burgess and his wife}:

phis, Tenn. .
Mra: Jennie ii
eT B: Johns 3
“Two negro:

44 Miss Julia Cal
and Mra. Georg
Sorted: witha
but no trace:
late. today. ind:
ratiroad as ‘mis
An inquest ‘pr
tomorrow : at:B
* Coroner OR
further: identif
tims by rela’

Continued om Page 3, Coloma 1.

~s

axperian, to.
Bigttee Ae

Out Where Men Are!
“2 As Bootleggers InT

“‘Lattle ‘Rock, atk July. sup;
Woinen: ranging. from a: ixty-year-
‘old mother to. z= -twenty- -year-old|
stockingless wink were arrested today.

Arkansss and just across, the border
in. Texas. - Mok peed ae ee:
Federal prohibition faxentas She: af:
rested 14-women at Texarkana yes-
terday- in a series of Taide designed
to. stop female- bootlegging "in that
sectfon, cronaca@ into Texas and af-
rested the git] and another, woman,
the mother of two children: 22 Ss
gt the same time, Constable oh oh
McRyrnett: at Pine Dilute: pave: chase
to an automobile afd arrested its tive
occupants, including the aged woman.
but. not until, he said. they: had
broken several whisky containers. oy
. McBurnett asserted they were trane-

parking’ a conelderabdte” quantity: of

in. drives on women bdootleggers - inj 4

“es Mquor, from Pine Biull to Star: faty, |.

“

where:s 2 icount

Teunfon was be

2 When he fin
car, the: runnli

{ on “charges of.

portation of Ale
{Phe aged 1
fas. “been in
paid. ps In ier
“{lmes...: ‘MI wos 3
however, were
Court and-she;
‘third, ‘which ch
other inat
nianufacture,: af
> Mrs,, Long’ «
Long. and twa:
pne were the:
were perks ena


een. ‘eet Yecling ‘with tronte +
wath ring wiong. the isooticsa 1s Uuked>:

tH wet off Bhe spark ¢f contiagration® ED Rom yumsr
This” Steele: Jikely erven though cextne r PAGE.

ptesh. Mesecw. awd Nanking desire: to.

i shane ‘elear-ef on armed claoh. «456. qector, UF inance, and. Dale, Deatfon,
Dds The ecnetal tone of the Darts: press! special legal. counsel fa his-effice, re-|
Feftects” an: olev-at: “Wniversal - feAing ported. they hed. no fects to. give sto
thet: Rasa 48: “te” Diane.’ “alth eh bia, eon, ‘whiehs. ‘to. base ="

“fhe Governor was- aclicitous:
Swing! advices to: him early -in the.
jday that there might be last hour ée-
;¥clopments dn the case, ©

s Warden Also. -Aboeat.:« 2°,

tf Whether: -or - not” the” anociate
4] | Cangsters: “Siadl additional: facta’ to re-
we 1] seal: yemained® uncertain after ; they
2 peed. gti de before: the ‘officials: in

Ae >a) Thome

which: Messner= nf <
now. dead. Robert. ‘Kolker,. Bwiek,! Jue:
cobs and. others ‘aa Raving been pres-

s ithe: “Damete- asurder, Brennan
urged : - Measner.- to ~.tell-“any “facta
which =he* inay. possess. and: serled v9}
impresses upon: him. Ms: 1t:: \wae-the

allt know." Hs ‘ See
« Measner. sald © he_ haa! heard: that
these’ men’ were: ine ‘the: *pobbery. not
only. $a! jail, but ‘that: he shad: heard,
the same. ‘informat ma “before. he was

of: ‘revolvers and
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him to: take care

have:st

a

Mi Sai GS sh OL UN FM i ak a oe ig i Bk Re ae te 5 aR ad ii 2 a a SE el hl ak i ect a ie ee ri 8 a ett a

FREEMAN, Ray, and THACKER, Herbert, electrocted Ohio State Prison (Jackson Co.) on
NOVe 22, 193k.

..eWe recently acquired some old newspapers covering the 1930's, From June ) (when
Ray Freeman and Herbert Thacker committed their crime) till Nove 2 (when the two men
were executed) the newspapers were full of articles covering the trial, etc. From
these articles, I have tried to extract the information you want, Ray Freeman and
Herbert Thacker on June h, 193), brutally beat the allegedly wealthy Stephen Huntley,
age 7h, to death with shotgun stocks in the backyard of his farm in Milton township,
Two days later they were arrested and confessed to Sheriff W. P, Turner, The
clothing Thacker wore when the crime was committed fas the chief clue leading to the
arrest, All Freeman dnd Thacker got from Huntley was $23. They were tried in July
and Thacker was quickly convifted but it was necessary to give Freeman two trials
before he was sentenced to the chair, The execution of Thacker and Freeman marked
the first time that persons were ever sentenced to the chair from Jackson County,
Their deaths also marked the first death sentence of any kind that had been imposed
by local courts since 51 years ago when the Jones bogs were hanred, One of Freeman's
brothers and his father were inmates of the insane asylum in Athens, His mother
died 11 years before, His parents were div@rced in 1916 (Ray was 7 at the time),
There were five children in the family, He was employed last winter on the CWAe

Ray Freeman had some relatives waiting outside at the xecution, They were Mrs.
Maggie Napper, sisters; Wilfred Freeman, brothers; G, A. Napper, cousin, and William
Napper, brother-in-law, Noné of Thackers relatives were present, Both bodies were
taken to Hawk's station by Undertaker Strong and a double funeral was held Saturday,
Nove 24, 1934. They were executed Nove 22, 193eeee"

Ltr, dtd, 8-25-1982 from Mrs, Alice Lauderback, Jackson County Genealogical Society,
Box 807, Jackson, Ohio 15640

es

FRELMAN, Nathaniel, black, 24, elec. Ohio (Cuyahoga County 6/5/1947 555555
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LAST WORDS

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To:
From:

Victor L. Streib
Michael Buzulencita

Subject: Donald Frohner _

Page:

2

Juvenile Court Judge on January 28, 1947 (see Vindicator Article ~

January 28, 1947). They were indicted for first-degree murder (Ohio
General Code §12400) on February 3, 1947 by the Grand Jury for Mahoning
County. Both defendants waived their right to trial by jury on February

24, 1947, electing to be tried by a 3-judge tribunal. On February 24, 1947,
the defendants withdrew their plea of not guilty and entered a plea of
guilty. The trial commenced February 24, and most of the efforts of the
defense were aimed at the conditions under which Frohner lived. It was
pointed out that Frohner was a first-time offender, his father being
pictured as cruel and deiunsieive. The defense stated that Frohner's
primary goal was to "get away from it all." The tribunal, on February

28, extended mercy for Chapman, giving him a life sentence, but not for
Frohner,. who was sentenced to death on June 10, 1947. -Frohner was admittedly
the prime mover in the plan and committed the actual murder, the state
seizing upon this, in addition to the fact that another crime would have
been committed (the kidnapping of Masters) had their plan been successful.
Frohner appealed to the 7th District Court of Appeals, and to the Supreme
Court of Ohio (opinion and brief synopsis included). Both appeals failed

and Froner was executed on August 20, 1948 at age 18..

oe FROHNER, Donald, white, 16, elec. Ohio (Mahoning County) on August 26, 19,8.

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40

Town Named For
A Murder

(Continued from page 24)

“T fired it this morning. I took -a pot
shot at a wild turkey and missed.”

Another man grabbed the little
mare’s bridle. Johnson broke the
deathly stillness that followed ie
only a movement of his head. Ip
desperate effort to discover a tiny
spark of sympathy, he looked at each
of the party. His eyes met glassy
stares.

It was long after dark when Sheriff
Blake and a small posse from New
Philadelphia, county seat of Tusca-
Trawus county, pulled up on panting
mounts.

The sheriff was a man of minimum
words. After listening carefully to all
versions of the murder, including
Johnson’s, his first question was, “Did
anyone search the ground around here
for the post boy’s mail and. belong-
ings?”

No one had.

“Just a minute,” Sheriff Blake
ordered sternly. “You can’t convict a
man of murder on guesses. I hereby
deputize you men to search this
ground at sunup. I'll take charge of
Johnson.’

With the help of’ his posse, the
peg strapped the dead body of the

boy across the latter’s horse,
Heftly tied Johnson’s hands behind
him, as he sat astride his mare, and
prepared to start the twenty-four
mile trek back to the county seat of
New Philadelphia.

The silent preparations were almost
complete when _ strange sounds
reached the ears of the party. Strain-
ing their ears, the men soon made out
that a lone horseman was approach-
ing..As though of one thought, they
backed into the shadows of over-
hanging oaks.

Perhaps this horseman was the so-
lution to the mystery.

Long minutes passed, then the fig-
ure of a man on horseback hove into
sight under the bright light of the
moon. The horse was walking, ob-
viously weary. When. the rider
reached fifty feet of the unseen party,
Sheriff Blake called to him to halt.

Plainly startled, the night rider
pulled up his horse, half raised his
arms. Immediately, he was recognized
by most of those present as John
Smeltzer, who made his money vari-
ously as a cowman and drover in Ox-
ford township.

Sheriff Blake immediately noted
with some surprise that Smeltzer’s
gear was the exact duplicate of the
murdered post boy’s; same type of
saddle, same size and make saddle
bags. The latter were filled almost to
overflowing with somethin voip | hard.

“What you carryin ose bags,
John?” ay asked the over when the
latter regained his composure.

Smeltzer hesitated briefly, fearfully
looked at the figures moving silently
through the shadows. Then he said
briefly, “It’s. silver.”

The sheriff's hand prodded the
leather bags. Easily, he thought, there
was upwards of a thousand dollars
packed in them, What would a lone
rider be doing. carrying that much
money through this country at mid-
night?

Unceremoniously, he unstrapped

the bags. Sure enough; they were
literally stuffed with silver coins.

The drover’s explanation was both
Straightforward and logical.

“T drove a hundred head of cattle
across Pennsylvania to Pittsburgh,’
he said. “I took the pay in silver be-
cause I had no way of carrying furs
this trip. I would have been back
here in daylight this afternoon, but I
had trouble getting across the Ohio
river yesterday and was delayed.” ~

Two or three men stepped forward
to verify the drover’s story. He had
been seen a month before headed east
with his cattle. Sheriff Blake as-
signed two of the posse to accompany
neo d safely home, a few miles up the
trail.

The next morning, a_ breathless
horseman brought word that absolute-
ly no trace of loot could be found any-
where near the scene of the crime.

, it occurred to the sheriff, no
smart hold-up man would murder and
rob the post boy. For the post boy
carried only simple letters; no money,
nothing whatever of value. The only
recognized medium of exchange in
these parts was silver and furs.
Neither was shipped through the post
boy route, for both were too bulky.

Suddenly, an idea struck the sheriff.
Why hadn’t it occurred to him before.
That drover, Smeltzer, said he had
been delayed in his return, He was
due back during the afternoon, his
saddle bags were the exact duplicate
of the post boy’s.

Whoever shot the post boy thought

he was shooting Smeltzer. If that were
true, the murderer couldn’t be John-
son. Far Johnson left Booth’s Tavern
with the victim, knowing full well the
post boy was not Smeltzer.

In that event, the killer was on the
loose. He would be someone who
knew precisely what time the drover,
Smeltzer, was expected back with his
ssaddle bags loaded with silver. Un-
questionably, then, the criminal was
a resident of Oxford township.

Sheriff Blake mounted a chair in
front of the log cabin jail and ad-
dressed the mob. Undoubtedly, for its
day, the speech was a classic; for, in
the end, the crowd dispersed, al-
though not without grumbling. There
were muttered threats of tomorrow.

The drover, Smeltzer, was found at
his home and rushed to New Philadel-
phia, by two horsemen. But his con-
tribution to the solution was exactly

- nothing. He had no enemies he knew

of. Plenty of men saw him leave with
the herd.

He had told many people when he
expected to return. To point to a pos-
sible suspect would be to put the
finger on every man in Oxford.

Sleepless for two nights, the sheriff
next day interviewed a score of Ox-
ford township residents. No one would
venture a suspicion. There were no
known criminals in the neighborhood,
Never had there been a murder in
that vicinity; nor even a stick-up.

At the end of the third day, the dis-
traught officer was at his wit’s end.
Meanwhile, citizens clamored for ac-
tion. In Johnson’s cell, the sheriff sat
staring at the handsome prisoner,
whose unvarying and sincere story
was certainly convincing
_. “I don’t think you’re guilty, ” Sheriff
Blake said finally. “But you’ll have. to
stand trial. The public demands it.
You’ll have every chance to tell your
story to a jury”

And when Johnson went on trial
he was found guilty!

Front Pace DETECTIVE

—-

1ey were
coins.
was both

of cattle
tsburgh,”
silver be-
ying furs
een back
on, but I
the Ohio
ayed.”
| forward
He had,
aded east
lake as-
company
*s up the

reathless
absolute-
und any-
rime.
1eriff, no
irder and
post boy
Oo money,
The only
lange in
ad furs.
the post
bulky.
e sheriff.
n before.
he had
He was
oon, his
ianlicate

ught
were
ode John-
; Tavern
well the

s on the
ne who
» drover,
with his
ver, Un-
nal was
Dp.
chair in
and ad-
y, for its
; for, in
sed, al-
g. There
orrow.
found at
-*hiladel-
his con-
exactly
ae knew
ive with

when he

O a pos-
aa the

e sheriff
of Ox-
.e would
vére no
sorhood.
irder in
k-up.
the dis-
it’s end.
for ac-
eriff sat
orisoner,
‘e story

’ Sheriff
have. to
Bilt.
rour

on trial

eTECTIVE

*

Next day a holiday atmosphere
hung over New Philadelphia :as the
townspeople went forward with plans
for the hanging. Not content to await
the actual sentencing, men and boys
brought pieces of timber to the slope
at the fringe of the town, which is
now East High and Tenth streets.

Sheriff Blake, still convinced a
great wrong had been done, again
visited the prisoner.

“Tell me,” the said, “would you rec-
ognize the man who went over the
hill if you saw him again?”

“T could pick him out of a thousand
men,” Johnson cried. “I’ll never for-
get that face.”

A few moments later, Sheriff Blake
was bent over heavy law books with
Judge Harmer and a former judge,
James Patrick. .

“Here it is,” finally said the latter,
pointing to a paragraph.

It detailed, in simple language of
the day, a description of the “power
of the county” and further the ex-
tended powers of a county sheriff,
under stress of emergency.

The sheriff could, the paragraph ex-
plained, forthwith order every citizen
in the county, or any part thereof, to
appear personally at any given time
at a certain place. Penalty for dis-
obedience to this order was jail and
a heavy fine.

Sheriff Blake lost no time. Under
guidance. of the two barristers, he
scrawled in large letters a writ of
“posse comitatus,” under which he
Officially notified every male person
living within ten miles radius of the
crime to appear at 10 a.m. next morn-
ing on Broadway street, in New Phil-
adelphia.

Then he dispatched a score of horse-
men to ride into every remote section
of Oxford township and officially noti-
fy the residents. Penalty for non-ap-
pearance, they were to stress, would
not only mean jail—but suspicion of
murder. ;

The move met with signal success.
At 10 a.m., Broadway was lined with
not less than 300 woodsmen, farmers
and squatters from Oxford township.

Guarded on all sides by special
deputies with rifles, Sheriff Blake led
the pale faced, but now-hopeful eyed
prisoner, Johnson, to the strange si-
lent gathering. Although barely able
to walk under the heavy irons which
bound his hands and arms, Johnson
began peering long and hard at each
face in the line.

Half way down the long line-up,
Johnson suddenly stiffened in the
sheriff's grasp and stood staring at a
man, as though transfixed.

The officer followed the gaze and
saw a short young man, probably
twenty-five, dressed in the crude
mode of a squatter. The man
coughed nervously and stepped back
apace. .

“That’s the man,” Johnson suddenly
found his voice. .

The squatter turned suddenly red,
as though in a fury of rage; then his
face blanched white as great beads
of perspiration mounted his forehead.
He looked about, as though frantically
seeking a means of escape. Two stal-
wart men grabbed this arms.

“You're a damned liar,” the ac-
man finally managed to blurt
out. .

“Now I know it’s the man,” John-
son cried, his words vibrant with en-
thusiasm, “I would never forget that
voice.” Turning his head to the sheriff

NoveMBeER, 1941

and barely able to down ‘his excite-
ment, he declared: ,

“If you'll pull up the sleeve on ‘his
left arm, you'll see an ugly scar just
above his wrist.”

Sheriff Blake stepped forward,
jerked up the sleeve. Johnson had
predicted, there was an ugly scar.

The accused man, who was power-
fully. built, suddenly lunged and tore
loose from the two citizens. But his

freedom was short-lived. Quick- .

witted stalwarts surrounded and sub-
dued him. :

Mobs being emotionally fickle in
that day as in this, Johnson was
loosed from his iron fetters, lifted on
sturdy shoulders and paraded down
Broadway as a hero. The same crowd
which ten minutes before hungered
for the treat of seeing him at the end
of a rope now were ready to almost
literally déed the town to Johnson.

John Funston—for that was the
newly accused man’s name—was
thrown into jail, fettered with the
same heavy irons still warm from con-
tact with Johnson.

Fuston loudly proclaimed his inno-
cence, declared no proof could be
brought forward, except the testi-
mony of a “dirty lying eastern
stranger.”

Again, Sheriff Blake knew he faced
a problem. Johnson was the only wit-
ness, It meant one man’s word against
the other’s. Those close by who had
watched the drama knew Funston

_most certainly was guilty. Yet there

was no proof.

_ The sheriff’s problem was answered
In a most unexpected manner that
night. .

For Funston’s bravado completely
left him after dark. He managed
somehow, despite the iron fetters, to
fasten his suspenders to a jail rafter;
tied the other end around his neck
and: jumped from his cot.

Half an hour later, Sheriff Blake ©

discovered the prisoner nursing a
badly bruised head. For the suspen-
ders had broken and so had Funston’s
Spirits,

He asked to see the barrister, James
Patrick. and to the latter poured out
a complete confession.

For four days, he said, he had stood
behind the big oak tree a few feet
from the scene of the crime, awaiting
the arrival of John Smeltzer, the
drover, knowing the latter was due
back with saddle bags full of silver.

When he saw the post boy round
the corner, he mistook him for Smelt-
zer, shot him in the back. Not until he
emptied the saddle bags of mail did
be reahan his mistake. Then it was too
ate.

He heard Johnson approaching,
quickly hid behind the tree again and
waited to see what Johnson would do.

As Johnson stooped over the mur-
dered post boy, Funston stepped for-
ward. From that point forward, John-
son’s account of what happened was
true. When Johnson rode back to the
tavern, Funston gathered up the mail
and his own rifle, ran over the hill;
threw the mail under some brush and
returned the several miles distance to
his home—on a squatter’s claim.

The murder of the post boy oc-
curred September 9, 1825. Funston’s
trial was November 16. He was quick-
ly found guilty..On November 19,
Judge Harmer sentenced him to hang
on the following December 30.

Thus ended the unusual case of a
town that was named for a murder—
long ago. ‘

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FUNSTON, John, 20-years=-old, white, hanged at New Philadelphia, Ohio, Dec, 30, 1825.

"New Philadelphia, Ohio, September 13, 1838-4 lad about 18 years, named Cotnell, while
engaged in carrying the mail from Freeport to Coshocton, was, shot on Friday last, in
Oxford township, inthis county, It appears that, about 2 o'clock in the afternoon of
the ninth instant, a person named Johnstone was seen travelling on foot, apparently in
company with the mailecarrier, passing the house of Mr, Booth, on the Freeport road,
A-short time after, Mr. Smeltzer, of Coshocton, also passed,the house, travelling in
the same direction, About a mile and a half from Mr, Booth s, he discovered Johnstond
on the road, who cried out: 'Murder, Murder§{! - and when Mr? S, rode up, he behld the
corpse of the mail carrier, with his horse, on which were the mail bags at a short.
distance. @{XX On Johnstone's being interrogaged respecting his knowlege of the
transaction, he said = that themail carrier and himself had been travelling together,
when he (Johnstone) stopped at a spring to drinks; that the mail carrier rode on;

that he heard the report of a gun,and a shriek, and on going forward saw the mail
carrier lying on the ground, either dead or dying; that a man carrying a rifle came
from the side of the raads that he inquired of this man who killed the mail carrier;
that the man looked surly and using his rifle in a menacing manner, told Johnstone

not to accuse him of the murder, or words to that effect, and afterwards stepped

of the road into the woods, and has not been since discoverd, -This is the substance
of the story related by Johnstone to Mr, S, and others, The toy was shot in the back
with a rifle ball, which entered near the spine, and lodged beneath the skin below

the breast. ‘when AMMHHKAKHA Johnstone passed Booth s he was observed tocarry nothing
but a walking stick, His assertions, however, are”said to be contradictory, and he

is detained until the XKXAZ#3KX affair shall be further investigated,"

DAILY NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER, Washington, De Ce, September 2)), 1825 (2/5.)

- "TRIAL OF JOHN FUNSTON,
"On the afternoon of Tuesday, the 15th of Nevember, JOHN FUNSTON was arraigned before
the Court of Common Pleas, then sitting for the county of Tuscarawas, in the State of
Ohio, charged with murder in the first degree, in shooting WILLIAM Cartmill, while in
the act of carrying the United States! mail from Freeport to Coshocton, on the 9th of
September, last. ‘The prisoner pleaded NOT GUILTY. Thirty-six persons were summoned
to attend as jurors, from whom the prisoner selected twelve, Forty witnesses were
examined, The jury returned a verdict of GUILTY, The following summary of the
testimony was made by the Judge in pronouncing sentence of death on the prisoner:
'"tThe evidence from which the jury have drawn the conclusion of your guilt, is from the
testimony of John Smellzer, and others, It appears that Wm, Cartmill was found dead
on the road from Cadiz to Coshocton about one o'clock on the 9th day of Wax@MMAK Sep-
tember, last, about one mia and a half from the house of one Booth in this county.
It was stated by William Johnson, a’man who hasbeen arr&sted and detained until this
term, for the murder of deceased, when passing along the road to the west, that when
near where the body of the deceased was found, he heard the report of a gun, and 3
screams while drinking at a spring near the road, He passed on and found deceased
lying on the road, apparently expiring - he passed the body, and at a short distance
saw you with a gun = that you refused to aid him in removing the body of the deceased
or to go with him to Booth's to obtain assistance, (observing that you had a gun and
would be suspected) but turned off under promise of going to one Forney s for help.
It was stated by some of the witnesses, that about 8 or 9 o'clock on the morning of
the 9th of September last, you were seen taking the road from your residence, which
leads towards where the deceased had been murdered = that you did not return, as some

of the witnesses say, until about 2o0'clock, It was stated by your mother, that she saw

you about 11 o'clock on that day, and also about 1 o' clock on the same day. By the
testimony of two or three witnesses, you were seen about lh o clock on the samg day

boasting of your money; saying you had a ten dollar bank bill, One of the witnesses
saw a part of this bill, on which were a figure 1 and an 0, It was proved that you
offered a ten dollar bill on the Bank of New Lancaster to two or three persons some
days afterwards = and that you at length passed to a merchant in Shanesville a ten

dollar note on that Bank, Jt appears also in @vidence, that the deceased, CARTMILL,

had received from Mr, Wilson, a Postmaster, the Romane or evening before the murder
was perpetrated, a ten dollar note on the b.nk of New Lancaster, and one or two

small notes; that Mr, Wilson thinks, from the general appearance of the note passed

ee ee nn a

by you to Mr, Williams, of Shaneswille, it is the note he gave the deceased, It has

heen proven, that you stated, at one time, you had received the note from a man named

Taylor, living in Coshocton County, in part payment of a horses that you afterwards

charged John Pierce, Jun,, on oath of being the murderer of Cartmill; that he told you

he had shot the post-boy, and by that means go the note, and begged you not to divulge

it. You promised you would not unless you were about to be punished for the mrder

yourself; that Pierce gave you the ten dollar note you passed at Shanesville, told you

to get your gun repaired, purchase yourself a pair of shoes, and return him the bal-

ance. By the evidence, it appears impossible that John Pierce cauld have killed Carte

mill, It was proved where Pierce had been nearly, if not every hour of the day on

which the crime was committed, and he states he never gave you that or any other bank

note. +t was also proved that the ball extracted from the body of the deceased fits

your gun = that it has tery peculiar marks on it, although bruised a little on the

side - that several balls cast in your bullet moulds are of the same size, and have

precisely the same marks, owing to some defects in the moulds, No evidence was

offered by you, that you were in the habit of receiving money, or that you received

the 10 dollar note you passed, from any person, It was stated by one or two wit-

nesses (your mother and sister) that when you returned, the day the crime was

committed, to the house of your sister, and also to the house of your mother, you re-

turned in a different direction from that place, and came towards the house on the RHEE

rear or back part of it - that the hat you wore on that day was, as your HRAAARARRABRE
mother states, was a fur one, and not the wool one described and shown by Johnson,
and also, the clothing you wore, did not exactly correspond with the description given
of them by Johnson, But another witnesstestified that when you returned to your resi-
dence at Pierce's, you changed a wool hat you wore for a fur one, It was proved,
likewise, that the-ball entered the back, near the sixth vertebrae, pasing through
the diaphragm, -and lodged against the skin of the breast, from which it was ex-
tracted, It has been stated, by witnesses called to the Court for the purpose

of impeaching the reputation of William-Johnson, that his character was irreproach=
able and above suspicion."

DAILY INTELLIGENCER, Washington, DC, WHMMM December 3, 1825 (PAl.)

"JOHN FUNSTON was hung at New Philadelphia in the State of Ohio, according 6o his
sentence, on the 30th ult, He confessed his guilt before his execution, His crime

was murder, committed by shooting a mail carrier." DAILY INTELLIGENCER, Washington, DC
January li, 1826 (343. ,


hit : (Frabklin
GARDNER, William H., white, elec. Ohio (Fra

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RECORD

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GARDNER, Richard, black, bAsgtrocuted OSP (Ross), 11/9/1900,

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TRIAL

APPEALS

EXECUTION

G-/'7Y

FRANK NEWTON OFFICE sUPPLY-JOpHAN

Crbuhixs I Minpatet ti~F—-l Foo


The: oie
kins, age. 33, Franklin by
ayles, age.36, Xe-

Shown B\ y Slaye When Led le;

rible beating of wo other sentence

To "Death Chambers, ee de } foe Two hie “ois

“In nia x spring’ of. 1947, -
nothe man. entered

| was patched ap,
i Visits. Younger Woman


EE Ee

Oar a ae
By CARL BASIC

i ii \

TONY

On Noy. 1, 1833 the sun shone
orightly in Warren, as 12,000
0 15,000 persons lined the dusty
‘streets to watch a parade.

Considering Warren's popula-
ion at that time was less than

1,000 and the population of!
frumbull County was under
25,000, it was a very large!
crowd,

Among: the several hundred

marchers in the parade were
soldiers, lawmen, clergymen,
and governmental _ officials,
but on that day, the main
attraction was’ an_ ordinary,
Trumbull County dirt-farmer,
Ira West Gardner.

On Way To Gallows

Gardner was on his way to
the gallows.

Convicted of the county's
first murder, he was the only
man ever legally hanged in
Trumbull County.

Here, pieced together . from
information gathered by War-
ren attorney and history buff
John King, are the events which
precipitated Gardner’s execu-
tion.

Born in 1793 in Massechusetts,
Gardner moved to Ohio in 1813
and settled in Ellsworth Town-
ship, which was then part of
Trumbull County, but which
now is in Mahoning County. \

In October, 1824, while liv-
ing in Ellsworth, he married
Anna Logan. The couple later
moved to Deerfield in Portage
County and then to a farm in
Gustavus Township in Trum-
bull County.

Living with Gardner and his
bride was Frances Maria Buell,
whom most historians have
described as \Gardner’s  step-
daughter.

Girl Was Victim

The 16-year-old Frances
Maria Buell played a major
role in Trumull County's first
murder... she was the victim.

One afternoon, during the
first week of August, 1832,
Frances Maria was seen run-
ning from her home -with her
clothing in a ‘‘state of disar-
ray,’ reportedly aiter having
resisted Gardner’s advances.

She returned sometime Aug,
7, but later that evening she
was forced to flee again after
her stepfather became angry
and ‘quarreled with two of
her friends.

The next morning, persuaded
by Gardner’s promises every-
thing would be all right if she
tame back, and assured she
could leave after a few days,
und take all of her belongings
with her, if she so desired,
frances went home, again.

|‘‘abdomen

Returning home proved to be:

eoNNG
a mistake for Frances . .
ably her last,
Aug. 8, 1832,

Stabbed With Butcher Knife

© Be ht Meas ON OO

. prob-|
The date. was!

Shortly after lunchtime, wit-
nesses heard [Frances Maria
scream and saw Gardner
grb her around the neck with
his left arm, and wielding a six-!
cent butcher knife with his
right, stab her twice in the
near the — breast
bone,” inflicting a wound two
inches wide and six inches deep.
Gardner’s wife, Anna, a neigh-
bor, Harlo Mills, and two pas-
sersby witnessed the event.

Frances Maria Buell died.

Gardner was arrested by
Constable Anson Moore on a
complaint signed by Mills. He
Was arraigned before Kinsman
Justice of the Peace Abram
Griswold and jailed in Warren.

In 1832, a defendant in a cap-
ital case could elect to be
tried in Common Pleas Court
or before the State Supreme
Court. Gardner opted for the
latter.

Only two Supreme Court
justices were required to try a
case. Gardner’s trial was heard
by Justices Lane (first name
unavailable) and Wright (John|
C:); |
|

Famed Lawyers

The list of Jawvers who
took part in the trial could
have been taken from a roster
of ‘‘Who’s Who In. Ohio His-
tory.”

Assisting the 48-year-old pro-
secuting attorney, Roswell
Stone, was David Tod, 28, who
later served as governor of
Ohio during the War between
the States.

Across the table, for the de-
fense, sat Joshua Giddings, 37,
who, several years later, be-
came one of the top leaders of
a new political party, the Re-
publicans. He was assisted
by Benjamin Wade, who would
later come within one vote
of becoming president of the,
U, S. on the attempted. im-|
peachment of Andrew Johnson.

Immediately after the mur-!
der, Gardner had expressed no}

fear of punishment, and had|cism | was again obvious Wwhen|tion of the public.

indicated, according to witness: |
es, he was willing to make
retribution for his crime. But at
the Aug. 27, 1833, trial, the
plea was not guilty by reason
of insanity,

Jury Out 2 Hours

The trial lasted only one
day, and the jury took only,
two hours to bring back.a guilty|
verdict.

r

TA ANG

bs 8 api} € . uy

The 35-year-old Gardner was!

sentenced to be hanged “by the
neck until dead,” with execu-
tion. set for Oct. 4, 1833. How-
ever, Ohio Gov. Robert Lucas,
at the exhortation of several
prominent Trumbull Countians
who did not want to see Gard-
ner hanged, stayed execution
until Nov. 1. Lucas said he
would commute the death pen-
alty if he received word that a
majority of the county's
citizens desired him to do so.

Lucas heard nothing.

At 12:15 the afternoon
Nov. 1, 1833, Gardner
taken from his cell, and
parade, described earlier,
gan.

Bows And Smiles ©

of
was
the
be-

During the journey to the
gallows, riding in a wagon sur-
rounded by a cordon of light
infantry, Gardner bowed and
smiled at friends and acquain-
tances in the crowd. Accounts
of the parade said he looked
‘indifferent’? and calm.

The cortege wound its way
from the county jail (which was
located at the current site of
the parking lot next to the
new county administration
building on High NW) to’ the
place of. execution between
the Erie tracks and South St.
(Atty. King places the spot
somewhere to the south of the
present site of the Red Head
gas station on South SI, just
west of the Niles Rd. inter-
section).

Gardner climbed the stairs

of the gallows accompanied by
two Methodist elders, Mack
and Winans (first mames
unavailable), Sheriff George
Mygatt, and a man described
variously as a brother’ or
brother-in-law.

Joins In Singing

Once atop the scaffold, the
clergymen led the crowd in the
singing of a hymn whch be-
gan, ‘Show pity, Oh; Lord
forgive.’’ The hard-bitten Gard-
ner joined in the singing.

Gardner’s ostentatious — stoi-
'

o”

YJ arre— , Ohio,

oe.

Gavane! |
he later refused a “blindtold
proffered by Sheriff Mygatt,

and chose, instead, to wear his
beaver hat (probably similar
to the hat usually associated,
With President Lincoln.)

Weeps During Prayer

His resolve did crack, how-
ever, during a half hour speech
by Elder Mack and during
prayers led by the clergymen,
Gardner wept.

Gardner requested several
other prayers and another
speech. Atty. King believes
Gardner was trying to  pro-

long his life, to cling to his last
few moments of mortality, that,
possibly, he had hoped to see
the governor’s dispatch rider
gallop to the gallows carrying
a Jast minute reprieve.

No rider came.

At 2:25 p.m., Sheriff Mvgatt
tripped the gallows and Gardner
plunged six feet ‘‘into eternity.”

He made. a few convulsive

efforts to breathe and struggled
a Jittle. It took a full six min-

utes for all signs of life to
leave Gardner.

The body was left hanging
until 3:05 p.m.

Buried In Kinsman

Gardner was first buried!
in the Kinsman cemetery,
but fear that the body would
be exhumed and_= mutilated,
caused it to be moved to a
new grave site somewhere

along a fence line separating
the farms of Walter and Jesse
Smith in Willowsfield, approxi-
mately five miles north of

Kinsman,

Later accounts of the hanging
lauded the crowd, which had!
witnessed the event, for its
orderliness (at that — time,
spectators at hangings often
rioted following the execution).|.

One newspaper described the};

hanging and said, “All the
preparations were well ar-|

ranged and everything passed
off, we hope, to the = satisfac-


When All Hell Ripped Loose (Continued from Page 7) orncin beeen Monies

started to run, and planked it back
down on my head again.

Boettcher, by this time, was racing
away toward the back fence, with Bill
Danner in back of him. I joined Dan-
ner and together we cut loose. He
clambered over the fence, with Bill
and, me right in-back, both of us shoot-
ing at him like mad.

Suddenly he tripped over a wire
fence and we thought we had him, but
he leaped to his feet and was off again.
Every few yards he flung his right arm
back over his left shoulder and fired—
now at Danner, now at me. He kept
snarling like a cornered beast.

We crossed a narrow street, into the
railroad grounds two blocks away from
the house. In front of us was an em-
bankment—Boettcher ran up this em-
bankment, turning half-way up to
shoot. His gun roared and Bill Dan-

ner groaned, clutched his stomach and

fell forward.

1 pushed on, my head screaming
with rage, and out of one corner of my
eye I saw Bill lift his right arm off
the ground and fire his gun—the last
bullet in it, I learned later. I fired my
own gun at the same instant, and one

~ Most Wanted

ing face.

YWsAnoen JOHNSTON’S voice was
husky as he picked up the phone.

“Get me James V. Bennett, Director
of the Federal Bureau of Prisons,
‘Washington, D. C.,” he said tersely.
“It’s an emergency. The charge is to

Ordway 1437.”

It was 1:56 p.m. when the Warden
again hung up the phone, having ended
the job most hated by any prison di-

‘ rector—the reporting of a prisoner’s

escape. :

Instantly Johnston again picked up
the phone. “Exbrook 2679,” he
growled. .

A. well-modulated feminine voice
answered, “FBI Field Office.”

The Acting Agent in charge of the
San Francisco office, Federal Bureau
of Investigation, Department of Jus-
tice, was plugged in.

In staccato, terse phrases Johnston
again reported the escape of Cole and
Roe from Alcatraz, the prison from
which no man ever had escaped since
the Department of Justice took over
the old United States Army prison for
incorrigibles.

And into instant action swung J.
Edgar Hoover’s “G-Men,” directing
and coordinating the biggest, fastest,
most intensive search ever conducted
in California and equal to anything in
the United States—even the Lind-
bergh baby kidnaper hunt.

A search in which literally more
than 6,000 northern California peace
officers and Federal men took part. A
search which within minutes was to
start ace investigators to work in parts
of the United States 3,0C0 miles from
the scene of the escape.

With a deft, sure touch, the Acting
FBI Agent took charge... it was prop-
erly his since Federal prisoners are
under jurisdiction of the Federal Bu-
reau of Investigation. The Agent re-
ported instantly to Hoover in Washing-
ton, received brief instructions, then
went to work.

Half a dozen trained agents in the
San Francisco. office received swift
orders. They left at once from their
offices in the fog-shrouded seven-
teenth-floor suite of the Sutter Build-

42

of those two bullets get Carl Boettcher
in the guts. His arms went up and he
fell backward and rolled down the em-
bankment.

I ran up and grabbed his gun off the
ground.

“I’m going to die,” he moaned.

I glanced back at Bill Danner, my
partner, on the ground. “You might
as well die,” I cried. “You're going to
fry in the electric chair for this.”

His gun was empty. I ran back and
picked up Bill’s gun. Some Negroes
came up and I sent two of them for an
ambulance.

It seemed hours before that ambu-
lance pulled up. I kept wiping the
blood out of my left eye and shouting
over to Danner to hold on, and I kept
looking down at Boettcher, my finger
itching to pull the trigger. I wanted
to finish him off—but that is one of
the things a detective doesn’t do.

4:00 p.m.

Not until I got to the hospital did I
know that two of the robbers were
dead, and that all the bank loot had
been recovered. A_ half-dozen sur-
geons were battling desperately to save
Bob Cline’s life—in vain. They put

Men in America (Continued from Page 29) ogrici

Judge Dave W. Ling of the Fed-
eral Court in Arizona heard the
case Deputy Sheriff Washum
brought before him in the killing
of an tndian. The complete story
begins on Page 30 of this issue

ing at No. 111 Sutter Street. Efficient
girl secretaries contacted eight more
agents by phone or short-wave radio.

Wires crackled as the Coast Guard
was mobilized by MHoover’s aides.
Within a few minutes more, seven
crack Coast Guard cutters, powerful
searchlights playing, either were pa-
trolling the fog-bound bay in the vi-
cinity of Alcatraz or slicing through
choppy waves as fast as safety would
allow, toward the scene.

From San Francisco an all-points
emergeney teletype bulletin clattered
to every City police and Sheriff’s office
in California. Short-wave police radio
announcers made detailed broadcasts.

The emergency bulletins read:

WANTED FOR ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ

Ralph Roe, Number 260-Az,
with aliases Paul Sullivan, Jack
Sullivan, J. O. Sullivan, Jack Mc-
Carty, Jack McCarthy, Raymond
Roe, Raymond Rowe, J. H. Rey-
nolds.
Finger-print classification:

26 1 111
1 U lll 5

Description: Age 32, complexion
fair; eyes, hazel; hair, chestnut.

Bill Danner on an operating table and
removed the bullet from his groin.
As this is written, he has an even
chance to live. So has Carl Boettcher.

Boettcher and Figuli have confessed
and go on trial March 7, just after this
issue of OFFiIcIAL DETECTIVE STORIES is
on press.

They had me on the table, too. The
bullet from Boettcher’s gun had just
nicked my forehead, but I was
stretched out there with—get a load
of this—the Coroner himself bending
over me, swabbing the wound with
alcohol. All available doctors and
nurses were enlisted in the immediate
business of caring for Cline, Danner,
Boettcher and Mrs. Wotring, and they’d
called the Coroner in to fix me up.

Well, Alice, my wife, knew the
Coroner, and to top it off, someone had
phoned her at the house and told her
I was dead, and they hadn’t broken it
subtly the way the G-Men do. Any-
way, she came racing down to the
hospital and when she burst into the
room where I was and saw the Cor-
oner there bending over me, apparent-
ly closing my eyes, she let out a whoop
and toppled over. But when she came

Height, 6 feet; weight, 170; build,
tall, slender.

Scars and marks: Tattoo star left
index and back of left hand.
Large rag cut scar 2” left forearm.
Sentenced from Eastern District of
Oklahoma for Robbery of national
bank, armed.

Relatives: Raymond Roe (broth-
er), Box 242, Hays, Kansas.

Mrs. Wanda Stakey (sister), 1216
Broadway, Kansas City, Missouri.

Theodore Cole, Number 258-Az,
Finger-print classification:

21 #17 #1M 17

27 0 16

Description: Age, 25; height, 5’ 8";
weight, 135; build, small medium;
nationality, American; complexion,
fair; eyes, blue; hair, brown.
Scars and marks: 2” scar corner
right lip, small scar middle right
cheek, large 8” scar above knee of
left leg.
Sentenced from Western District
of Oklahoma for kidnaping.
Correspondents: Mrs. Esther Cole
(mother), P. O. Box 215, Wood-
lake, California.
Violet Dawson (sister), 6238 Gif-
ford Avenue, Bell, California.
Mrs. Pauline Cornett (sister).
Route No. 2, Box No. 9, Stroud,
Oklahoma.

One FBI agent checked with the
Coast and Geodetic Survey by phone,
discovered that at that very moment
—2 p.m.—the swift ebb-tide had
reached its maximum velocity of
seven and a half miles per hour past
Alcatraz. The churning current raced
directly toward the Golden Gate and
the open Pacific Ocean beyond the
headlands.

Another produced a map of the San
Francisco Bay and a pair of calipers.
The measured distance between Al-
eatraz and the Golden Gate was three
and a quarter miles. The distance be-
tween Fort Baker on the Marin County
shore and Fort Scott on the San Fran-
cisco shore measured slightly over one
mile.

Swiftly the clear-eyed agent made
several brief notes on a pad, laid it on
the Acting Bureau Chief’s desk.

He made a quick calculation. If the
tide had a speed of seven and a half
miles per hour toward the Golden Gate
a little more than three miles away
from the island, it should take about
half an hour for a floating object to
reach the gate. The prisoners had been
on the island at 1 p.m., gone at 1530.
They might, even at that moment, be
climbing ashore in safety.

With the Golden Gate only a mile
wide, the problem of the escaping men

to, and saw me sitting there on a chair
in front of her—well, how do you think
she felt? ~ :

“Did we get them?” I said grimly.

“Leo!” she cried, and made a grab
for me. “Poor Mrs. Cline,” she sobbed.
She’d had a taste herself of how it felt.

4:30 p.m,

Evening edition, Columbia Dispatch:

“Columbus is a law and order city.
Bank robbers here have written a sor-
ry history for themselves on every
occasion in which they have entered
the community. Public memory is not
so short that it does not remember
other times when such criminals put
an end to their depredations when
they entered Columbus and tried to
stack their wits against the competence
and courage of our police force.

* . the whole affair constitutes
one more warning to roving bands of
robbers and one more highpoint in the
creditable history of the Columbus
Police: Department.”

And at 5:00 p.m.

“Say, am I gonna be all right? Any-
thing you can do to get me outta this
pain?”

Wait and see, Leo.

Read It First in
AL DETECTIVE STORIES

seemed simple enough. They would
have to swim half a mile either toward
the Marin shore or the San Francisco
side, from the center of the outgoing
tidal current.

They would have to swim or paddle
that distance within 30 minutes or they
would miss the shore and be carried
on out to sea, and to certain death.
And they might lose their way in the
fog as well.

Or could an accomplice with a boat,
at a prearranged signal, have been
waiting for the two convicts? That
would have been easy enough to do.
Under normal conditions guards at
Alcatraz would have fired on any craft
approaching within 200 yards of the
island, warning them off.

But in the ghostly fog which blan-
keted the bay, a small power boat
could have approached to within 50
yards of the island and remained en-
tirely invisible even to keen-eyed
guards. Provided the pilot thoroughly
knew the bay. The sound of quiet:mo-
tors would have been deadened in the
heavy-lying fog. But how could men
on silent Alcatraz make that contact?

@©n the other hand, the G-Man
figured, that same fog would have
made contact with swimming convicts
equally difficult. The floating debris
from the recent flood would have made
use of an improvised raft easier. But
the tide, swirling and_ treacherous,
still would make it a life-and-death
gamble.

The sleek cutters already were plow-
ing through the foam and spray in
rapidly widening circles in that sec-
tion from the island to the Golden
Gate. In this area the escaped men
should be unless they already had es-
caped, They hardly had time yet to
reach a safe landing, officials thought
even if they had managed to contact
a getaway boat.

NN AGENT received another curt

order, stepped to another phone.
“Captain of Inspectors Walter Johnson
at Berkeley,” he requested.

Briefly the agent explained the situ-
ation, amplifying the radio and tele-
type bulletins.

“Will you cover Berkeley Yacht
Harbor?” he asked.

“Certainly, Charlie, right away,”
Captain Johnson replied.

And squad-car officers carefully in-
spected each pleasure craft that en-
tered the new harbor there, and
searched every boat berthed.

Similarly a score of yacht harbors
along the bay shores were covered by
other cooperative police.

Small craft, including the.D. A.
White, San Francisco police boat, and
the Alcatraz launch, were mobilized

opie


at Cooke, yelling loudly, and started
firing his gun. One of his bullets struck
Mrs. Wotring. It got her in the hip.
Calmly, Cooke crouched down and shot
the man through the heart. He let out
a choked cry and toppled back into
the room he’d just left.

This man was granite-chinned Jacob
Miller—the man we first thought was
Charles Bird, today’s Public Enemy
No. 1. Newspapers throughout the land
headlined this—chiefly because Carl
Boettcher, when asked in Mt. Carmel
Hospital if one of his confederates was
Bird, nodded “yes.” The whole De-
partment, for almost an hour, was
elated. G-Men pricked the bubble,
however, after comparing the dead
man’s finger-prints with Bird’s. Charles
Bird is still Public Enemy No. 1.

Said Mrs. Wotring: “After I was hit,
I saw the detective shoot one of the
bandits. He fell backward and sort of
rolled into the doorway to the front
room, I jumped up and picked up the
dead man’s gun and ran out of the
house.”

As Mrs. Wotring ran out through the
door to the front room, it had slammed
shut when the robber Cooke hit fell
through the doorway, but opened
again and another bandit started pop-~-
ping away at Cooke. Cooke shot at him
and he yelped and flopped back into
the room and collapsed.

Vincent Grinkowicz:

He got a

This man was steely-eyed Vincent
Grinkowicz.

Said Cooke later: “I knew there
were two more in there, but my gun
was empty. So I dashed out the back
door into the yard and started running
around to the front. At the corner I ran
into this woman again and she had a
.38 revolver in her hand. She was just
standing there, crying hysterically. I
grabbed the gun, shook out the bullets
and put them in mine.

"| WAS just starting back in the
house, when one of the bandits
called to me from the kitchen and I
ordered him out. He walked out, his
hands high over his head. He was
shaking like a chunk of jello.”

This man was dough-faced Steve
Figuli.

3:44 p.m,

Bob Cline, shot twice in the ab-
domen and bleeding horribly, had
staggered around to the front corner of
the house and collapsed. Early the next
morning, in Mt. Carmel Hospital, he
died—his_ grief-stricken wife, Julia,
and his two children, Mary Jo, age
14, and Robert, Junior, age 9, at his
bedside. Bob Cooke, his partner and
buddy, was there, too, the tears
streaming down his face,

3:41 p.m,

Me?

free ride to the County morgue

Jacob Miller: He gave orders but ‘
his judgment was very faulty
®

OD10

*

I backed away from the door out of
which bullets were coming like potato
strings through a colander. I had to do
something, and do it quick. I couldn’t
go in the door. I backed up toward the
corner of the house, and across North
Guilford Avenue I saw Mrs. Lillian
McGreary in the doorway of her
house, at No. 184. Ae

' Said Mrs. McGreary: “I saw Mr.
Phillips making motions to me. I took
it that he wanted me to call the police
for more men and guns. So I ran to the

telephone right by the front door. ,
While I was talking to the station I

saw a man (Carl Boettcher) jump out
the front window of the house. and this
other detective (Bill Danner)‘ and he

started shooting at each other. Sud- ;

denly the man turned and _ started
around the side of the house.”

3:44 p.m.

Said Detective George Ruder: . “I

jumped into a squad car, and together,

with every other available vehicle at
Headquarters headed for this house on
North Guilford Avenue. Assistant
Chief Glenn Hoffman pulled by us on
the way, going at least ninety miles
an hour, He was inside when I got to
the house, He’d dashed up to the front

door and crashed his big body through .

it, smashing it to pieces. He darted
through the front room, over the body
of a bandit on the floor. and past an-

other one slumped over on the’ daven-
port. Just as I came bursting in, -this
Grinkowicz, whom Glenn thought ‘was
dead, picked up a .45 automatic off the
floor and leveled it at Glenn, who was
standing in the doorway to the back
room, I leaped over to the davenport,

kicked Grinkowicz in the face and dis-

armed him. He died a’ few minutes
later, just after Detective Chief Carson
came in. The other bandit, Miller, was
stone dead,'and Bob Cline was already
taken to the hospital.” ;

3:42. p.m. : :

Mrs. McGreary had been in the
house only a moment when I heard
a window crash from the. front part of

_the house, then a roar of shots and a

lungful of yells. I took a peep at the
back door and was just wheeling to
head around to the front when I saw
one of the bandits f€veling at me with
his gun from the right corner of: thd

house. This man was Carl Boettcher. ”

He pulled the trigger and got me just
above the right eye. ‘ :

TH blood started pouring out. But

all I thought was, “You damn crazy *

fool, you’re hit, why don’t you fall
down!” The bullet shot my hat off and
I remember making a pass at it. A
three-year-old hat it was,: but I
reached down and snatched it up as I
(Continued on Page 42) 1a

a ae

ed

a a ete me


So there you have both sides to the
problem that -faced F. Donald Coster
in his study ‘that morning — and all
brought on because he suddenly re-
alized that he had failed to take his
wife’s strong, upright character into
his calculations for escape. It looked
now as if he would have to take the
hard way out— bluffing his way
through somehow.

But his time with Thompson was
drawing to a close. He had asked for
a couple of weeks or so to explain
everything to Thompson and the treas-
urer had been very nice about it. He
was waiting for just one thing, was
Thompson, a reasonable explanation
about that $18,000,000 that was short
in Coster’s pet, the crude drug de-
partment. Coster had figured out when
he had given the stall to Thompson
that he could find a way of further
doctoring the books to circumvent the
truth coming out, the truth that the
huge inventories and accounts re-
ceivable down for the crude drug de-
partment were nothing more than
myths. He had breathed somewhat
easier for this reprieve—for that’s ex-
actly what it had been. He figured
that his cunning would come to his
rescue—that he could think of some-
thing.

Bu for once Coster’s cunning had
deserted him. He was no more
prepared to face Thompson, even with
a phony explanation, than he had been
when the watchdog of the treasury
had called more than a week previous-
ly. For Coster had wracked that clever
brain of his for some plausible tale,
but none had come. Then he had gone
to the psychiatrist, hoping to find a
miracle there. And the psychiatrist
had given him little or no encourage-
ment because Coster wouldn’t come
clean with the man of science.
Then he had thought up the plan to
whip together an outlaw crew—and
flee on his yacht. And now his wife
had poured cold water on that scheme,
without even knowing about it.

Coster had avoided Thompson since
the treasurer’s visit by the simple ex-
pedient of not going near Thompson’s
office, and as a matter of fact, spend-
ing very little time in his own office.
The old illness excuse. His tonsilitis
had long since left him, but he was
still wearing a silk muffler around his
“sore” throat.

So Coster thought he would face
Thompson, just to get the feel of the
wind. With no sleep whatever, and
with his eyes bloodshot from all the
drinking, Coster went into New York
the next morning. He called in a sec-
retary and began dictating to beat the
band, interrupting his dictation long
enough to ask the secretary to send for
Thompson. . '

The treasurer entered the office of
“Our President” while F. Donald was
going full blast to the girl—for Thomp-
son’s benefit.

“Hello there, Julian,” he snapped.
“Take a seat for a minute, will you,
while I finish up here.” Then to the
girl: “Remind me tomorrow to take
up the Japanese camphor situation.
The Japs are due in town next week.
While I’ve been home ill, I’ve been
going over that situation and I want
to drive a better price bargain with
them when they get in next week.
Also remind me about the wintergreen
proposition in Sumatra. Just put. a
note on my desk saying ‘Wintergreen
—Sumatra,’ and I’ll know what it
means.”

And so it went for fully ten min-
utes, while Thompson just sat there
and cooled his heels, Coster occasion-
ally stopping to flash a quick, busy
smile on the treasurer. To have lis-
tened to F. Donald dictating reminders
to himself that morning, you would
have thought he was about to stride
the drug world like a Colossus. Cer-
tainly he didn’t give the impression of
a man a pace ahead of the law.

Coster dismissed the secretary and

turned to his visitor. “Well, Julian,
how are you?” he wanted to know. Nothing at the moment.”
And he did an unheard-of thing. He
arose from his desk and pumped the waiting for you, Donald.”
treasurer’s hand. “I’ve been terribly
ill—but I’m working on that proposi-
tion we discussed week ago Sunday.
I’m almost ready for you.” sistant.

Thompson seemed. very cool. “I’m “What,” he demanded to know
waiting, Donald,” he said, “but not of his brother, “is Thompson up
for very long. Some very disturbing to?”

\

“Nothing at the moment, Julian.
“Well, I have work to do. Vl be
Coster sat there somewhat stunned.

Then he buzzed for his brother, George
Dietrich, who was Thompson’s as-

Timely Events

IVE men died in the electric chair recently in the widely sepa-
rated States of Colorado, Ohio, Florida and New York to write the
final chapters to four stories previously published. in this magazine.

In Colorado Joe Arridy, moronic slayer of Dorothy Drain, went
to his death January 7, 1939. Arridy’s crime was committed in
Pueblo, Colorado, and was described in the November, 1936, issue of
OFFICIAL DETECTIVE STORIES, under the title, “The Maniac
Murder of Dorothy Drain.” Frank Aguilar, also convicted with
Arridy of the same slaying, had been executed more than a year

g~--preyiously. .

Steve Figuli was put to death Wednesday, December 21, in
Columbus, Ohio, for the murder of Detective Robert Cline of Colum-
bus. This case was given in the issue of March 30, 1938, “When All
Hell Ripped Loose.”

The two New York convicts executed were Salvatore Gatti and
Charles Sberma. They, too, killed a policeman, Patrolman John
Wilson, in New York City. Their story appeared in the November 15,
1937, issue of this magazine, entitled “Trailing New York’s Hot Wax
Killers.”

Franklin Pierce McCall went to his death February 24 for the
killing of James ‘Cash, Junior, as described in the issue of July 20,
1938, “Inside Story of the Kidnap-Murder of James Cash, Junior.”

Good’ news was handed out to three other convicted persons.
Oscar Bartolini, murderer of Mrs. Grayce Asquith in Boston, had his
death sentence commuted to life imprisonment January 4. This
story appeared in the January 1, 1937; issue, and was called “Secret
of the Floating Burlap”... Mrs, Emma Rupe, who kidnaped Jackie
O’Brien, as told in the February 1, 1938, issue, “Who Kidnaped
Jackie O’Brien?” was given a Christmas present by Governor Teller
Ammons of Colorado. Her 30-year sentence was cut to five years.

Simon Elmore, sentenced to die for the sex slaying of Jean
Kubela, had his sentence commuted to life imprisonment by Gov-
ernor Lehman of New York. This case was in the issue of October 1,
1937. ‘ ,

In Olympia, Washington, Doctor K. W. Berry, William McAloon,
James Reddick and Robert Smith were convicted of the kidnaping
of Irving Baker, which was described in the issue of November,
1938, “ ‘Admit You Attacked My Wifel’”

In the July 6, 1938, issue of this magazine. Edward Larkman
described how he escaped electrocution by minutes, for a murder
he did not commit: He later was pardoned by Governor Lehman.
On February. 21 this year Larkman was convicted of receiving
stolen property and was sentenced to 20 to 40 years as a repeater.

The story “Hot Lead for Ringtown’s Hex,” appearing in the
January, 1939, issue, declared that both Al Shinsky and Peter Shoup,
confessed killers of Mrs. Susan Mummey, were confined to the
Farview State Hospital for the Criminal Insane. Shoup now is
in Schuylkill Haven State Hospital.

In order to bring. readers the most complete ‘stories first,
OFFICIAL DETECTIVE STORIES often prints a review of a case
before its final disposition. This department appears from time to

time to enable readers to keep up with the outcome of these stories.
‘

things have cropped up—in addition
to what I went over with you.”

“J haven’t any idea, Philip,” said
the younger Musica, “but he’s been

“Disturbing?” }
“Most. But I don’t care to go into
them now. They can wait—for a day

or two yet. I want to clean them all .

up at once—during the showdown.”

The silence that followed can best —

be described as embarrassing. Then
Thompson broke it. “Have you any-
thing else to say to me?”

awful busy at something. He doesn’t
leave anything lying around at all. I
can’t find out what he’s doing. Not
only that, he’s made me turn over a
lot. of records that I ordinarily
keep.”

“And you gave them to him!” thun-
dered Coster.

“What else was there for me to

do?” asked the Musica known as
George Dietrich.

“And people wonder why I’m drink-
ing my head off,” said Coster. With
that he left the office without further
ado, stopped in a liquor store near
Grand Central Terminal, bought a
bottle of McKesson & Robbins brandy,
and went to work on it while his
chauffeur drove him back to Con-
necticut. When he arrived in Fair-
field he. was drunk again, but still
doing enough thinking to know what
it was all about.

There were disturbing things await-
ing him when he got home. He sub-
scribed to one of those confidential
news services out of Washington—
bulletins mailed right to your home or
office, giving you the lowdown on
things. Attorney General Homer Cum-
mings, Coster learned, slated to re-
sign, was possibly going to be re-

placed by Frank Murphy, former -

Governor of Michigan. That is to say,
Murphy’s name was getting prominent
mention in inner circles right then.

-That was bad news on general prin-

ciples—for here was another hard-
hitting, righteously honest Attorney
General coming in right after one of
the same stripe. It seemed to be a
season for honest law-enforcement
officials, just when things were get-
ting toughest for Coster.

In fact, everywhere the man looked
things were black indeed. Then, too,
there had been a telephone call to the
butler from a man who wouldn’t give

his name but who had stated that he

was the person “with Mr. Phillips last
night.”
“who?” Coster demanded.

The butler repeated the message,
and Coster’s head began to swim for
fair. How had this man found out who
he was—and why had he called? Was
it more blackmail? He had met this
man through a friend of a friend—
that is to say, through a friend of
Johnnie Torrio, the one-time Chicago
big shot, who had been in many a
bootleg deal with Coster when F. Don-
ald was ‘holding forth at the Girard
Hair Tonic plant in Mt. Vernon, New
York. Torrio and Coster had become
pretty good pals, in fact, with Johnnie
acting as a sort of go-between on
occasion with Coster and the under-
world’s biggest shots. And this gang-
ster to whom Coster had turned to
find an outlaw seaman had been a
very good friend of Torrio’s, and
therefore trusted by Coster. And when
Torrio’s friend recommended the man
with the crooked nose, Coster had felt
safe at least on that score.

BY now that wasn’t to be the case.
When would this man call again?

Coster had to wait only until night
fell to get the answer to that one. And
the call wasn’t on the phone, either.
The butler came up to the study,
where F. Donald had resumed, or was
continuing, rather, his drinking, and
announced that a very uncouth per-
son with a crooked nose was at the
front door, demanding to see Mr. F.
Donald Coster.

Coster went downstairs to the door.

“What,” he demanded, “brings you
here, and what do you want?”

“Me demands, mister, are simple. I
figure it ought to be wort somethin’
more’n a hunnert bucks to you for
me to keep still to them McKesson
aa people that you're plannin’ to

eat it.”

What will Coster’s next move be?
Can the now jittery president of the
great drug firm stave off the appar-
ently inevitable outcome? How will
he deal with this new problem—this
blackmailing leech who is asking for
more money -to keep Coster’s secret
guarded? To how many other black-
mailers does Coster give tribute? What
escape is there for this sensational
crook? For further revelations in this
amazing case see the June issue of
OFFICIAL DETECTIVE STORIES.

June Issue of OFFICIAL DETECTIVE STORIES Will Go on Sale Wednesday, May 3

52

oD—3


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Carl Boettcher:

dell Street and Cline went in. He
stayed so long we ‘got restless.

“What happened?” asked Cooke
when Cline finally came out. “Was the
groceryman trying to feed you your
soap?”

“I got a tip,” said Cline.

“What is it?”

“A lady named Fisk. She runs &
rooming-house at No, 183 North Guil-
ford Avenue. There’s some new room-
ers there we’re going to look over. Let’s

“We're still in the neigborhood,” I
said. “Why not?”

All this, coupled with a nerve-
soothing sense of humor, was routine
work, the work no one but policemen
know about. The tedious work that
turns detectives’ hair gray — digging
out, incessantly digging out, checking
countless worthless tips, satisfying
sudden hunches, interviewing thou-

_sands upon thousands of persons month

in and month out, and, 99, times out of
100, getting nowhere; until suddenly,
out of a blue sky, something unex-
pected, something 100 percent un-
predictable, explodes, and—the case is
solved!

3:30 p.m.

We cruised back into North Guil-
ford Avenue—a few yards past No. 183,
and parked alongside the curb on the
opposite side from the rooming-house.

It was a big, square, three-story,
typical-looking rooming-house. We
looked it over.

“Cookie and I will go in and see this
Fisk ,lady,” said Cline. “If we need
you, we'll call.”

“Okay, Bob.” I shoved down in the
back seat and watched them. The
weather was swell—cool and crisp. It
made a man want to get out and walk
around, but I just shoved down there
and relaxed. That steak...

They crossed the street, went up the
short walk, side by side, and stepped
up on the front porch. Cooke knocked
on the door. se

He waited a moment and knocked
again, harder. I could hear the"knock
from where I lounged in the car. Just

He was too lucky at
cards when he and Miller played

then I saw a slim, elderly woman
coming around the left rear corner of
the house. I learned later that she
was Mrs, Birtie Fisk, the landlady.

“Around here,” she called out.
“Front door’s locked.”

Cooke and Cline stepped off the
porch. We watched casually as they
met Mrs. Fisk coming up the walk.

3:40 p.m. '

“Where are the boys?” asked Cooke,
stabbing blindly in the dark, as detec-
tives do a dozen times a day. “Are
they inside?”

“The bank robbers?”

“Yes.”

“I think they are,” said Mrs. Fisk.
“But don’t shoot, please. My brother’s
in there.”

Cooke lifted his left hand and waved
to Bill and me. I saw his right hand
go for his gun. .

Followed by Cline, he ran around
the back corner of the house. Bill and
I already were out of the car, pulling
our guns. We dashed across the street.

“1'll hold the front,” yelled Bill.

I raced around the left side of the
house, ducking instinctively each time
I passed a window. Three dancing
words popped up before me:

“Yes, Alice—when!”

HIT the corner of the house, pound-

ing hard. I started around—

When all Hell ripped loose!

Shots were flying everywhere. They
came out through the back door, out
through the windows, through the sides
of the house. It sounded like the bat-
tle of the Marne.

I swung forward, toward the back
door. Cooke and Cline were in there—
shooting it out with a quartet of trig-
ger-fingered maniacs. “They’re inside
there killing my buddies,” I thought.
“Damn their souls!”

At that instant Cline staggered out,
gasped, “I’m shot, go in there and help
Cookie.”

Something snapped in the back of
my head—a rage, I guess. I leaped
through the doorway, my gun up,
cocked and ready. couldn’t shoot,

Steve Figuli: He joined the gang for
the sole purpose of killing his “pai”

though. Cooke was somewhere ahead
of me. I was in a darkened hallway.
A short flight of steps led up to a small
landing—then a door. Another door on
the left. On the right—a stairway go-
ing up. Bullets were splintering the
door facing me. They came out through
the panels, one after another. It was
senseless, idiotic, to push forward into
them. I swore, crouched low and
backed out.

Cooke—where was he? Dead?

As it came out later...

Cooke, after waving to Bill and me,
ran through the back door into the
hallway. He saw this door on the
landing and made for it, but just as
Cline and he got to the first step below
the landing, a gun barked and a bullet
tore through the keyhole of the door.
Part of the lock struck Cooke in the
stomach and he called to Cline and
told him he was hit. Almost immedi-
ately another bullet crashed through
and Cline staggered backward down
the steps.

“So am I, Cookie,” he gasped.

On Cooke’s left was a door. He tried
the knob and the door opened. He
stepped in quickly, found himself in a
dark, narrow room with chairs and a
table. He ran through to a door op-
posite and yanked it open. He was now
in the kitchen, with pots and pans on a
cupboard and an ironing-board on the
floor. The iron was-on and it was
burning a hole in the cloth. All this
he noticed in a flash. Someone, he
knew, had just run out of this room.

Ahead of him, toward the front of
the house, was an open door. This door
was not off the kitchen, but from
where Cooke stood he could see into
the room he had just run through and
to one side, opening into a front room,
this door. When he went by, it was
closed. Now it was open.

Suddenly a woman came out, as if
she’d been thrown, and Cooke yelled
to her to come out into the kitchen.
She came out and he looked to see if
she was armed. She wasn’t and he
made her stoop down under the sink.

“Stay under there,’ he ordered.

“There’s going to be some bullets fly-
ing this way in a minute. Where’re the
guys?”

“In the front,” cried the woman.
There was a look of stunned fear in
her eyes and Cooke said later he knew
instinctively she was not one of the
gang.

HIS woman, it came out, was
Violet Wotring, mother of four chil-

dren, who resided at the rooming-
house.

Said Mrs. Wotring: “I was ironing
in the kitchen, when someone knocked
at the door. I told a friend of mine who
was visiting me that we couldn’t go to
the front door because the front room
was rented. She said it was all right
because the landlady, Mrs. Fisk, had
gone out to see who was there.”

Said Mrs. Fisk: “I went around the
side of the house and called out. When
I saw the detectives, a terrible fright
went through me. I knew right then it
was those boys in the front room. I
think it was Tuesday morning when
two of them (Boettcher and Figuli)
came to the house and asked for a
room. They said they were going to the
University. They paid two weeks in
advance, and the next day they
changed the lock on the garage. They
told me to keep the doors to their
rooms locked tightly and not to let

anyone in when they went out. Friday
they got up early and I remarked to
Frank (Frank Price, Mrs. _ Fisk’s
brother) that the boys were up early.
I’d heard them arguing the night be-
fore—almost all night they’d argued,
but I couldn’t hear anything they said,
except the swearing. After they got up,
Frank and I went downtown and came
home around noon and we heard them
arguing again (this was after the rob-
bery). I didn’t know there were four
of them in there. There were only two
voices.”

Said Mrs. Wotring: “I was in the
kitchen when the shooting started. I
didn’t know what to do. I got excited
and instead of running out the back
door I ran into the room where the
robbers were. One of them almost shot
me, but another pushed me to one side,
and the next thing I knew I was
stumbling out through the door into
the room next to the kitchen. Then this
big detective grabbed me and made
me get down under the sink.”

Cooke was standing there in the
pantry door, when suddenly a man
came out through the door Mrs. Wot-
ring had just emerged from. He lunged

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CRIME CONFESSIONS

the law was behaving.

A couple of days after he left,-a
al of mine got knocked off in Cleve-
and on a bank Pee He knew plenty

about me and I decided Id take a trip
over that way and see if his tongue
was behaving.

Ray Stern was the friend’s name
and he was pinched for knocking over
the Lorain Fulton Street. Bank for
$14,000. He was in the county jail
and while the Feds frisked his apart-
ment on Hough Avenue, I was only
two doors away.

I sent word to Mack and Boettcher
and told them to come on. When they
got there I told them about Stern’s
pinch and said that I thought it would
be a good time to clip a bank in Cleve-
land. Nobody would be expecting a
caper with’ all kinds of government
law running around the town.

And I was right!

We robbed the Lorain Street Sav-
ings Bank of $18,000, and left behind
. gost $30,000, through some tough
uck.

Stopping before the bank, the four
of us got out with me in the lead as’
we entered. I had my hand on a .45
in my coat pocket. Gruniciez followed
me in the door with Mack and Boet-
tcher in the rear and remaining near.
the door. Gruniciez and I took up
positions where we could cover the
cages and main vault.

ack drew his handkerchief and
wiped his brow and we went into
action, ordering all to reach and
reach high. Gruniciez and I leaped
over the cages ‘and scooped the cash
into our bags.

I heard a whistle and looked up to
see Mack motioning for more speed
in cleaning out the joint. I tried to
get into the vault and found that
somehow it had ‘gotten locked. Mo-
tioning to Boettcher to come along,
we left the bank as quickly and quiet-
ly as we had entered.

When we were in the car, Mack
started cussing the bum breaks. Our
info said the bank vault should be
open at this time of day but we later
learned that a stenographer had the
presence of mind to step on a but-
ton locking the vault and saving
$30,000.

Worming our way through the
traffic as we headed west on Lorain
Avenue, I spotted a rube in a truck
trying to get an eyeful. I was in the
back seat. Raising my gun to a level
with his head made him go to the
floor boards and that was all the trou-
ble we had.

Rather than leave Cleveland, I told
the boys to stick around and I would
guarantee a good hideout. They all
agreed and I made the arrangements
for us to stay at a place on Hough
Avenue.

It cost us $1,700 a month to stay
there but it was worth it. We had
good food, women, and at night we
were taken to a private gambling
joint.

It was about this time that I over-
heard Gruniciez talking to Boettcher
about a kidnapping he had in mind.
Apparently I was to be left out of it.
He was also trying to convince Boett-
cher that I was a Jonah and would
only get all of them into trouble in
the end.

Hell, as soon as I could make and
save a decent amount of cash, I was
going to get out of this. It was. get-
ting on my nerves to have to keep

watching so that none of my ‘friends’
got behind me.

BOUT two weeks later, I was driv-
ing with Boettcher along Superior
Avenue in Cleveland and we were
headed out of town to case a job in
Columbus, Ohio. I decided I'd have
thing. fun and maybe find out some-
thing.
at’s a neat Regie Gruniciez has
on that snatch, isn’t it?” I shot at him
as we drove tiong. “I wonder how
soon we're going to pull it.”

Boettcher damn near smashed into
another car.

Looking sidewise at me, he said,
“So he told you about it already. i

“No, . 1 told him. “I was tuning in
on you two.”

“Well, I guess I might as well tell
you everything,” said Boettcher.
“Gruniciez said you were to be in on
the snatch but that when the pay-
off came you were going to get some
lead instead of cash.”

“Go on,” I told him, mad as hell.

Boettcher swung the car into high-
way 42 leading to Columbus, and

went on: “There’s an old guy in Chi-
cago who owns a flock of stores and
a lot of real estate. He has two sons
that he would give everything he
owns to save from any harm. In
other words, he’s ripe pickings.”

“Don’t be a fool,” I told him.
“Gruniciez was talking to you about
bumping me and he probably intends
to do the same to you as soon as he
can get away with it.”

By the time we reached Columbus,
I at that I had Boettcher on my
side but for how long I didn’t know.
That guy was swung too easily.

Boettcher told me to keep my eyes
peeled for the Hilltop Bank, which
was the job we were casing

I soon spotted it and gave it a good
onceover as we drove slowly by.

“T know where to get rooms on the
west side,” said Boettcher. ‘“We’ll
both pretend to be college students
studying mining. This is a univer-
sity town and the place is lousy with
students.”

“Yeah, the big house is here, too,”
I reminded him, “and they’ve got a
helluva lot of students.” Maybe that
was why I didn’t quite like the idea
of pulling a job in Columbus.

We drove up to a large rooming
house on Guilford Avenue, and car-
ried our bags to the porch where we
were met by the landlady. After
——— us about our business
and how long we intended to stay,
she gave us rooms.

We had some books with us and
we carried them as we walked around
the town, dressed as college kids, and
casing the bank. Boettcher told me
* ~~ supposed to carry over $30,-

Walking by a different route each
time, we checked each traffic light,
cop and anything else that might be
of help. Then we drove each route
and made the best speed we could.

On February 1, 1938, we sent the
word that all was ready. On the
pag Mack and Gruniciez drove

in a_ stolen police car. They
brought along plenty of artillery and
ammunition.

Mack looked over the maps and
said they were fine. We then set
Friday the fourth as the day for the
job and had a drink on it.

Early Friday morning, I heard a

commotion in one of the rooms anc

ran in with Mack to find both Boett-

cher and Gruniciez diving for guns
We stopped them and managed t
quiet them down. Boettcher had bee:

telling Gruniciez again about his

pers of dying and Gruniciez ble»

his t
We “hed changed our system anc
Mack instead of driving was sur

posed to go in the bank while Boett-
cher stayed at the wheel. Gruni-

ciez was supposed to stand at th:

door and cover the place while Mac}

and I cleaned the cages and vault.
About 9 a. M. we pulled to the

curb in front of the bank and Boett-

cher nodded that all was clear a
he laid a gun on his lap.

Mack, Gruniciez and myself climbec

out of ‘the car and sauntered int

the bank. There were few customers

at the cages as Mack barked: “Thi

is a stickup! Reach high and don’

make any funny moves, or else!’
I headed towards the manager an
ordered him to take me into the vault

where I had him drag out two sacks

of money. We had just finishe
cleaning out everything in sight wher

Boettcher, his face white, popped hi

head in the door and yelled, “Snap
up! A cruiser just went past!”

“Get the hell in that car,” yelle
Gruniciez,
going!”

We followed him out in a coup!
of seconds after warning that w*
would shoot if anybody moved withir
ten minutes.

We drove away from the ban:
without any trouble and headed dow:
a narrow street. Driving swiftly t
the suburbs of Columbus, we back
tracked to the rooming house.

Parking the car in the garage nex*

to Gruniciez’s LaSalle, we went t

our rooms, leaving most of the mone}
in the car. Everything seemed per-
fect except that Boettcher kept pac-

ing up and down and acting scar
We were all tense anyhow after th
job and he soon had us jumpin;
every time a car passed or a footste;

sounded. To occupy the time, we se'

around and polished our guns.

I noticed the look on Gruniciez
face and made sure that my rod wa
always okay at the same time h
was ready for action.

The forenoon soon passed and aft:
dinner I went in my room for a nap

It seemed as though I had dozed b
a few seconds when Mack came int
the room in his shirt sleeves an
carrying two forty-fives.

“Pss-t, Toughy, wake up!” he sa
shaking" me. “I think the law
here!”

I got off the bed and stepped to t!
chair where my rod was lying. Pick
ing it up, I started to follow Mac!
when he suddenly turned loose
barrage at the kitchen door.

A groan sounded and this was f<
lowed by shots from outside.

So far I had not done any shootin;
For some reason I wasn't afraid
the guns outside so much as I ke;

thinking that Gruniciez might tak:

this chance to put a few into me.
backed into another room just in tr
A bunch of shots came through th
wall where I knew Gruniciez to b
He might have been shooting to h
me or thought it was the cops he wa
shooting at.

I had a glimpse of Mack, tall ar

looking like the devil himself, as >:

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CRIME CONFESSIONS

walked through a doorway on the
balls of his feet spraying lead all
around. The last I saw of him, he was
easing to the floor with blood spout-
ne from his mouth and chest.

here was a sudden noise of glass
shattering and then silence. Suddenly
there was another burst of shots and
I dived under a couch.

I lay there for what seemed ages,
and when no more shots sounded, I
crawled from under the couch and
made my way across the room. Every-
thing was wrecked.

Mack was lying there dead and I
didn’t see or hear either Boettcher or
Gruniciez. I decided to give up.
Hoisting my hands, I walked out_to

‘MANSLAUGHTER STALKED MY
CRIME ROAD FROM HELL

screamed and stormed but as I re-
gained my health that institution be-
came a haven, a refuge for me. When
I left at the end of three months I
never wanted to see whiskey again
as long as I lived.

I refused to go back to the restau-
rant, even though my father wanted
me to. Instead, I found a job as a
housemaid in the West End of Pitts-
burgh. I worked hard. I sent all my
money home. But at the end of a
year the woman for whom I worked
moved out of the district and I was
without a job.

I went back home. Father made life
miserable for me, cursing me _ be-
cause I couldn’t find work. He told
me to go back to my job in the speak-
easy or get out of his house.

I went back to that _ place,
determined that there would be no

- more heavy drinkin ne for me. In every

way possible, I did avoid drinking.
And the job was much pleasanter
than before because there was a new
waitress, Margaret Nichols, who soon
became a friend of mine. She was a
peer girl with blonde hair that she

ept just the right color with
peroxide. She wore bright red lip-
stick and short skirts. he was gay
in a light hearted way that I had
never own. Every night when
she was through work, her boy friend
was waiting to take her home. He
had his own car and sometimes they
would drive me home before they
went for a ride.

| HAD never had a boy friend in my
life. My family had never let me
have any of the boys in our neighbor-
hood come to our house and I met no
one I would look at twice during my
working hours.

Margaret’s boy friend, Joe, was
different from our customers. He was
tall, with light hair that was always
slicked. into place. He was always
well-dressed and carefully shaved.
He was gay, Ato

I was delight although a bit
flustered, on the night Margaret said
Joe wanted to get a date for me.
Would Joe’s friend like me?

He seemed to like me on that first
night we went driving—the four of
us together. His'name was Jimmy.
He was older than Joe. He had
brown hair, carefully brushed into
place, and a small, neat brown
mustache. I had never met anyone
as gentlemanly as he. I had the best
time of my life that night. After that
we went riding almost every night
after work. Pretty soon, he began
kissing me and making love to me.
I was terribly havo.

Then one night he said he didn’t
like me working in that speakeasy.
He said he’d been looking around and
had found a much better job for both
ee and me in a hotel in Akron,

hio

Margaret and I were both delighted.
We made arrangements to meet the
boys the following week. I didn’t
say anything to my family. I knew

the police and was promptly frisked
and taken to headquarters.

The police thought they had the
notorious Bird gang and Mr. Cowles

. of the Cleveland Police Department

made a hurried trip to Columbus to
make a plaster cast of Mack for iden-
tification. They wouldn’t believe me
at all.

However, the F. B I. soon corrobo-
rated my statement. They had no
record on Mack.

Gruniciez was also killed in the
battle at the rooming house and
Boettcher was paralyzed from the
waist down with a bullet in his spine.

Boettcher and I were both indicted
for first degree murder in the death

my father would storm and rave but
I thought he’d quiet down when I
—_ him my first pay from the new

job

If only I had known then what I
was getting into! But I didn’t.
Jimmy was the first person who had
ever been really kind to me. I was
ae y on that day we drove to Akron.

h lace we went to didn’t look
like a hotel, at least what I thought
a hotel should look ‘like. , It wasn’t
in Akron’s business section but on a
side street and it looked like a
private house to me. We went into
a living room. There were heavy rose
curtains on the windows and chairs
all around the walls. Jimmy told
the three of us to sit down and he
went out of the room. He came back
followed by a fat woman in a black
dress who wore tortoise rimmed
spectacles. He introduced her to us
as “Mae Jordan,” owner of the
“hotel”.

Mae began to talk to me. She
seemed ike a kindly woman.
Margaret and Joe were whispering
im a corner. I was very surprised
when they got up, walked over to
Jim and said, “Come on.”

“We'll be right back,’ Margaret
smiled at me. “Wait.”

I was too surprised to say any-
thing. They went out of the room
before I could speak. Mae patted me
on the back and said, “She’ll wait.”

I waited all right. I waited and
waited and they never came back. I
never saw them after that. I have
never seen them to this day.

But I didn’t have long to wait until
I learned what kind of a place I was
in. Mae told me, and her voice was
no longer kindly. I was in a sporting
house!

I cried and screamed. Mae shouted
at me that after the place I’d worked
in Clairton I should be glad a place
like hers would have me. She pulled
me into a small bedroom and locked

.the door.

I screamed and pounded on the
door for what seemed to me hours
and finally fell down on the bed,
exhausted. I was awakened out of
a fitful sleep by two men who pulled
and pushed me down the steps into a
waiting automobile. It was night. I
didn’t know where they were taking
me. I was too worn out to protest
any more. The place they took me
looked just like the first place. They
as me there a week.

inally, I escaped the vigilant eye
of the manager, a thin, shrill-voiced
woman named Peggy. I had less
than a dollar in my purse when I
found myself alone on a side street
in Akron, But it was enough. I
hitchhiked back to Pit!

I went home, completely broken
in spirit. I had worked in a speak-
easy. I had been sent to the work-
house by my own family—and now
I had been forced to spend a week
in a sporting house. I was ashamed.
And so when my father told me he
wanted nothing more to do with me,

of Detective Bob Cline who was killed
at the rooming house in the exchange
of gunfire. Detective William Danner
was also seriously wounded.

Boettcher and I were both found
ey and sentenced to the chair. It
ooked as though his dreams were
right. But one thing Boettcher did
do—he beat the chair by dying here
in Death Row.

* * *

All avenues of escape from the chair
were closed and on December 21,
1938, at about 8 Pp. M., Toughy shook
my hand as he walked by my cell to
his death. He died without a mur-
mur—though his face glistened with
cold sweat as I shook his hand.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

I had no will to stand against him.

Where could I go? One of my
brothers had eee me a few dollars.
That was all .

I decided to go to the Northside of
Pittsburgh, once the city’s finest
residential section but now crowded
with tenements and rooming houses.
No one knew me there. I thought I
could find a job as a maid or as a
waitress in one of the dozens of
restaurants that line the main street.
I thought I could start anew.

I still didn’t realize that society lifts
no helping hand to girls like me.

hose were depression days. No
one wanted a maid. The respectable
places didn’t want me because I
hesitated to tell them anything about
my past. Days dragged by. I ran
out of money. I must have some-
thing to eat. I found a restaurant
down by the bank of the Alleghany
River, across from the towering sky-
scrapers of Pittsburgh. There the
proprietor agreed to hire me. I quit
when I found that as in the first place
I'd worked, I’d have to drink with
the customers. I worked in still an-
other of the dives ‘are joints of the
lower Northside. uit because I
was afraid I’d start drinking again.
I couldn’t pay rent. I was afraid to
sleep in the park. I knew the police
would pick me up and send me off to
mgrals court.

pe so, at last, desperate, friendless,
and penniless, I went back to the
waterfront dives to work and drink
among the men whom life had
defeated.

Do you think any woman would
live the life I lived by choice?

I worked long hours. I drank as
little as the job required. At night
I’d staggér to the dark, almost bare,
room I'd rented and throw myself,
exhausted, on the hard mattress. I
had no friends—not even anybody to
talk to. No one cared whether I lived
or died. Often I’ve wondered why
I went on living.

The men I waited on were rough
and tough—all but one. His hands
were what first attracted my at-
tention. They weren’t red and
calloused like those of the other men.
They were long fingered, white,
gs soft. I learned that he was

red Tellman, a tailor who had a
small shop nearby.

When he ordered something he
spoke in a quiet, almost apologetic
way. He never blustered nor com-
plained like the others. He never
made wisecracks or passes. One day
I spilled a tray. He jumped up from
his chair so quickly to help me that
he upset a glass of water in front
of him. We both laughed at our
clumsiness. After that we often
talked. He got in the habit of waiting
around until closing time, then walk-
ing home with me.

e were both lonely. He told me
that he was 40 years old and had
been separated om his wife for

many years. He wasn’t good looking «

ao"


4
~~

NESDAY, ‘NOV, 20. 1922. “HOME. EDITION...

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FORD, Hodney, 28, white, electrocuted Ohio S. P. (Hamilt ton) on July 19, 1929,

Pa s ae oS ae
‘Columbus, Ohio, July 19 (A®)- Rodney Ford, 28, of Cincinnati, convicted of partici

pa
tion in the murder of Marshal Peter Dumele of North College Hill, was electrocuted at
the Ohio pone oy tonight, He went to the electric chair at ae 237 and was pro-
nounced dead 3 minutes later, A few seconds before the current was appdied, For
whispered into the ear of Rev, Albert O'Brien, Catholic c chaplain at the peniten-
tlary, but what he said the chaplain ae sed to reveal. ‘It was irrelevant to the
situation,' Rev, Father O'Brien said, but there was a feeling among officials present
that ford might have made a confession in those last moments, 'I am not at liberty te
tell you what he said,'! fhe chaplain added. Ford entered the chair room of the death

house at 8:35 o'clock, He had been taken to the little cell bake of the chair late
in the afternoon, and there he had his last meal, He was well dressed in a blue suit,
dark striped tie and tan shoes. As he walked to the chair, the condemned man carried
a crucifix and leaned on the arm of the chaplain, A last minute effort on the part o
2 life term prisoners to save their pal proved unsuccessful when state officials de-~
clined to intercede with Gov, Cooper for executive clemency. Hohn (Toddy) Messner,
Hamilton, and Breck Lutes, Middletown, who were convicted of participation in the
robbery of a pool room at North College Hill and the resultant murder of Marshal
Dumele, declared late today that they did not believe Ford fired the shot which killed
the marshal, But official investigation of their statements brought the announcement
from Charles A, Jones, secretary to Gov. Cooper, that there was no ground to inter-
fere, Jones aaid the prisoners! statements were based on rumors and unreliable evi-
dence, Attorney Charles Brennan, ceune el for George Coleman who is under arrest at
Dayton came to Golumbus from Dayton late this afternoon, Before he started he held a

conference in the Montgomery County Jail with ee declaring that he wished also
talk with Messner and Lutes in the belief that they could sive some information

that would help Ford, sBut after talking with the 2? prisoners, Brennan said they had
nothing to offer, Brennan did not reveal what he had discussed with Coleman, The
latteh, according to Dayton authorities, is wanted in Cincinnati in connection with
the recent kidnaping of Nathan Shapiro, wealthy sportsman, In their attempt to shift
responsibility for the actual slayer of Marshal Dumele from Ford, the two lifers ex-
pressed the belief that Robert Zwick of Norwood was the man who did the shooting.
Zwick has been sought as a member of the gang that robbed the pool room, Messner and
Lutes made their statements first to Rev, Father O,Brien, He, in pede communicated
with state officials, Late in the afternoon Secretary Jones, Dale Donifen, assist-
ant secretary to the governor, and Finance Director Harry Silver went to the peniten-
tiary to interview the men, Jones said neither of them threw any further light on
the slaying so far as actual facts were concerned, Governor Cooper was out of the
city tonight. His secretaries Said not reveal his whereabouts, but had there been
any ground for seeking executive clemency, the secretaries were in a position to
communicate with Cooper, they said."
"(Special to the Plain Dealer) Cincinnati, July 19 - Rodney Ford was the first of 3
men to be placed on trial for the murder of Peter Dumele, marshall of North College
Hill, near Cincinnati, during a holdup of the Pelican pool room there, Six men en-
tered the place, stuck up more than a score of persons, shot the marshal to death whe
he entered the place unexpectedly on his early morning rounds and then escaped after
oy

firing several shots to intimidate spéctators, The slaying occasioned widespread in-
dienation, Ford was the first man arrested, On the eve of the opening of his trial,
“obert Andres, chief witness for the prosecution, was slain, His body, knifed and
charred, was found in the ruins of a blazing barbecue stand near Cincinnati, This

added to public indignation as po went on trial, Andres definitely had identified
several members of the robber gang in statements to the prosecutor and his death was
taken as a warning to other witnesses. However, several other persons present during

ees

the Bensup took the stand and identified Ford, Ford was convicted on a lst degree
murder charge without eee for mercy and was sentenced to the electric
chair. John (Toddy) Messner and Breck Lutes subs oe eon were arrested and tried.
They were voted recommendations ee mercy and escaped the chair, receiving life sen=

tences instead. Because they escaped the chair, Be efforts were made to save fore
"a Feat

from death, the contention made that he was the least guilty of the 3. Robert Zwick

and another suspect have been the object of a state wide hunt ever since the slaying

, ga ts in = high
but have never been apprehended, Jack Parker, the 6th man, was killed in a high

¥Y wounded.
y connected
ies that in-
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lily refused
ultimately
s tried for
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ficti-
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called in Patrolman Mexeill and Lon

Keller. He ordered them to make a
thorough search of the Riverdale-Idle-
wood area, especially in the vicinity of

the bridge across Stillwater Creek. He,

remembered the section as a favorite
trysting spot for young lovers.

After the two officers left, Farrell him-’

self continued on to Minnie Freese’s.
Mrs. Freese greeted him warmly, was
shocked when he informed her of Bessie
Little’s- identification.

“Why,” she said, “she was here only a

week. She paid: her board in advance,
and I’ve been worried about her. But
she told me she was looking for a posi-
tion, so, since she left all her things here,
I thought she would be back. I didn’t
connect her with that drowned woman
because, according to the papers, she was
much older. Bessie was just a slip of a
girl.”

The boarding house keeper then told
of the last time she had seen the victim.
It had been the previous Sunday—it was
now Wednesday—when almost a dozen
of Minnie’s boarders, including several
spinsterish ladies and four gentlemen,
had been seated on the front porch.

All had smiled in friendly fashion as
Bessie Little tripped down the stairs.
Bessie, petite, brown-eyed, pretty, had
worn @ well-starched, white linen blouse
and a dark skirt. A huge black bow had
adorned her throat, setting off her oval,
almost Madonna-like face and olive
complexion.

“Going out with your beau, Bessie?”
one of the male boarders had inquired,
good-naturedly. “I’m jealous. You never
even give me a look-in.”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” she re-
torted, coquettishly, pertly. “I certainly
am surprised at you!”

The whole group laughed uproarously
at the boarder’s discomfiture. It was
obvious that the boarder had stuck out
his neck; and that she had neatly
clipped it off. That she had an engage-
ment with some admirer, everyone knew.
But with whom? Nobody knew. How-
ever, there was lively conjecture.

Minnie Freese made other revelations
of the dead girl’s activities which fur-
ther aroused Farrell’s suspicions as to
how she had met her death.

“Tom,” she finally said, “I wasn’t quite
frank with you before. I actually ex-
pected something to happen. Just little
things she did, a multitude of little
things. She was forever writing letters at
the secretary in the hall.) Then she'd
read them over ‘and throw them away.
Sometimes I could hear her pacing the
floor of her room at all hours of the
night. Nervous, that’s what she was,
Always more so after her young gentle-
, man had called.”

“Who was this friend?” Farrell urged.

“I don’t know his name,” Minnie re-
plied. “Matter of fact I never heard it:

TRAGEDY’S TARGET

(Continued from page 39)

never talked to him until last Monday—
the day after Bessie left.”

“You mean to say he was back here
since the girl disappeared?” asked the
police chief, in amazed tones.

“Yes, he was,” Mrs, Freese replied.
Twice, as a matter of fact. The first time
he asked for Bessie, and I told-him she
had not come home. The next night he
was back again and told me he wanted
to get something from her room: some-
thing that belonged to him. But I told
him he’d have to wait until she came
back. Then he asked me if I would go
to her parents’ home and see if she was
there. :

“I told him I would. I suspected they
had had a lover’s quarrel, you know. But
I got so busy I forgot all about it, And
he hasn’t been back since.”

“You mean her things haven’t been
touched?” inquired Farrell.

“Certainly not!” Mrs. Freese retorted,
righteously. “You want to see them?”

Farrell followed her up the stairs. She
led him down a long corridor to the rear
and pointed to a door. He entered.

Bessie Little’s room was small, but
cheerful. It contained an iron bed, a
Scarred oaken dresser, wash bowl and

stand, and a clothes chest. Two dresses

were in the latter; a hair switch and
several hairpins were scattered on top.
On one end was a box of bonbons, about
half empty. .

“There’s no doubt she expected to
come back,” Farrell said to himself after
he had surveyed the room. He sighted a

small portmanteau, half-hidden under’

the bed. He opened the bag and fin-
gered its contents; the usual collection
of feminine accessories. Then he sighed
with satisfaction. His fingers had de-
tected a packet of letters in a “secret”
pocket in one end of the bag.

He pulled out several letters, including
one which had been written by the vic-
tim herself, but not mailed. There were
also two from girl friends, and three
others from different male friends. It
was the letter Bessie herself had written,
however, which most interested the po-
lice chief,

It was dated August 11, 1896, and was
addressed to Joseph Frantz, Esq., West
Second Street, Dayton.

In it the girl wrote that Frantz’s son,
Albert 24, had paid her ardent court;
had promised to marry her. She had been
very happy, Bessie wrote, and had given
up other suitors for her hand. But re-
cently, they had quarreled, and Albert
had jilted her. She begged his father to
intercede in her behalf; to remonstrate
with his son over his mistreatment of
her.

Upon reading this an entirely new pic-
ture of Bessie Little leaped into Farrell’s
mind. A young, friendless girl, haunted
by memories of past happiness with her
sweetheart, had been plunged into the

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(a

abyss of despair by the jilting. Had she,
In the throes of remorse, decided to end
her life by leaping into the river?

Or had Albert Frantz, chafing ‘under
pursuit, murdered her?

Farrell had never seen Albert Frantz,
to his knowledge, but he knew of him as
a handsome, gay young blade who
traveled with ‘Dayton’s so-called “fast
set.” His family, of moderate means,
was of no great social prominence, but
it had a capacity for making the head-
lines. rom

Two years before, while the family
resided at a farm on Dayton’s outskirts,
Nancy Hall, a relative of Albert, had
flirted with a grizzled farm-hand, Jef-
ferson Shanks. Shanks, encouraged by
the girl’s coquetry, had lost his 50-year-
old head in the pursuit of new romance.
Tied to a middle-aged, paralytic wife,
he had blandly and inexpertly chopped
off her head with an axe so that he
would be free to court the Hall] girl. But
his plans had gone awry, and he was now

4 life prisoner in Ohio State Peniten-

tiary at Columbus,

j  ewsiger 2g found the dedd girl’s par-
ents, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Little, wait-
ing for him at Headquarters. They had
been brought in by Patrolman Hauser.
“They don’t read the Papers,” Hauser
Said, apologizing for the couple’s apathy,
“They didn’t know that Bessie . . ee
“She wasn’t our real daughter,” inter-

rupted Mrs. Little, somewhat on the de- .

fensive. “We adopted her from the
Miami County Infirmary when she was

two years old. She might have been a-

nice child, except that she learned we
were not her real parents. Then she
went wild.”

While her husband nodded confirma-
tion, Mrs, Little went on to tell of Bessie
leaving school in the fifth grade, and of
having gone “boy crazy.” She said she
had had at least a dozen sweethearts in
the next few years, and that finally she
had concentrated her affections on Al-
bert Frantz, of whom they did not ap-
prove. :

“At last their goings-on became so bad
that we told Bessie she’d either have to
give him up or leave,” Mrs. Little went
on. “That was about two months ago,
and she left. We never saw her again.”

Farréll started to say something but
was interrupted by a knock at the door.
Tt proved to be Patrolman Keller. Far-
rell excused himself to the Littles and
went outside. There Keller handed him
two sidecombs of a type popular in that
period. They were celluloid, stained
brown, with a row of imitation rhine-
stones’ across the top of each,

“Two boys found them washed up on
the bank about 50 feet below Stillwater
Creek Bridge,” Keller said. “They had
drifted into a little cove. Mexeill is still
out there. We think we found some blood
spots on the bridge and another larger
One on the railing. A woman’s hair is
in the spot on the railing.”

Farrell could scarcely conceal his ela-
tion. His eyes told him that one of the
convex combs had been shaped for the
right side of a woman’s head. Four. of
the teeth had been torn from the right-
hand one, and it bore flecks which ‘hé

GQ surmised were powder marks.

COMPLETE DETECTIVE CASES

So Spatz had been right; he had heard
shots. And those shots had meant the
murder of Bessie Little—of that Farrell
felt quite certain. But to prove it, that
was different.

He sent for Doctor Weaver. When he
came in Farrell handed him the combs,
calling attention to the fact they bore
the name, “Saltstalls,” that of a large
Dayton store. Letting the physician
keep the one with the broken tooth, Far-
rell handed the other to Keller.

“Lon,” he directed, “take this over to

that store and see if you can find any- -

one who remembers Selling a pair like
them to a girl answering Bessie Little’s
description!”

He then dismissed the Littles, warn-,

ing them not to mention their visit, nor
the fact that their foster-daughter’s
death was under suspicion,

As the Littles left, Doctor Weaver
grinned amiably and remarked:

“T’ll bet a dime I know why you sent
for me. I can see it written all over your
face. You want me to dig up that girl’s
body.”

Farrell smiled grimly.

“Yes, Fred, I do,” he said. “And as
quickly ‘as possible.” He took the multi-
lated comb out of his pocket. “See where
those teeth have been torn away, Fred?”
Weaver looked at the comb curiously, si-

lently. “It may mean nothing to you,’

Fred,” Farrell went ‘on, “but, to me it
spells murder! A bullet tore those teeth
away as it entered Bessie Little’s brain,
You're going to prove it by digging up
the body and finding a bullet hole in the
right side of the head just above the
right ear; in a spot completely hidden
by her hair!”

The finality of the chief’s tone startled
the physician, :

‘T....1...I looked in that region,”
he said, somewhat guiltily, “but I didn’t
See any bullet hole.”

Farrell now was grinning. He patted
Doctor Weaver on the shoulder reassur-
ingly.

“That's okay, Fred,” he comforted.
“You did a rush job. I’m sure you'll find
it this time.” /

‘Meanwhile, Farrell turned his atten-
tion to an examination of the brown
specks taken from the railing and the
flooring of the Stillwater Creek Bridge.
In the center of the chip slit from the
wooden bridge railing, was a single
brown hair. He compared it to one taken
from the victim’s head. They seemed
similar in every respect. ‘

The police chief then drove to what he
believed was the murder scene. Patrol-
man Mexeill was still guarding the spot.
A few feet beyond where the stains had
been cut out, were the distinct impres-
sions of a bloody buggy tire.

What was more important, however,
underneath the bridge, just at the
water’s edge, Farrell found a discharged,
.32-calibre revolver shell. He turned to
Mexeill, ordered:

“Comb every inch of the ground around
here for the revolver. Then, if you don’t
find it, drag the creek. We've got to
find it.”

ys WAS nearing nightfall when Far-
rell returned to Headquarters. He
found Doctor Weaver waiting for him.

The physician's face was dead serious.

“You were right, Tom,” he said, with-
out preamble. “There was a bullet hole
above the right ear, just like you said.
There was another a little bit to the
left, above the temple. Both the bullets
are still in her head. I’ll take them out
if you say so.”

(Remember, ballistics, as practiced to-
day, was unknown, or virtually so, prior
to the turn of the century.)

“By all means, Fred,” he said. “I
want those bullets. But remember, not
a word of your findings to anyone; not

‘even to your wife,”

The physician nodded, started to
leave, but Farrell halted him. He fum-
bled in the drawer of his desk, brought
out the splinters chopped from the
bridge.

“Fred,” he said, “I want you to match
that hair up. And also make some sort
of a test to see if this is human blood!”

As the physician walked out, Patrol-
man Keller walked in. He reported the
sidecombs had been sold to’ Bessie Little
about two weeks before her death. The
clerk who sold them remembered the
transaction well. She Said that a man
answering the description of Albert
Frantz, who accompanied the girl, had
paid for them.

Farrell chewed a toothpick, wrinkled
his brow in deep thought, then ordered:

“That’s fine, Lon. Now I want you to
go out and find Frantz. Don’t let on
that he is under Suspicion: just make
him think I want to talk to him confi-
dentially. And don’t mention these
combs, or anything else about the case.”

Keller quickly located . the youth,
brought him to Farrell’s office.

“You wish to see me?” asked Frantz,
after Farrell had offered him a seat. “T
don’t know what you...”

“I certainly do!” the police chief in-
terrupted him. “I want to talk to you
about the murder of Bessie Little!”

“Murder!” exclaimed Frantz, rising
excitedly. “Murder! You must be jok-
ing!”

“I’m not joking at all!” roared Farrell,

“I don’t joke about such things as cold-
blooded murder!"
’ “But... but... but I thought it
was suicide,” young Frantz commented
weakly, sinking back in his chair. He
dabbed at his forehead. with his hand-
kerchief, seemed to be having trouble
keeping his emotions under control.
“Bessie often threatened to do away with
herself.”

“Then, why didn’t you come forward
after she disappeared, and tell’us so?”

“pressed Farrell. “That's the least you

could have done.”

“Well—” Frantz fidgeted. “I guess I
should have done that. But I didn’t want
to get mixed up in anything...” |

“Oh, no!” exclaimed the police chief.

“So it was all right for the prospective
mother of your child to do away with :

herself, eh? You wouldn't want to get
mixed up in it. So that's it! you ought
to be ashamed!”

Frantz paled, seemed on the verge of
tears. But Farrell went on:

“It’s true, isn’t it, that you had an ap-
pointment with Bessie Little at 6:15 on
the evening of August 27th?”


SS ARI |

was going when she checked out?”

Mrs. Bell shrugged, replied:

“I guess expenses were too high.
Anyhow, the young gentleman came
there on the night of August 20th.
Miss Little apparently had everything
packed. They went right out without
saying good-bye to anyone, but. a
1 hack driver later told me he drove
{ them to Minnie Freese’s boarding
- house.”

Farrell knew Minnie Freese well.

He occasionally took his Sunday
, meals at her home, a rambling, three-
story frame on South Jefferson
Street. Minnie was a superb cook, a
genial hostess and a woman of ut-
| most propriety. And, satisfied Mrs.
| Bell had told him all she could, he

thanked her and she made her de-
parture. ,

ARRELL seized his notes and his
hat and was on his way to Minnie
" Freese’s. But as he walked down the
front steps he was halted by a youth
who identified himself as Max Spatz,
20, a grocery store clerk.

Spatz, who had followed with in-

j
1
“4
4

BESSIE LITTLE: Doctors called her a sui-
cide, but a dissatisfied sleuth connected
a reported shot, an unmailed letter and
a fire—for him it added up to murder!

terest the finding of the body in the
river, had an interesting story to tell.
He said that a few minutes before \
ten o’clock on the evening of August
27, 1896, he had heard a woman’s
faint cries for help.
“Seemed to me,” said Spatz, “that
they came from the direction of that
small, wooden bridge across Still-
water Creek. That’s about a quarter
of a mile from the store. The cries
were followed by a gunshot. Then,
I thought I heard a second shot. I
went to the door, but heard nothing
more.”
Farrell remembered that Stillwater
Creek, a deep, sluggish stream, emp-
tied into the Miami only a short dis-
tance above where Bessie Little’s ‘
body was found. He pressed Spatz: %

“Why didn’t you report. this 5

sooner?” j
“I: started to several times,” the
youth replied. “But then I got to i:
thinking it might have been just ao -
some pranking youngsters, and I 4
didn’t want to be made a fool of. But
today I just had to come and tell
you.” Ht
Farrell thanked the youth, then {
(Continued on page 59) ;

ALBERT FRANTZ admitted having taken the girl for a
ride on the night of her death... claimed they quarreled
and the girl shot herself before he could intervene.

sone meas

LP

ee

serious,

. With-

et hole

u said,
to the
bullets
“mM out

ed to-
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r, not
>; not

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fum-

ought
the

natch
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20d!”
itrol-
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The
the
man
Ibert
had

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‘u to
t on

“FROM AUTHENTIC DETECTIVE CASES”

“I did not!” snapped Frantz, hastily.
“The last time I saw her was the day
before—on the 26th. We quarreled then
and she said she never wanted to see me
again.”

“Ever own a gun?” demanded Farrell.

The youth stared wildly at the police
chief,

“Never!” he said. “In God’s presence,
I never owned a gun.”

“Of course,” pursued Farrell, “you will
have no objection to my examination of
the buggy in which you used to take
Bessie Little riding?”

“That, sir, is impossible!” the youth
answered. “My buggy was burned—my
horse too—in the fire that destroyed the
barn behind our house a few days ago.”

Farrell felt a sinking feeling; he re-
membered that fire. Furthermore, now
if his recollection served him right, it
happened on the evening of August 27th
too—the very night Bessie Little walked
off from Minnie Freese’s to her doom.

“Let’s see, now,” he said. “Albert, just
what time did this fire happen?”

The youth pondered a moment, then—

“I was awakened by a burst of flame
from the: barn roof. I had gone’ to bed
early, was sound asleep. I leaped up,
put on my trousers and shirt, slipped
into shoes, and rushed out through the

vkitchen door. As I passed through the
kitchen I noticed that it was exactly
9:40 by the alarm clock we keep there.”

Farrell did some more deep thinking.
Max Spatz had heard a shot a few min-
utes before ten. If Frantz were telling the
truth he certainly couldn’t have been at
Stillwater Creek Bridge at the time Bes-
sie Little was shot. But the police chief
believed the youth was lying.

Taking care not to disclose the find-
ing of two bullets in the slain girl’s brain,
he pressed Frantz with questions. Frank-
ly, the chief believed that Frantz had met
the girl at 6:15, had driven her around
the countryside until the time of the
shots, and then lashed his horse home
to set fire to the barn. But Frantz stuck
to his guns, weakened not a mite. |

He dismissed Frantz, warning him to
remain around in case he was needed
later.

HEN Farrell visited Fire Chief. Dan
Larkin.

“Dan,” he began, “I’d like some in-
formation on that fire at the Frantz’s a
little while ago.”

“So, you’re suspicious too, eh?” the
grizzled, wiry little fire chief grinned.
“So am I, but what can we do?”

Farrell looked puzzled.’ He hadn't
mentioned the murder in connection
with the fire, but here Larkin was talk-
ing ahead of him. He demanded to be
brought up-to-date.

“It’s this way,” said Larkin. “I thought
—TI still think—somebody set that barn
on fire. By the time we got there the
place was almost gone; nothing we could
do but let it burn. Albert Frantz was
standing out in the yard dressed up in
his Sunday clothes, crying like he was
all torn up.

“Well, that was all right. But when
Albert Honaker, who lives a couple of
doors east of the Frantzes called me aside
and did some whispering, I had my sus-

picions aroused. Honaker told me he
was lying in bed when the first flames
shot through the roof. He ran, to the
Frantz yard, called ‘Fire!’ and tried to
break in the barn door.

“He said Albert Frantz ran from a field
in back of the barn and shouted, ‘Get
away from that door!’ Honaker insisted
they could save the horse and buggy,
but Frantz pushed him away, saying,
“You can’t do that. I won’t let you risk
your life to save a horse!’”

Farrell silenced the fire chief with a
gesture, then demanded:

“You got any records here showing the
exact time of the fire?”

“Sure have,” replied Larkin, reaching
into a drawer. He pulled out a note-
book, thumbed through several pages.
“Honaker says he first saw it at 10:25.
The whole place was ablaze then.”

“Good!” shouted Farrell, leaping to his
feet and seizing the book. “I'll see you
later, Dan. I'll need this book for evi-
dence.”

Why had Albert Frantz so deliberately
lied? Farrell thought he knew the an-
swer. He had timed the fire as starting
at 9:40, yet Honaker, who had no pos-
sible reason for lying, fixed it at 45 min-
utes later. That would have given Frantz
ample time to have fired the lethal shots
at Stillwater Creek Bridge “a few min-
utes before ten,” as timed by Spatz, and
to have driven home to fire the stable.

Furthermore Frantz had said he was
in bed, but Honaker said he had seen
him running from a field back of the
barn. And Dan Larkin had said he was
“dressed in his Sunday clothes.”

Still keeping secret the finding of the
two bullets, Farrell swore out a warrant
for murder. He took Frantz int@ cus-
tody, then raided the ruins of the barn.
He found a small, scorched, but un-
burned bit of a leather seat cover bear-
ing brownish stains. He turned this over
to Doctor Weaver for analysis. They
proved to be made by human blood. The
physician also reported that the single
hair found on the bridge rail, was simi-
lar to that of Bessie Little.

A search of Frantz’s home failed to re-
veal any trace of his “Sunday suit.” And,
pressed on its whereabouts, he finally an-
nounced he had given it to a tramp.

RANTZ, fortified now with a formid- |

able battery of Dayton lawyers,
waived a preliminary hearing and was
remanded to jail to await action of the
grand jury. None realized better than
Farrell, however, that the evidence
against the youth was purely circum-
stantial. His fondest hope was to find
the lethal gun.

Farrell himself took charge of the
most grisly phase of his investigation—
the third exhumation of Bessie Little’s
body and the amputation of her head.
The head was removed to a laboratory
under the jail and there Doctor Weaver,
Coroner Corbin and Doctor Claude 8S.
Chrisman removed the brain.

During the weeks that followed, their
findings were kept secret.

Farrell and his men, meanwhile,
learned that Albert Frantz had bought a
.32-calibre revolver from Oscar Dodd, a
small gunshop owner in a village near
Dayton on the afternoon of August 27th,

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Wsiediers ae ——— es meee nearer eee
FREBMAN, Ray and THACKER, Herbert, whites, elec, Ohio (Jackson)

11/2/1934

Mrs Alice Lauderbac’:
Rt 1. Bok 271A

Beaver Ohio 45613
Aug. -25, 1982

Watt Espy

Law Library

Box 6205

University, Al. 35486

Dear Mr. Espy,

I located the death records on William Jones, Luke Jones, and
John W. Jackson. This is the information I got from them,
William Jones, age 25,, occupation, miner; born Jackson Co.,
lived in Coalton, Jackson Co., Ohio; hanged for the murder of
Anderson Lackey.

Luke Jones, age 23; occupation, miner; born in Jackson Co.,; lived
in Coalton, Jackson Co., Ohio; hanged for the murder of Anderson

Lackey. '

Both of these deaths were recorded as having, taken place on
Feb. 29, 1884, They were both white men.

John W., Jackson, age 22; born Jackson Co.,; occupation, peddler;.
lived Jackson Co.; race, white. Record didn't state the crime,

I couldn't find anything on Laban Stevens.

We recently acquired some old newspapers covering the 1930/s,
From June 4 (when Ray Freeman and Herbert Thacker committed their
crime) till Nov. 2 ¢ when the 2 men were executed) the newspapers
were full of articles covering the trial,'etz,

From these articles , I have tried to extract the infromation you
want, ee

Ray Freeman and Herbert Thacker on June 4, 1934 brutally beat the
allegedly wealthy Stephen Huntley, age 74, to death with shotgun
stocks in the backyard of his farm in Milton township. Two days
later they were arrested and confessed to Sheriff W. P. Turner,
The clothing Thacker wore when the crime was committed was the
chief clue leading to the arrest, All Freeman and Thacker got
from Huntley was $23.

They were tried in July and Thacker was quickly convicted but it
was necessary to give Freeman two trials before he was sentenced

to the chair,

The execution of Thacker and Freeman marked the first time that
persons were ever sentenced to the chair from Jackson County.
Their deaths also marked the first death sentence of any kind
that had been imposed by local courts eince 51 years ago when
the Jones boys were hanged.

One of Rreeman's brothers and his father were inmate§ of the
insane asglum in Athens. His mother died 11 years before. His
parents were divorced in 1916 ( Ray was 7 at the time). There
OWA 5 bhildren in the family. He was employed last winter on the
CWA -

Ray Freeman had some relatives waiting outside at the emecution.
They were Mrs. Maggie Napper, sister; Wilfred Freeman, brother; :
G, A, Napper, eousin and William Napper, brother- in-law. |
None of Thackers relatives were present.

Both bodies were taken to Hawk's station by Undertaker Strong and

a @ouble funeral was held Saturday Nov. 24, 1934. They were

executed Nov. 22, 1934,

I hope this will be of some help to you. If there is anything
further I aan check, let mm me know.

Sincerely,

rte, har i hts

Mrs. Alice Lauderback .-

rhe

creer seca

pment

’

ONSTABLE George Walters cast
a squinting glance towards the
western sky. The sun. had
turned from a big red ball to a

_, dim circle of light whose bottom had

“s = begun to dip below the horizon. In
‘a minute it would Be obscured by

,, the dark cloud moving northward.

“ ‘There was.a_low,-distant. growl of

map a

+>) and caught a drop of moisture, then
: -.* ~ turned to Deputy H. V. Warren and
-, said: “It’s starting to rain.”

w:. Under ordinary ‘circumstances the
“announcement that rain was about
to fall on parched Jackson County,
‘Ohio, would have provoked shouts
of joy. There had been no rain for
“imearly a month. Rain meant that
‘precious topsoil would no longer be
* carried away as dust by the wind.

corn would straighten up and grow
to full height. To hundreds of Ohio
~ farmers it meant the difference be-
., tween keeping and losing their land.
Yet on this particular evening, to
‘the cluster of men assembled less
“than 20 feet from the Huntley barn,
~ the approaching rain was of minor
.importance. ; .
_-’ a Stephen Huntley was dead.
Hoge Dr. J. L. Frazer, of Wellston, and:
* 5 Coroner Carl Leach finished exam-
“ining the body of the 75-year-old
.~. farmer. They stood up and faced
* Sheriff W.*P. Turner. “No doubt
* © about it,” Doctor Frazer said grimly.
» oJ “Steve was brutally murdered!”
Leach grimaced as he nodded in

“> -S agreement. if
Beg The tall sheriff of Jackson County

looked down.at the lean, strapping
body on the ground. The top of the
dead man’s head was an ugly mat-
ting of white hair and blood. As he
‘lay there, open-mouthed, his face
‘+ towards the sky, a jagged river of
_ blood coursed from the left temple
over the smooth white jaw and into
... the deep creases of his neck.
HERBERT THACKER—
‘When he heard the description of
@ suspect he appeared to try to

ly 3 st , help the Law bring him to justice.

ee . ye

_ BACKFIRING BLUFF OF 0

.. thunder. Walters held out his hand:

_It meant that the drooping young .

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NPY 0c NB OS cic BODE itt IIE

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The killers might have fared better
if they had been silent and sullen.
Bat they chose to be “clever” and
“cute” and ended up in the chair!

By WILL HERMAN MURRAY

THEY SOLVED CRIME—

Photo above shows (left to right)
Constable George Walters, Sheriff
W. P. Turner and Deputy Warren.

“The old man must have put up
some scrap,” Turner said at last.

“Steve Huntley’s big fists were
still tightly, clenched. One of the
shoulder straps of his overalls had
been ripped loose. ‘I'he ground cov-
ering a radius of ten feet around the
body had been torn up, obviously
from what must have been a fierce
battle.

Rain had begun to fall at a fairly
steady pace, and the thunder
sounded nearer. It was almost dark.
Leach held a flashlight as Doctor
Frazer knelt and bezan cutting away
Huntley’s hair.

Turner watched them for a while,

then said quietly: ‘As soon as:

you’re through, you’l] find me in the
farmhouse. I want to have a talk
with Mrs. Huntley and the neigh-
bors.”

Huntley’s widow, Anna, stared
numbly into the dead fireplace in
the living room of the white, freshly
painted house of which she and
Steve had been so proud. With her,
clumsily trying to offer consolation
despite their own obvious grief, were
Charles Conger and his son, Carl.
The two men lived a few hundred
feet from the Huntley farm.

Anna shook her head slowly, as
if in rhythm with her words. “I
didn’t see a thing. I was in the
kitchen, and he was doing some
chores in the barn on the other side
of the grape arbor.”

For years Anna Huntley had been
spry and alert, belying her 76 years.
But now she looked like a pitiful old
woman. Her lips trembled, and her
hands shook with the palsy of age.

“T called him,” she continued in
a hollow voice. “He didn’t answer
me, so I called again. Then I went
out to see what he was up to—and
then I found he was dead!”

The last words, as she looked

RAY FREEMAN—

“Woody wouldn't kill an old man,”
he told investigating officers—and
promptly put himself in wrong.

33

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attic offi t

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of Welsh. Batkrrousl
of it AS 198
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and. suib-/ Hen
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perm

ed to a
the day
he said,
Audrey
itest use
motives
t leading

the pay
respon-
or unless
.y her to

ve intro-°
n of the
wedding

ling ring
»bserved.
ely, that
vung and
ons and
men.

ts them.
ns them.
nan they
they are
hey can-
ink that
‘iminated

Thomp-
he night
: waiting
to go to
her.
consent-
n so they
: into the
od to get
1 but had
sed stiff-
to stay
uldn’t go
ng keep-
—tortur-
ving him
insisting
iim,
this was.
» sort of
t of thing
Ince and
it against
nself. He

Love and
lights and
strain be-
cat body-
slood was

hate; but
as is evi-
rompson’s

after the

pular

1 but
evi-
whom he

might be jealous, and his letters mention
no such persons.”

"THERE WAS NOT a sound in the cham-
ber when Lazarus sat down. It was
plain that his moving plea had found will-
ing listeners. The question now was
whether or not the court would lend
weight to the arguments and show mercy
in its verdict.
The movie house was cleared. Five min-
utes later court was reconvened.
“The prisoner will stand,” the President
ordered.
Lieutenant Thompson got to his feet.
“Lieutenant Thompson,” the chief offi-
cer of the group went on gravely, “the
court upon secret written ballot, all of ‘the
members concurring in both the findings
and the sentence, finds you guilty of the
murder of Audrey Burleigh and sentences
you, at such time and place as the review-
ing authorities may direct, to be hanged
by the neck until dead. May God have
mercy on your soul.”

. Now the fort had two men awaiting exe-
cution. Private Johnson’s case had been
reviewed by President Calvin Coolidge,
who had refused executive clemency. A
scaffold was erected on the machine gun
range, some miles from the fort, and on
the morning of October 7, 1925, Private
Johnson was hanged. Just before the trap
had been sprung, he once again protested
his innocence. /

Thompson’s case likewise was sent to

YOU'RE INVITED TO A NECKTIE PARTY

(Continued from page 21)

“You’ve come a long way, I see Make
yourself comfortable.” ;

“I have come a long way indeed,” the
man smiled. “My name is William John-
son and I am from New York.”

Booth hastened to bring him a relax-
ing drink and take his order for food.
Johnson proved to be a most agreeable
man despite his fine manners. He ordered
drinks for the house, and soon the local
men were clustered about him to get the
news from far-off New York and Pitts-
burgh. He disclosed that he was a lawyer
and was heading for Cincinnati, where he
aimed to open an office.

Johnson attacked a joint of beef with
evident relish. He had finished his repast
when the door opened and a smooth-
skinned youth entered. —

He was greeted with cheers, for he was
William Cartmell, the post boy, bringing
the mail from Cadiz. The mail was a big
event in this isolated settlement, and the
men gathered around Cartmell asking for
letters. The post boy had only a half-
dozen letters to distribute, and the lucky
recipients tore them open to read the
contents.

“Well, I’m off,” young Cartmell said. “I
have to make Coshocton tonight.”

Johnson, the New Yorker, arose. “I’m
on the way to Coshocton too,” he said.
“Mind if I ride with you?”

“Glad to have your company,” the post

- boy said, and the two departed together.

Washington for review. At the same time,
the man’s minister-father started a fight
in the States to save his son, appealing to
Senators and Congressmen to use their
power to secure a commutation. The fight
failed, and once again President Coolidge
failed to grant executive clemency. A
month later, in March of 1926, another gal-
lows was built at Fort McKinley.

On the morning of March 18 a small
group of officers, including a chaplain, met
at a warehouse near the fort’s main gate.
All of these officers had been chosen se-
cretly for the grim work at hand, and to
this day their identities remain unknown.

Thompson arrived in a truck, wearing a
khaki uniform but no. insignia. MPs
guarded all entrances to the building. The
chaplain spoke briefly with the condemned
man before he mounted the scaffold. There
was a hushed silence as the officer desig-
nated as executioner adjusted the noose.
The trap was sprung. ;

Minutes later Thompson was pronounced
dead. When the body was cut down, the
officers saw there was something hanging
around Thompson’s neck—a gold wedding
ring on a piece of string.

The body was quietly removed to the
hospital as dawn was breaking and: the
fort beginning to stir. The -execution had
been carried out with such secrecy that it
was not until late in the day that word got
around that Thompson no longer was in
the guardhouse. Enlisted man and officer
alike knew what that meant.

Dusk HAD ARRIVED a half-hour later
when the sound of pounding hooves
aroused the men in Booth’s tavern. A
rider was coming back along the Cosh-
octon trail at furious speed. He dis-~
mounted and rushed into the inn. It was
Johnson, now pale and wild-eyed.

“Come with me,” he shouted, “The post
boy—he’s been robbed and shot!”

The loungers dashed outside in a body.
One of them mounted his horse and gal-
loped off to New Philadelphia to fetch the
sheriff. The others joined Johnson and
followed him along the trail at top: speed.

Some two miles out, they found the
post boy lying on the trail. He was dead.
Nearby his horse was tied to a tree. The
saddlebags, which had been fat with mail
when he left Booth’s tavern, had been
slit open with a knife and were empty.

One of the men knelt over Cartmell for
a moment. “Shot in the back,” he said
angrily, “with a rifle.”

“I can’t understand it,” Johnson said
nervously. “The post boy and I were
riding along together. Back there beyond
the bend I saw a spring, and I told him
I'd get a drink. He said he’d ride on and
I could catch up to him. So he trotted on
while I knelt at the spring. The water
comes slow, and it took me a while to
get as much as I wanted. I was just get-
ting up when I heard a shot. .

“I didn’t think anything of that—figured
it might be someone after game. I

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——-— —

mounted and came up the trail. I found
the boy just as you see him here.

“Then I heard a noise,” Johnson went
on. “A man stepped out from beyond that
big -tree yonder. He said he’d heard the

- shot while out hunting and had come to

see what was up. - We talked for a mo-
ment, then he said. I'd better ride back to
the tavern for help. -He said he'd ride
over that hill there and fetch a neighbor.”

Some of the men exchanged meaning -

glances. One of them, a muscular trap-
per, shook his head.

” “Mister Johnson,” he said in suspicious
tones, “there ain’t anybody lives over
that direction.”

These woodsmen could all read the signs
on the ground. A couple of them went
over to the tree. They could see faint
indications that a man had been there, and
they knew that Johnson could have made

them himself. They went on up the hill,

and soon returned.

“Nobody’s' gone up that hill lately,”
they reported.

-Tod Campbell, a burly farmer, walked
up to Johnson’s horse. Without a word
he slid the easterner’s rifle out of its hol-
ster and sniffed at the barrel.

“Stranger,” he said, gazing at Johnson
with narrowed eyes, “yore gun’s been
fired not so long ago.” ’

“Yes, it has,” Johnson admitied. “I
took a shot at a wild turkey not long after
noon.”

There were mutterings among the group
about stringing him up then and there.
This would very: likely have been done
but for the fortunate circumstance that
no. one happened to have a rope. John-
son was frantically trying ‘to convince
them of his innocence when Sheriff Walter
M. ‘Blake arrived. By a lucky chance,
Blake had been found along the trail not
too far from the tavern.

“Ef you got a rope with you, sheriff,”
one of the settlers declared, “we might

as well take care o’ this right here an’

now.” . »

“Wait a minute,” the sheriff warned.
“Maybe he did this, maybe he didn’t. In
my county we ain’t hanging any man with-
out a trial, fair and square.” -

His voice carried authority. The post
boy’s. body was slung across his horse.
Preparations were made to take Johnson
as a prisoner back to New Philadelphia,
the county seat. As they were about to
leave, a lone rider came along the trail
in the moonlight. He stopped in surprise
as he saw the group.
ae it’s John Smeltzer,” one of them
said. ‘

G MELTZER WAS a drover from nearby
Oxford township. The sheriff stopped

‘to ask if he had seen anyone along the
trail, and Smeltzer said he had not. Sheriff

Blake was struck by an odd fact. The
drover’s saddlebags and. gear were almost
exactly. the same as those: of the slain
post boy. The saddlebags, however, were
bulging with a heavy burden.

“What you got in those bags, John?”
Blake inquired.

The drover answered almost in a whis-
per. “Silver,” he said.

_ The: sheriff -poked into the bags. Sure
enough, they were loaded with silver coin

that must have totalled close to $1000.
Smeltzer explained that he was just re-
turning home after having driven a hun-
dred head of cattle to Pittsburgh. He had
taken his payment in silver, and there
it was. >

So Smeltzer was allowed to go on, while
the sheriff and a posse returned to New:

Philadelphia with the victim and prisoner..

Johnson was lodged in the log-cabin jail,
and in the morning Sheriff Blake ques-
tioned him thoroughly.

Johnson told the same story, and told
it with such apparent sincerity that Blake

’ was inclined to believe him. The post boy

carried only mail, no valuables at all. It
would be senseless to murder him with the
idea of robbery. If Johnson had been
foolish enough to do so, would he not
have escaped along the trail rather than
return to the tavern for help?

None of the stolen mail had been found
in Johnson’s saddlebags or anywhere else.
Furthermore, Johnson carried a money
belt containing some $400 in currency
from a New York bank. It was ridiculous
to think that the prosperous New Yorker
would commit a murder for a few dollars.

Outside the jail, a mob began to collect.
“We want that city feller!” they yelled.
“Bring him out. We'll show him some Ohio.
justice!” ~

Johnson was in a sweat, but he kept
his courage. “They want to hang me,” he
said, smiling feebly. “I trust you will do
your ‘best to uphold the law.”

“That I will,” Blake snapped.

He went outside and delivered a speech
to the crowd. He told them in no uncertain
terms that he was the law in Tuscarawas
County and they had better return peace-
fully to their homes. After some mutter-
ing, they retired.

It was then that the sheriff was struck
by an idea. The fact the Smeltzer’s gear

was identical with the post boy’s had stuck -

in his mind, and now he thought he had it.

The killer, whoever he was, had been
after Smeltzer’s hoard of silver. He must
have known that Smeltzer was coming
along the trail of his return. In the gloom,
he had shot the post boy in error. The
sheriff had a strong hunch that the un-

identified man who had appeared when

Johnson discovered the body was the
killer.

The trouble was,. Johnson could give
only a rudimentary description of the man.
He was about 30, he said, and was clad in
the usual picturesque clothing of the
region.

Furthermore, dozens of Smeltzer’s
friends knew he was driving a heard of
cattle to Pittsburgh, and knew he would

_be returning with plenty of cash.

“I believe you’re innocent,” Blake told
Johnson, “But of course you'll have to
stand trial. It had better be tomorrow, or
the people will get out of hand.”

“All I ask is a fair trial,” the New
Yorker replied. “I’m an attorney, you
know, and I’m sure I can convince a jury
I’m telling the truth.”

THATS WHERE Johnson was wrong.
When he went to trial the following
day, he pleaded his own case and demon-
strated with considerable skill how much
evidence there was in his favor. But the

oh

jury was prejudiced against this well-
dressed city man from the start. Post
Boy Cartmell had been a popular youth
and the public was hot for vengeance.
Johnson was found guilty and condemned
to be hanged... :

Sheriff Blake. was stunned. Convinced
as he owas of the prisoner’s innocence, he
racked his brain for some way to avoid a
grievous miscarriage of justice.

“Young fellow,” he told Johnson, “the
only way we-can save your neck is to
find the real killer. But how are we going
to do that?” - ‘

“t don’t know,” Johnson replied miser-
ably. “If I could set eyes on that fellow,
I'd know him. But that doesn’t do any
good.” : ; *

Blake thought it over. He discussed the
matter with the local judge. Poring over
the law books, they discovered a seldom-
used ordinance that might help. It em-
powered the sheriff, in any emergency, to
summon every able-bodied male in the
county to his aid: The penalty for ignoring
such a summons was a stiff jail sentence
and fine.

Blake sent out riders to spread the word.
Every man living within ten miles of ‘the
crime scene was ordered to appear in
front of the courthouse in New Philadel-
phia next morning at 10.

The men were formed in a line and
brought into the sheriff's office. Johnson,
in heavy irons, sat there and looked them
over as they passed. When John Funston,
a squatter of Oxford township, came along,
Johnson started.

“There’s the man!” he snapped, point-
ing at Funston, “He’s the man who showed .
up on the trail where the boy was killed.”

“It’s a lie!” Funston blustered.

“I recognize his voice too,” Johnson
nodded. “No question about it. Look at his
left wrist. Pl’ wager there’s a deep scar
there that seems to have been caused by a
knife cut.” 7. :

Funston’s shirt sleeve was pulled back.
The scar was there, sure enough. With a
curse, the squatter tried to break away,
but several husky townsmen grabbed him.

Funston furiously denied his guilt. But
his denial looked bad when a search of his

_ rude shack turned up a few of the letters

the post boy had been carrying. It was
foolish indeed for him to keep them, since
they were of no value to him. :

At last Funston saw the hopelessness
of his situation, and confessed. He ad-
mitted he had waited by the trail for two
days, intending to shoot Smeltzer and
take his money. In the gloom he had
mistaken the post boy for Smeltzer and
shot him. Then he saw his mistake, but
looted the saddle bags in the hope he
might find something of value.

And now the men of Tuscarawas County
forgot their recent rage against young
William Johnson. When he was freed from
his ball and chain he was lifted shoulder-
high and carried down the street amid
cheers beforé he was allowed to continue
his interrupted journey to Cincinnati.

Funston was given a speedy trial and
convicted. He was hanged on the following
December 30.

And the town that grew up in thé

vicinity of Aaron Booth’s tavern has ever .
.since been known as Postboy, Ohio.

set hal
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a ail

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THE; WRONG MAN

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Booth's Tavern in Ohio, central point in
this murder mystery that came close to re-
sulting in the hanging of an innocent man.

HE MILLIONS of Americans who will climb into their cars this sum-
mer and take off for vacation tours will encounter here and there a
town with an odd name, and wonder how it came by it. Most of these
towns acquired their names from some incident or character far back
‘in history. Take Postboy, Ohio, for instance.
Postboy, a hamlet in Tuscarawas County in eastern Ohio, is the only
American village named after a murder. And therein lies a tale that
goes back more than a century and a quarter. ... .
Back in the year 1825, a corpulent veteran of the War of 1812 named
Aaron Booth operated a tavern in southern Tuscarawas County. Being
almost midway along the forest trail between Cadiz and Coshocton, it
was a welcome place for travelers to get food, drink and shelter. It was
also a favorite meeting spot of local pioneer farmers and trappers, who
liked to gather there and swap stories over a flagon of ale or a whiskey
toddy. .
On Saturday afternoon, September 23, a dozen local men, all clad in
the usual homespun, had assembled at Booth’s tavern to enjoy a respite
from toil. Tales were spun, jokes were told, and as Booth kept refilling
. the mugs, the party grew quite gay indeed by 5 o'clock.
‘Then the sound of a horse’s hooves was heard outside. A man tied his
steed to the hitching post and strode inside. He was a stranger, and at
that time in that territory a stranger was a creature of real interest. Par-
ticularly this one. He.was perhaps a shade under 25, fair-haired and
handsome, and he wore a suit of finest tailored broadcloth. His shoes
were well cut, obviously store-made. He had about him, as he looked a4
around inquiringly, a distinct air of gentility and breeding:
~The local men stopped their talk, They eyed this newcomer, so obvi-
ously from the city, almost as if he came from another planet. There was ar
a moment of awkward silence as he hesitated, wondering if he were
unwelcome. Then Booth, the host, remembered his hospitality and hur-
ried forward.
“Greetings, stranger,” he said, offering a chair. (Continued on page 79) =

21


erime “spree:  hagtiak
Gayles also. fa

Ollie’ Davidson, a Cleveland S

egro, the same. days! =
“He: chad. been ‘sentenced te a
i 3 1934 for. the. slay ing

of

‘paroled it in 1946.
—y--. Shows No. ‘Emotion
‘The slayer was. calm as: he was

ed. to the eleciric - chair in. the

“Ohio penitentiary, to the last dis-

playing the ‘apparent-lack. of emo-| ©

tion: ‘noticed throughout his trial

in Butler county: and: his’ stay in|!

“prison while awaiting fulfillment
of. the offs Bees

r. Ralph. Holderman, Day
director. of the National. eels

res bail rake; “82 pe

~¥n_ the-special ‘classes, the
: nual average: was 90.

tandancs last. year, according to. figures

ee

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4

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ae ia Lat

eri eaies,

USS

Se ee ag a

3 ’ ; pee oe ; r
©The chief’s idea sounded as illogical

to me as mine must have sounded to him.
The idea of bank robbers turning back

". into town sounded like a pipe dream, But

Chief Carson’s hunches have a way of

» ‘coming true. They have for years.

While state highway patrolmen were
running down the lead I had phoned in,
I kept on nosing around.

I browsed around a recreation parlor
at the corner of Oakley and Broad. The
usual gang was shooting pool.

“Hey, Leo,” called one of the regulars,

- chalking his cue. “You got them bank
_ bandits yet?”

The laugh that followed was inter-
‘ rupted by the appearance of a long-legged
boy. He jarred the door open, ran up
to me and jerked my sleeve.
Mister,” he panted, “there’s a man
over at Seiller’s who says he followed
those stick-up guys!”

. ; Be boy and I walked over to Seiller’s

department store. The man was
“waiting for us. He was a ready-to-wear
salesman from out of town and was
calling on Mr. Seiller.
“My car was parked right in back of
_the bandit car,” the salesman told me.
“T was scared to get out. I just eased
down behind the steering wheel so they
couldn’t see me. When they drove off,
I got up my nerve and followed them.
“They went south on Eureka, east on

,

Palmetto, north on Highland, then east
on Broad. I kept right on their tail for
a while but when they got on Broad street
they were too fast for me. They went
out of sight over ‘the hill by the insane
asylum and I lost them.”

So Chief Carson’s hunch was correct!
The bandits had doubled back toward the
center of the city.

I reported to Assistant Chief of De-
tectives Glenn Hoffman, who was direct-
ing the pursuit from headquarters.

“Good,” barked Hoffman. “Meet Bill

Danner at the bank. He’s bringing out:

some rogues’ gallery pictures.

Detective Danner, my old ‘partner
spread a sheaf of Bertillon photographs
on a table in the bank office. One by
one clerks and patrons thumbed through
them, pausing now and then to stare at a
face more closely.

“Here’s one that looks something like
that blond fellow,” said Manager Wil-
cox. He held the identification card up
to a desk light. “No, I guess not.”

None of the photos clicked.

Danner and I returned to headquarters
where we met Detective Bob Cooke and
Bob Cline, the “Two Bobs” team of the
burglary squad. We swapped tips. Cline
and Cooke liked the lead I got from the
dry-goods salesman.

“That kind of dovetails with one we
got,” said Cooke. “Two strangers are
supposed to have rented a garage at 128
Guilford avenue.”

Guilford avenue is in a small residen-
tial district bordered on the south and
west by the broad fields of the insane
asylum, and on the north by the main
lines of the Pennsylvania railroad. It is
less than a mile east of the scene of the
robbery. If my salesman friend and
Chief Carson were right, it would have
been quite possible that the bandits
had turned north from Broad street
after eluding him, and entering this
section,

It was about two o’clock in the after- -

noon when we started out in our plain
black, two-door sedan. Cooke was driv-

ys

ing. Cline sat beside him, Danner dnd

I were in the back seat. :
We turned into Guilford avenue. As
we neared the railroad tracks the houses
took on a decadent look., “Go slow,” I
said. “This next one ought to be it.”
It wasn’t. Neither was the next.
“Say, what is this?” demanded Dan-
ner. “You're a fine bunch of detectives,
Number 128 is a vacant lot!”
We had a lot of fun ribbing Cookie
and Cline. But they could take it.
“Drive around the block,” said Cline.
“I’ve got a friend in a store near here,
T’ll see if he knows anything.” ‘

4 Bids blocks east, Cooke pulled up to
the curb and Cline hopped out. He
stayed so long we began to get impatient.

“Say,” said Danner. “This place is
run by one of Cline’s old customers.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Don’t you remember during the fur-
lough, when Cline was selling soap?”
explained Cooke.

“Oh, sure,” I chuckled. Back in 1936
the voters defeated a three-mill levy and
the city’s finances were in bad shape. The
department was forced to cut its person-
nel. Some of the policemen who were

laid off went into business for themselves. :

Cline and another officer sold soap.

Finally he-came out.

“Where have you been?” I yelled,
“Did you sell any soap?”

“Sure,” snorted Cline, climbing in the
car, “The only newcomer .around here
lately is a kid from a CCC camp,” he
added. “His mother is a woman named
Brown, or something like that, and she
lives on Guilford avenue.”

‘Sounds like another phoney,” grunted
Danner. :

We drove down Central avenue to the
Pennsylvania tracks, where.a crude dirt
alléy ran along the foot of the embank-
ment, connecting the dead-ended streets
to the west. One of these was Guilford.

We swung out to it from the alley and
drove slowly south. ‘

[Continued on page 54]

)

Jd AN HO Aw


fur-
ip ty

1936
and
The

‘son-

were

‘Ives.

elled.

n the
here
7) he
amed
d she

unted

to the
le dirt
ibank-
streets
ilford.
ey and

Police Captain Thomas
Scully, above, examines part
of the bandits’ loot and cloth-
ing found in the baggage
compartment of their stolen
car. At right is Detective
William Danner, seriously
wounded in the gun battle.


LE PENIS LEESON ERLE Ne

prise. He knew Broderick, for they. had

been brought up together. When O’Neill
returned from the War, Johnny had been
one of his staunchest admirers. Now,
the one-time hero worshipper had turned
chasing copper.

Leading the detectives all the way
downtown as far as 38th street and
Fifth avenue, O’Neill fled.

He was headed for his hide-out. If he
could manage to reach it he was com-
paratively safe for a few hours. He'd
pick up his money and leave town im-
mediately.

In wild zig-zags he dashed in and out
of the heavy traffic. The cops had their
guns that they didn’t dare use, but
O’Neill had the daring of despair.

He raced after a Fifth avenue bus,
jumped, relaxed pantingly. He had made
it. Once more he had gotten away. Right
from under their noses.

Then the triumphant snarl faded from
his. paling lips. Broderick, leaping after

the bus in tremendous strides, had caught -

up with it. A split-second later O’Neill
looked up into the grim face of his one-
time friend. Five years as a fugitive
were finished,

O’Neill was found guilty of the brutal
murder of Catherine Gore by a ag
before Judge John J. Freschi, January 19,
1932. A week later he was sentenced to
be executed during the week of April
11, 1932.

In the meantime, his war-time com-
rades, headed by Martin Meany, suc-
ceeded in inducing Alfred E. Smith, Jr,
to convey various petitions urging
clemency before Governor Roosevelt.

The French Government, also, did not
forget how heroically Luke O’Neill had
stood up against the German invaders
threatening to destroy the Republic. It

joined in the pleas to save the veteran
who, in a dark moment, had taken the
life of a girl he never had loved, never
seen before, but who had incensed his
imagination to such extent that he had
murdered her.

Three times he was granted reprieves.

Then came the night of November 18,
1932, the final date set for his execution.
O’Neill’s head was already shaved, the
leg of his trouser’s split, everything in
readiness for the chair. :

At the last moment a telephone call
from Governor Roosevelt commuted his
sentence to life imprisonment.

The saga of another macabre murder
was ended.

(Editor's note: The names Ruth Applegate and
Arthur Vare used in this story are not real, but
fictitious, to protect the identity of innocent
persons.)

Smashing Ohio’s Crimson Bank Mob

We passed a square, two-story frame
building with rain/streaked windows.
Cooke eased over to the curb 200 feet be-
yond the house and stopped.

“Let’s go in and check on that kid

while we're here,” said Cooke. “You
fellows wait in the car.”

The place was flanked by an alley on
the south, a vacant lot on the north, and
had an ample back yard.

Cline walked up to the front door and
rapped. No answer. He knocked again,
louder. eu

A cold wind whistled across the porch.
Window shades were drawn to within
a few inches of the sills.

Cooke. a six-footer with shoulders like
a heavyweight pug, started to walk
around the side of the house. Cline fol-
lowed. /

A” ELDERLY woman appeared from

the rear of the house. Holding her
skirt she scampered along and met Cooke
about half way. There was only room
for one man the size of Cooke on that
sidewalk. Cline, who was much smaller,
kept straining his neck as if he was
trying to see past Cooke and hear what
the woman was saying.

Of course, we couldn’t hear either but
afterward I learned she was Mrs. Robert
Brown who rented the place and operated
it as a rooming house. I'll give you the
conversation, too, as it was told to me,
because of its sinister significance.

Referring to the CCC boy, he told us

- later, Cooke asked Mrs. Brown, “Are the

boys inside?” Why he used the plural,
even Cooke can't tell. Maybe it was just
one of those sub-conscious utterances
that comes from a sixth sense. :

“Yes,” said Mrs. Brown, “but be care-
ful when you go in. Let’s not have any
trouble; there are children inside.”

“All right, lady,” Cooke said. If he had
only known what Mrs. Brown meant by
“trouble” the next five minutes might
have been different.

Motioning for Danner and me to come
on, Cooke and Cline moved on around
to the rear entrance. We just reacted
the front steps when there was a sharp
explosion.

I looked at ‘Danner. Neither of us
spoke. But from the expression on his
face I knew he was thinking the same

[Continued from page 18}

thing: that explosion came from a .45 and
Cooke and Cline were both carrying .38’s.

We reached for our shoulder holsters
at the same time. te

Again'came the sound of the 4$—four
detonations in quick succession—then the
single, staccato reply of a .38, There was
a tinkle of glass.

“You take the front,” I yelled to Dan-
ner. I couldn’t hear his answer. Shots
were'coming fast now.

I,ran along the side of the house. A
man staggered out of the back door and
almost bumped into me. It was Cline!
He was holding his stomach. His face
had an awful gray color.

As I went around the corner I saw
Cline reel uncertainly toward the front
of the house’ and fall, face down, in the
yard,

The firing recommenced, from inside.
Holes were opening up in the side of the
house. I couldn’t see Cooke. I reached

for the knob of the door. Glass flew out:

in my face. Cooke must be in there.
held my fire.

* As I learned later Cooke and Cline had
entered that back door a fraction of a
minute earlier. It proved to be an out-
side entrance shielding a short flight of
stairs and a landing, from which two
doors opened into the corner of the house.

Cooke and Cline had knocked on one

-of these inside doors. Their answer was
a shot, the first one that Danner and I
heard. It ripped through the keyhole.
_A piece of the lock hit Cooke ia the
stomach with such force it made him feel
numb. “I’m hit,” he said.

Four more shots splintered the back
door.

“So am I,” groaned Cline, stumbling
backward down the stairs. “

Cooke fired once through the door,
powder burns staining the dirty gray
paint. He ducked through the other door

rinto the house. Across a room he ran,
into an alcove kitchenette. ’

The room Cooke had just crossed was
connected with another larger room by a
pair of open double doors.

The form of a man loomed in this door-
way—a tall, well-muscled blond in his
shirt sleeves. In his hands were two .45
revolvers.

Cooke aimed carefully and squeezed the
trigger.

The bandit’s eyes squinted as his face

contracted in pain. Two streaks of
flame spouted from the thug’s guns,
spraying the walls around Cooke.

Cooke fired again and again but the
robber continued to advance on the de-
tective. Splotches of red began to spread
on the gunman’s white shirt front. Cooke
aimed at those red bulls-eyes and fired
again.

The blond sank to his knees. Veins
stood out on his temples like pulsating
cords. He swayed, fired one last shot
and plunged headlong to the floor, his
guns skidding across the linoleum.

A young woman screamed, With arms
outstretched she ran toward Cooke. He
seized her and shoved her under the sink.

Through the double doors Cooke saw
another man crouching in front of a sofa.
He saw Cooke at the same instant. Both
raised their guns. Cook’s spoke first.
The second bandit fell, firing as he sank
to thé davenport.

The woman under the sink gasped.

“I’m shot,” she cried. The last bullet
had struck her hip. Another had pierced
Cooke’s gray topcoat.

OOKE cautiously crept in the other

room. It was empty except for the
dying man half sitting, half lying on the
divan. Where were the others? One, at
least, was outside. A shattered front
window told Cooke that. Cooke retraced
his steps through the house, out the back
door and into the vard.

“Hey,” came a noarse voice. Cooke
whirled around. A small, dark-haired
youth emerged from the door, his hands
held high.

“Don’t shoot! I give up!” he whined.

As Cooke handcuffed his prisoner, the
wounded woman left the house, tears
streaming down her face. In her hand
was a .45 automatic. She gave it to the
officer,

“IT found it there,” she said, pointing to
the house.

At this same spot in the yard a few
minutes before I had turned my head just
as the descending hand of a man at the
corner of the house pulled the trigger.

He fired before I could turn to face
him. Only that saved my life. The bul-
let which passed across my face from
the left, nicked the corner of my right
eye. It struck a glancing blow. My

head \
my ha’
Had
the bu
my sk:
a fran
be aliv
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I: stoc
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warm
it
and fi
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turn
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all
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Both
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bullet
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traced
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Cooke
haired
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BY

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head was knocked backward throwing) ans{usio A’ bulle ified. giant, a J
my hat to the ground. Se. domen, creased Cooke’s expert marksmanship, had died

<a
|

i ;

“The blon

left a streak of on the kitchenette floor. Known only as
the bullet would have been deflected into is pelvic. bone and embedded . “Mack” or “Jake” to his confederates, he
my skull by the temple bone which forms. _ itself-in his left leg—all without piercing» was! thought at first to be a Cleveland
a framework for the eye, and I wouldn't a vital organ! Pet Yaa Ms {
be alive now to tell the story. Cline was not so fortunate. The shot — Thousands of persons passed his bier at
I had a peculiar reaction to the shot. which struck him had penetrated his - thé funeral home but he was buried an
I: stooped over and picked up my hat stomach. , It was only a question of time. unidentified man. '
out of the dirt. My right eye filled with He fought bravely but early. the next §| Ags for the second bandit: shot by Cooke
warm, wet blood. I couldn't see out of morning he joined the glorious ranks of ~. the man who fell to the sofa—we learned
it. I jammed the hat back. on my head, the! Columbus police officers swho have » that he was Vincent Grinkowiecz, 23, alias
and fired at the thug. died in the line of duty.) in ie ray Tony ‘Ambers, of Cleveland. When word
By this time he was running across the Bob's wife, Julia, and his two children, Sf the gun battle reached him,—Assistant
back lot with Danner close behind him, _MaryJo. 14," and Robert, Jr 9 were.” Chief Hoffman drove fast and was at
Theld my fire for fear of hitting my part- with him when the end came. All of US ‘the house first. He hurled his big body
ner. A wire fence barred the bandit's who, knew and worked with Bob Cline) ‘through the front door, smashing it., He
flight. Instead of using @ hand to vault cried like babies. It was terrible for'him . thought the bandit on the davenport was
the obstacle he ade he chest ode oS ae ie eR gore aie gk i dead.
it and apparently rolled over, somehow! gangster w o neve fa \Chean ee yg : rge Ruder ar-
landing on his feet, to rate down the His gun had never been taken! front 1t8))¢ ed just in = Mab Be kowieens on
alley. Danner went over the fence a sec- holster that fateful afternoon. 7 3. the divan, reach for a 45 on the floor and
bad later gissppentys bees _ Hlours passed before the ttithey vere - s aim it at ‘Lieutenant Hoffman! Ruder, in
row of garages. ie identified de nitely. ve j p , anh ety
I cut through back yards, hoping to believed to be Public Enemy Charles Bird oe ble SE eS gun pant Taal
head off the bandit. I expected him to _and his notorious mob, G-men compared The robber died a few minutes later in
turn east. He fooled me by turning west. fingerprints and shook their heads. | Gt Francis haSpital
and running toward the railroad embank- ‘The one thug who walked out of the. T Sil #4 ond ; t with Danner
ment at the end of the next street. “house unharmed. and surrendered to he bandit who shot it out with “anne

Had I been facing the bandit squarely

‘Cooke was the first to tell. a straight. ‘and'me was Carl Boettcher, 23, also of |

‘story. He said he was Stephen Figuli, 20, . ‘Cleveland. Danner's bullet had entered

HEN the robber reached the tracks

he was only a few yards ahead 0
Danner. The thug started to climb the
embankment. He tripped and fell to his
knees in the cinders. Taking advantage
of the break, Danner sprinted. Only a
few feet separated them when the’ bandit
scrambled to his feet and fired.

The shot almost bowled Danner* over.
He lurched sideways, his legs out of con-
trol. Finally he steadied himself for an %
instant and fired. The bandit crumbled, ~
rolling over and over down the incline,
coming to rest on his back in, the dust,
his arms ‘stretched straight out. from his
sides. : ee

By the time I reached them, both Dan-
ner and the bandit were down not more
than 10 feet apart. .

“Don’t. move, Bill,” I said. “You just
lie right there, until I get an ambulance.”

“Okay,” he said. 1 stooped over and
picked up the bandit’s gun lying a few
inches from his outstretched. fingers.
There was one bullet left.in it.

“Am I gonna die?” the bandit whined.

Eight minutes after the first shot was ©
fired, ambulances were gathering at the. 3
scene. Police radio cruisers arrived by
the score, it seemed. At the time I was
puzzled at the speed with which assis-
tance arrived. I’ was told that a woman
who lived across. the street. from the
Guilford avenue house had telephoned -
headquarters when the firing began.

Danner and Cline were rushed to St.
Francis hospital to begin a fight against
death—one to-win, the other to. lose.
Both were given blood transfusions,

My eye was bandaged and I was. forced
to lie down for a while at the hospital.
Dr. Edward E. Smith, the country. coro-
ner, came in to take a look at me. He
was just looking at the bandage when my
wife, Alice, came dashing into the room.
She took one look, screamed, and toppled
over in a dead faint.

When she came to, Alice told me that
someone had telephoned her that Cline
and I were both dead. She thought I had
just died and that Doc Smith was closing
my eyes.

“Poor Mrs. Cline,” she sobbed, still
hysterical from the shock. Cline, I heard,
was in bad shape. \ % i

That afternoon both Danner and Cline _ J like to browse.”

them only. as “Mack, Tony and Carl.” ) lyzing him from the waist down.
‘ “Subsequently all except one were iden- 9 In a garage in the rear of the fatal

Ki

55

FARES ONT ET oA eT

“gangster but ‘this was later refuted. —

of Cleveland. As for the rest, he knew | his back and broken :a vertebrae, para- let

cr

een

ou Spencers iat ee z

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e +e 2 % 3 *
2
he ae
wk sr 7 4
iy :
a. i
ia. ae pal ,—_  —_-- +


bs aaa Sal RS

| * z Bseck
sul g with bis tet ueing abel | AL pb ewe =v TEAS eee wien

L@Pn, Rabpi Jashenosky ~ and

Chaplain: Reed. : ‘ . '
Two applications -of electricity |“ WON iF BE FIR

were neces#ary. ; s
FATS WITH PAL “\,ASHINGTON, D. C:, April 18.—+

A abyahanias Dosa

ae So vrs obec

_«|--Hile- Inst last raeal he shared “with” Mire--JestavM.” Richards of “Athens,
Charles Mithoefer, his pal, serving O., Will. not be discharged..as. man:\
iife for the same murder. ‘Warden | ager of one of the government hotels r
Thomas granted permission for this. ‘here_for,.women--clerka;-the-Labor |
on account of Forbes’. newous-cod: Department-xuled-Thursday.- secure &

Parr Sid

‘dition, Earller in the afternoon. the} ~-Mrs. Richards. h a been Srdoced |

warden had refused Forbes’ request | :

that Mithoefer: be permitted’ to. eat dlotalaet ae Re ee ie her
with him. _. a rescue, Foster at a trial before the:
Forbes’ real name is said to be| solicitor of the Labor ‘Depaxtiient
Forber. The slayer had concealed | charged the Athens. woman api
his true identity pecnuse. he sald he| peing “framed te ee es ge ee
didn’t want his relatives humillated.| The department ‘Aeciaion awavie
wis mother lives in Russia. “"* | that Mrs. Richards pana ba irs

a eee Re TTT ETE EES ihorbes_ was thefirat_manelectri-leipined and” susge spe tgee
gerne ae eg Ree euted at the Ohto Penitentiary un- = : sais “suggests that she--be-

# dex the Reynolds ‘law, which makes ,
2\ iiiling of 2 policeman while in per- | %
El-rormance of his duty, first. degree. :

DANCE CHAMPION),
OK TODAY

FEELS 0 K TODAY |

SERENE TE SME I CLEP!

cages atm earner et Se pieeenede

Window | Rex Wallpaper 4
Blinds ‘Cleaner ~ "i
@ Dark green, & Your money

et by” sea. pack if not gf) By O98 oe
with brackets | satiafactory. CLEVELAND, April 18:--Mias

cornea EINE

«am

 § 6-toot Ladder fire oo
op

complete. On Worth ‘150 per g| Helene ‘Mayer, champion long-dis- | i
gale Rat wrdayt an OTE BAIS TANCE” dancer” o a={he-world, Fri day y
55 ' Saturday,
freee 1 1 Vases 9 ake cans for § fects from the steady. dancing which
p — yA Cc. | cot a record of 62 hours and 11 min-
Estep Ladders tee ns th acunetenmtae oe
ie hureday. She started: dancing at
3 oe ee i\ 9:35 a, m, Tuesday. Pos
jon sole: Satur [> “Brooms | : :
ay. - | qyorth €1.00. § And eho slept eoundly “during the ||
cents emanates FN night. _ But except. for. the weariness} 5
for " Seturday yy hs E
ge a & “Yrelene Mayer has & winning tae “Sige eee
"7 Al eamiringly by Mrs... Janet-—-Humes
ia pegetng thru “Cleveland,” Mra.
Stuart made &. diagnosis of the

3 li| appeared to have auftered no ill ef:
2 ytea when she finished at 1:46 p. m..
5 Built” strong,” ee
Clean Sweep | : LE OS ae
“She Wes exhausted -—~ naturally.
: : Afoot Ladder |) On sale... }
2 es ; her physical condition Was normal.
oq AQ a :
3 - Bi 1 40 ‘cechanatets sips ao ht i ? ' Sed entree Tein acre arntnent am = ine ‘A Jucealued
BG sreret tela AF : “The exclamation was meade Friday
Stuart New Tork paycnologigt, Wha | ;

Se : “A good heavy .
.; ° 1.98 Water Mop,

worth $1.00. '

ren poms: mane neers

annes enampion.
eatarvatous nervourt vitality—that


{ under the gam®
atestants to put :
zs and change’

- will be handed

.

hey swing. about. °,

Marriage —of—Co--——-
ment.

_—

ed miractes of +
pilcation of the
sine this service
visual efficiency
tply the ocular- ©
nvestigate today. — ~

9 S. High,
mbus, O.

AU

- Policeman S “Slayer Faces
aE --Peath. Galealy =

a Gorrvine a. iouust of roses ac
.§neoherently . muttering a - prayer,

BtanleyForbes,-slayer-of-Patrolman |~ 1 " wi ie
. _Mrs. William Buschman,

Gordy, 306 Atlas Building ; Dorothy Patrick,-1272 Wesley-_ :
and. Auk. Mubn,_ Le

G. P.- Koehler, died“in the electric

_ ehalr_at Ohio. Penitentiary. at 10-7

, % m. Friday. 7,
- The “flowers. -he carried into the

E peatnh-CHARTDSE were the gift of one
~®RRose,” a Columbus girl, Ww!

+ * Sdentity is a mystery.

'The bouquet, consisting ot ‘red,
“rones,, was sent to the prison Thurs:
day from a local. “greenhouse, ad-

- @ressed to Forbes. They contained
a card” ‘with the name, of “Rose”
“Jon ft. Prison: ‘attaches were at a
loss ‘in figuring out who the sender
—was,-and” gatd-:that no” person” With
that name had visited Forbes. He
did not: comment on the farewell

gift.
LAUGHS. ‘WHILE IN CHAIR.

_ Despite; the fact: that he feared
“he would collapse, Forbes faced
death witha smile. . Shortly_ before

“the fatal current was turned on, he
gave a short, mirthless laugh.
Forbes | spent . the ee and

whose :

—Jn-Motion-Picture- Contest me

ns of persons ‘submitting correct answers to- last,

Saturday’s picture in “connection with The Citizen’ wee

Motion’ Picture Contest’ conducted in. co-operation “with”

3 scape A 19

| ‘Prize Winners ‘Are’ ‘Announced- |

—Sherman-Rich'

suspended for 4
predicts a suspe)
days. .

ESCAPES F

baa cab west of

the,
, ® winners were the first” -25-to send in’ correct’ an="
swers to the composite picture. oi of Norma pees Aisftye

2

and Madge Kennedy (right). 5° Ee ties ees

‘ames’ and: “Majestic ‘Eheaters: ‘dre> ‘prifted-here. today-| f

= "ONE_.DOLLAR—EACH.— 1 -
‘479 -E = Bighasts” “Lela”

»av; Gertrude Clinch, 415: ‘Morrison-av,
1038: ‘Parsongav, 2

toe! JAMES: THEATER TICKETS. ..

Marsella Aull, 427 ‘Stewart-av; ‘Mary: A. Pryor, “2a
, Lawrence-st, Newark; ‘O. + Bertha Miller, 1806 ‘Bucher-st;.
“Mrs. Janisch, 1065°E. Livingston- lav; Virginia Thompson,”
239 Chittenden-av; Clarice Fletcher, 509 Miller-av; Bar- -
bara L.. Miesse, 1262 Wesley-av} ~Clarence | Russell, 514
-Nace-av; Hedwig W. Volp, 278 N. Warten- -av. "and M. Hes-

ve neath oS ST

yi keys. 605 Grovesst = oe ==
.- MAJESTIC THEATER TICKETS... ee

hart, 754. Bank-st; Iola, Geyer, Station PD, Route-4;' Mrs.
F. B. Cox, 203 W. Frambes-av;

st; Bess Crawford, 799 Haimlet-st;_ “Bertha. Hartranft,

“Tiedeman, 106 Thurman- “av, ‘and Hazel M. Strohm, hoa
tion B, Route7.~ :

evening with his brother and spir-

henosty and

Anna Fishking, 1003 Linwood-ay ; “Mrs. Pauline Rhine

Watch: for the final picture. Saturday! es Agere e 2 a

Se .

"aleen* Wolfe; 118 E. Noble- |;

_ Tarlton;-O.;: Anna Beechwold, 15- Francisco-ct;- Margaret-} {2 3


Cow} Sy

Weury ttele, 41-year —otd plats, Cenc_cetise
af urerder of tert OU BY//9R A We tad ne yererdio
a+ efitetion Gypronetr A had xececd B brtive |
Arnold had previtecaly diwed 3 herve ur ppretu, The far
W(§5b ( deuresctututes le lyetshove_e -

Siete i tile Agnaisegiag E Me belgie
* Masjoored Sai 125 :


pee fil i cee Sparts. From. ‘Ground at Suyna— ané theif banée rated. #2 iif

‘ Shares A oF ne 7 eae - . z ae. “ F Zi e
bane edd ne ee ft
Galarasst cai sabe: hit
| potghe et the asa. ler “is

+
: eee ‘ot Solar Family Is Promize otn ordered te “stiek ‘eas up" and got.
other “S| ae a 1 betel solves

gangster, believes to Cuteago, grit” 8: ara. aiel: EMPive Aim -all- he. deverves,* mars.

er. The fugitives ore Yather Bol te caught-ts "tne near fu- leader of the bandita ectamanded. ,.
feeder, hea vite arms tere beaming ‘with extra benignaney| ious roar followed as two abet- guns: ;
sappty of Ayaamite, | !t may be because there pas “peen.00| and “yevolvers in the hanés ef <the ip
a. eae Ts pl eadition to ble tamatty i. "<<? C784 bandits were tired. the Marshal eof ey
arching for: them are|« The ilfe-giving center” yet the sist lapsed on the floor;, wounded fatally,
bine guna °=. 4.4) aystem now fm fathering @ menage of 2 gmoo — oeent santa — —— 3 i
Meet tenday: was] sia% .taown’‘planete, Joelvtiog the! Aeusr adeoting Dumala the tasdl
‘tn 0 -emall _gummer earth, tn aAdition. te a score of moons started to “back from -:the: -
roan Crystal Lake, 40| 024 several punéres baby plancts or/: saslings het Strambeccces cat
t of bere, yesterday, | Planctoiés, hut astronomers, peqzing eben hare Fattner kn aacee .
of the terrese that he tate the ‘mystery and wonder ‘of the} ,, aE a xatping:<£e ° thei? em
plindness. and constant | S66. ere. seeking 2 m ninth tun-giGwnl tienas-birvsk ‘Meier: tn his, nce oa
Reber teeie akg | planets, a: | be -cotlapeed. fhe Bandits-then eng’ S
today? wader:the eare |': Beek in 1646 ‘a mathematica! gaat wk
né.a@ police guaré, he ponderite upon.the deviations.of the
o happy'an “Renter as| Planet resus. from its gatorel path-|: .,
ule. wha for.” ©... i0 7] Were: Coveree a: paper: pyrene enleula *
; ohare jabeaiiest: thal -psarones to}:
" exerting the disturbing: tafinenca.;: we
‘| ¢ Dhue the planet Neptupe, the outer-|
most world of the erga solar-eys° si = be
a hes ee eens tore ewsy; hie: right and ad

| amall deviations of. Neptune,:fatura shot struch him in Ble Ghest : | mene
‘st pnd-Uranue- ‘from -thelrorbite, care euffered huckghot wounds : fn Ral “te es

so

ein oe

looking for the cause in the void be- His condition le Bet periods: 3
yond Neptune, . That. cause may be a elans Yeported...”
planet, or may be more than ene, 20 |.)

iF away Us to be Invisidie to ths ;
“ eye and probably only.a dot in the | deathbed. wAt-tt had tobe 5’
Ages 2 sae ranqe uence or ebony Crna peter an fr the adage ae B
or pours defers. Z ‘felt on a photographic. Splate, : wet. -tm- He a a ‘short. time later. . yg ee
he pavement and slow petiant bough te -partirb eaventy |: : e ae
Ady 2rende. When: the | Oebbore es avout $8 man-worg tm the phase 9 aias.

hed, swas- ted inte-a |. ‘the theory tbat another planet les eluding Wernken. ; Some were a

removes and beyond “Neptahe cones - ‘from © ‘Prot. ¢¢ tabies eating, others ware rsa
to:stand with my fase Whiliam’ HH. : Pickering. ‘tormerty ‘of ne ston oe tral oe sain
Lo Re fe Titers: Harvard College Observatory, who for! .... | a) 4
ftidoemed’ «3 -etoog|7@tS has maintained an:ebeervatery | : a.azenty the freat/éoor opened s
ratte ta Jamaica, Weet Indies. . Mow,” many} Eimer Kistner, North Bees rect ana i

ae Seed ote 3h a.

“ae

: ; aastroneme ik uaksown 2 as oy
ie jatranger, se pe UO bi: Pai donee eescie door felowed Ae
ee <DPref.- ‘Piekering blish hast ee See ‘weating mache. Tarp
ie ow ing * ot the’ men - oareeg Sawed-ef?..2

let mo. atti ane swe peries-of papeis 0a his ‘computations ae ie 2
They dominese $100~| 224 predictions ‘texerding the: un- snatio shotguns. (52 e372 eae

ut! after-much eiecus- | found: planet, which he: has desig] 5, prone) eet fan-tia nh St ee

cod on 910,000. 2¢2-+ Ti fuated as 50.7 Jn the March mumber The ore <one aan the: wales Cire
5 . £e@tan't % eee bandi ‘wits : oF
Thabusin haa ous psa aa ea mained at positions of ae mee
7'4 give ah @: sendwich | 2S bees the: Nes te the doer, "ing .

4% abe °¥

offee...: eten bs Pee ane
fot an a aay at: ws me? shasass wens Pee
! ee ees cone BOILING ‘WATER - a * 4 a ‘ ; K
moved someone» « seat | 2 e “fama then -erdered-tnte e-g9 ad
ghee were! Perved: ge Alt “Or” need { re:

SS perpraryloraleord lr?

-s

‘ty To Alarmed By Faint Gub-,: |” More han halt ofthe ‘teen us
eMorrancan. er eet

prisoners are| aypearea at the oon, s
/ et" a<Peeghouse,, 3 em Pe es knob when he found-it
i ‘part ef the}: -Qonstantinople, april: 8 (a: ee of the Bandits opomee es

Het Detroit, ser-|Qurrna, not telly recovered from tha| ardered Dunas ta. yor e ‘st ea

_endtarner: Brown, recént. heavy earthquake thera,” was P "Put! up yout hands and x
x05] threwn-tato 2° renewed: ctate ‘of un-| with the, gee ‘ghe.) > Sealab ae
: , 4 -eale easiness Ayeoteréay: ernan taint. wub- mended. ” bd ty eu er sy ne art
toa-0 wings that .o-|terranean ‘rumblings wore heard. AG-|: iesteaee pm blying, 7 Se = : a

medi ers le em Ga ees Ser :

3.

incGng =|. belling water of:0Tetdigh ‘tinge lnde of stats tetlewed 4 Keon a
oA Fabs By feee ee 4 iq sported trom the ground 2. 4-). J Qteere le & ee, re

fake z s.
—


Robbers Killed |
-|By Police Officer, |

“erey,
that the etirs


1, A

Sep ees!

os,
pal

3 teas: ah)

‘ rhe

Se
wae

Y -
PR Dr,

a
oS de? Otome aren amo Oe = “S

“ ome he pientea with tie wen edt to them |
aithe officer. Wernkee “aleo sald ke

lie his back ..passed . within.

and chairs. igh fpacie

“ys “thawte etc had fectived a sie

‘i bery call eo Parish avenue and nad
-jhurried to make an ‘nvestigation...He
~|was returning to his home when he

:leatled to Dumele to ebey the bandits. eed
The load of shot that struck Keller

<= few

inches of Warnken's head, he -‘sald.

Both ..Warnken ..andg Keller :.-were

kneeling In the cornet:

the shot was fired, <2): ie

*Hutchinson was. able to ‘aaa jistle ‘tn | glory

the accounts of the hoid-up gtvea by

Marnken. ‘He said that he 14 not get}:

@ geod look at the bandita, Hatchin-}

gon sald re believed the secend shots

were fired Decause one of the victime

4 shouted te; the bandits Be sp ‘were
gies, leaving. « SY ee

“the: *eonfusion -
ocked, be’ aia not
realised .a hold-up was taking place.
~} He, therefore,-dld not - draw. his.r<+
volver, but merely entered when the

"everieeked money he hed in his! ..,, pandit unlocked the door.’ By tne
ren pee toe jeader of the ban-| time Dumels realised what: was Sate

, a rte was explaining
know the. ‘eombieation | when Warn- shooting. apps
rem, fearing the bandits pelea: open “Jn recounting
oped er eould open: a ay

nto Arts's’ face ing place; it. was too late...
to. open .4 poate ‘Coroner Fred W. Swing and Deputy

xP 22.1 Sheriff Fred Sperber, hurried | to «the
place. when. they, were Ro aityes of ‘the

boery to
Coroner Swing and Sperber, Warnken

eaid that. he ‘yeallzed: the :desperate |
character of the. bandits as. acon as he

‘the * rere se: the Dandite saw. the automatic abot-guna. He sald
Searet -ama , threatened, ‘each vic*im. jdvuring the entire holdup: he; pleaded
f aveapons in. ‘thelg_barke ‘with his patrons..to obey the: orders

‘ey, failed. to act. quick...
2 { ciolaenboaca ; fusillade - of. shots” wae when he/saw: Marshal Dumele enter

jz mands. of <

stand offer no resistance, He said. that

diligent in:
commercial. air’ servi

n ta: other. aay nex
net lack in yerthes evidences

ae paeie A. Froet, of .Yerkea ‘Dbgervas | Fee

a | ‘know: you ‘4ellows. jouret 2
pear-by. euburb,” he said wets eri-:
commanded, “Give it to them”: 1
Shona ahgte that w:

“SVaralens told

aa to the way ’
the number in bané Ong victim
said that three he bandits came in
the front Goor and three came tn the

_ | rear door. All were masked but eno,

Others insisted that five bandits came
tw the « front:, Mink, end an earote
masked. i: “a
‘Deputy. /gnerite ; * gperber “gala: une
learned that’ there was a @ice game
in progress on one of the pool tables |. A”
when the bandits entered. This prab-
ably wae the thing that attracted the
bandits to the place, some of the vic-
tims. thought..:; “Marnken @enied -that
a dice’ game.was being played. He
eaid alf the persons in the place were
either eating. ore pool:
ing... ind
: None. of host wietione” mas abie .to
give ty Gesecription of the bandits “The
masks prévented them from getting »
look at the. bandita, they, said - :
.Demete had:ben. Marshal ‘of North

Coliege Hill for. three years. - He was |
serving his second term. “The ‘victim |»
had. been a resident’ of America 31,
yeara,: haviing come, from. Hungary:

He hed served 13 years as a Sergeant
re Potice and ois “yeare tn the arin
in-Hungary. > Besldes pts -widow, one
adopted daughter, HH

survi ® bin. * ie

thomas Barnes, 40 years old. negro, 4
tecie’s Subdivision, College Hilt: was ;
ot and-killeé-during en argument}. -- =: —

home early yesterday morning. . ra
Daisy ees “pegress, told Coroner | the ‘neighborhood
Fred ©. Se ea onsen uen “occa ed able churebes, 75;
Freq Sperber ¢ n Henry it

3s a pe ‘old, megto, also of Steeles pest: Bt. : ‘Patrick's
Subdivision, did the shooting. She sald Thomas’a,’ “phe
| Rarnes and. Smith: bed an argument pictureaque ‘Be
I week. ago-over & revolver. aged ay. ‘feminine: a8:
i yeaterdey .morming, Smith ‘entered the
{ ouse and, ‘opened fire, ahe paid. Five pie we

reed. Barnes's body. soba

CONTINUED ROM FIRST PAG | qued th-ahege.”;

ae ee me) onions ‘obae:
ae * eck wat he predicted the plece was thiuse of h
Ap the sky: where it ehould berfound. pated-nearly 4
‘Jn sesponne th ad ungulry, Director 1 “Thousands
giétered

with the, fat
the. outpost ol) the Univeraity aligay*herai"A

hirago at Witlame Muy, Wis, rats
tha’ K phate graphe “had heen’ at the Ho


CIN EVQ@ ells 2

* when struck by.@ motor Pus in. North-,
oon ent Prank ‘Morfett.. 3 cyeare ta al

s 3237 Herriece (Arenes, restairant ore
i ee: oe



aaah

62

the very day his unhappy sweetheart
kept her tryst with murder.

A neighbor of the Frantzes had told
him that on the night of August 27th,
he had seen Frantz driving his horse and
buggy furiously on a road leading to his
home from Stillwater Creek Bridge.

Meanwhile, Albert Frantz, languishing
in jail, became extremely nervous. With-
out consulting his lawyers he sent for
Chief Farrell.

“I want to tell the truth about what
happened to Bessie,” he said, tearfully.
“I’ve got to get it off my chest.”

Farrell sent for a court stenographer,
then nodded to the youth to proceed.

“It was I with whom Bessie had the
engagement,” he said. “I met her at
Boulevard and South Third. We drove
to Riverdale ... then to Idlewood...
then back to Riverdale. We quarreled
:.. She wanted me to marry her...
but I said, ‘How can we live on five dol-
lars a week?’ She started crying and
we drove some more. How we got onto
the bridge I don’t know,.but we were
there .. . talking .... quarreling again.
At Bessie’s request I had handed her the
reins, p
“Suddenly she dropped these and
whipped out a gun. She shouted, ‘I am
going to kill myself!’ I grabbed for the
gun but she had pressed it to her tem-
ple. As it went off she leaped over the
rail into the water.

“I was badly scared, feared I would be
accused of shooting her, and drove home,
set the’barn on fire and burned the

The woman broke in at this point. “I
Saw @ man get out of the car and go
around to the back. I was in the side
yard getting some lilacs from my bushes.”

This was at approximately four o’clock,
the couple agreed. The woman-remem-
bered that the caller was tall and heavily
built, and was wearing a red slip-over
sweater. The couple could not furnish a
description of the automobile, however,
since neither had given the incident
much thought.

“Did you hear any noises during the
time this'man was there?”

Both said they had not, pointing to
the distance between the two residences
as a possible reason. They had heard no
disturbance whatever.

Thanking the couple, Cannon returned
to the Tucker home to find the other
investigators awaiting his arrival.

“Looks like you were right, Chief,” Al-
dred declared. “No one heard a sound
all day, but the people up the street said
they saw a car parked here for a half-
hour or so,”

Cannon nodded, and related details of
his conversation with the Tucker neigh-
bors. “This guy in the red sweater is
plenty hot unless something else turns
up,” he added. “I’d suggest we have a

COMPLETE DETECTIVE CASES

buggy. Mr. Farrell, that’s the whole
truth about the matter.”

Frantz broke into sobs and, near col-
lapse, was led back to his cell.

When he had gone, the police chief
turned to the court clerk.

“Some people,” he said, “are born liars,
other are self-made.”

“And this young gentleman?” inquired
the clerk.

“A born liar,” Farrell observed.

-) Nab following day Frantz was in-
dicted. His trial was set for the fol-
lowing December ‘7th. It Opened on
schedule, attracting a capacity crowd,
about evenly split as to the accused’s
guilt or innocence. -

During the first week of the trial,
County Prosecutor Oras Kumler pre-
Sented all of Farrell’s circumstantial
evidence, holding back the amputated
head and the two bullets for rebuttal
testimony.

Frantz himself took the stand, re-
peated the suicide story already given
Farrell. Then, when he had stepped
from the stand, Kumler produced the
head which had been preserved in a jar
of alcohol. In quick succession he placed
half-a-dozen physicians on the stand,
All said it would have been impossible
for Bessie Little to have shot herself and
then leap over the bridge railing as de-
scribed by Frantz.

Then Kumler’s voice knifed the still-
ness,

“You have heard Frantz say she fired

’

blanket pick-up order for a man answer-
ing his description radioed to all cars,
and ask the city police in northeast
Nashville to be on the lookout.”

Smith nodded approval. “Not much
else we can do here tonight. Might come
out in the morning and look over the
yard and side lots; might find some-
thing.”

Griffis announced that he had found
several clear fingerprints on the win-
dow sill by the bed, and would finger-
print the victim and her husband im-
mediately.

Gyion found Felix Tucker at the
Inglewood-Madison office when he
returned, and he got to the point quick-
ly.

“Tucker, I don’t think you told me
everything at your home today,” he be-
gan. “Now, if you want the murder of
your wife avenged, you must realize that
nothing can be withheld.”

Tucker nodded, stroked the thin line
of his blond mustache.

“I didn’t want to talk with all those
neighbors peeping in the doors and win-
dows,” he said in a soft drawl. “It’s bad
enough, I guess, like it is.”

Then the young war worker launched

one shot into her head,” the prosecutor
said. “I am going to prove that he fired
two!”

Storekeeper Dodd was recalled. ‘

“AS an expert, Mr. Dodd,” said the
prosecutor, “will you kindly tell the jury
the exact weight of these lead slivers
taken from the brain of Bessie Little?”

Dodd’s reply came like a pistol shot.

“Just one grain short, sir, of the weight
of two .32-calibre bullets!”

“Meaning,” pursued Kumler, “that. two
bullets were fired into her head?”

“Yes,” announced Oscar Dodd, with
finality. “Two slugs.”

The jury retired at three o’clock on the
afternoon of December twenty-ninth. It
deliberated until 5:19 o’clock, then re-

turned with the verdict “Guilty as-

charged!” Frantz was immediately sen-
tenced to the electric chair.

On November 19, 1897, after nearly a
year’s legal maneuverings, Albert Frantz
met his doom in the hot seat at Ohio
‘State Penitentiary in Columbus. Ironi-
cally, the execution brought a busman’s
holiday to one of the regular death house
attendants. Ordinarily he would have
had to help strap Frantz into the chair.
But on this particular morning he

' begged to be excused. The reason: The

attendant was Jefferson Shanks, who
had killed his own invalid. wife in a

frustrated quest for the love of a rela-:

tive of the doomed man.

Nancy Hall, as used here, is a fictitious
name.

« . eee
SHORTCUT TO MURDER

(Continued from page 42)

Re

into a pathetic story of near-poverty and
a disrupted home.

“When we married I had just a part-
time job,” he explained, “but Minnie and
I figured we could get by on what I
made. Then the baby came along and I
lost my job. I got irritable, I suppose,
and we didn’t get along. Then Minnie
left me and went to live with her family.
I didn’t blame her much, and I used to
send her a little money for the baby
when I could.”

Here Tucker paused as though un-
certain whether to go on. Cannon noted
that his fists were clenched into a tight
knot, and his jaw muscles quivered.
Finally, he began to speak again.

“Then I found out that Minnie was
having dates with another man and that
burned me up. I was going to school in
the day time, and working, when I could,
at night. She denied there was any-
thing wrong, but my sister told me she
had seen Minnie with this fellow on
numerous occasions. ;

“About four weeks ago I got in a war
plant, and was going to school at night.
A week after I got my job, Minnie and I
went back together, and moved out here.
Two days ago I came home and saw a
car driving off from in front of the


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76 nn | c

right,” he said, “that will be all the
interviewing we do up here.”

“But,” Warren saidy “there’s some
people still outside.”

“All right. Find out if they want to
testify for Woody. If that’s what
they’re here for, you can let them go
home. I’ve found out what I wanted
to know. By the way, have them.
bring Woody in.” ms

A uniformed police officer arrived
with the little man, ten minutes later.
“Woody,” the sheriff. said, smiling.
“you seem to have a lot of friends.

But Woody was obviously confused
now. He gulped his answer.

Turner placed his hand on Woody’s
shoulder. “We’re going to release
ol he said. “You didn’t kill any-

fe} Bas .

“T didn't?” The man actually seemed
surprised by the revelation. “I kind
of figured I didn’t, but:I was all mixed
up.”

When Woody left the office Turner
faced Warren. “Come on, we're going
to pick up our killers now!” he an-
nounced.,

AS the sheriff and his deputy drove
towards the hollow, Turner said:
“T want to get there before word gets
out that Woody has been released. The
men we want probably think that
we've already got our killer. And
it’s a good thing they do.”

Warren said nothing until the
sheriff brought the car to a stop in
front of a shack. “Why, this is Woody’s
place,” the deputy said.

“And next door gfe Thacker and
Freeman,” Turner said grimly.

Making an obvious effort ‘to dis-
guise his amazement at the ‘visit of
the sheriff and his deputy, Thacker
admitted the two men and invited
them to sit down. Freeman, asleep
on the same couch in which he had
been found before, was snoring loudly.

“What you looking. for this time?”
Thacker asked.

“We're still trying to find the mur-
derer of Stephen Huntley,” Turner
replied.

The sheriff's words, although
spoken softly, seemed to arouse Free~
man. The skinny youth sat uv and
stared at the two men. “You already
got your killer,” he said. “Everybody
knows it was Woody.” ‘

“You'd like to have everybody keep
believing it, too, wouldh’t you, Free-
man?” : :

“What you. driving at?”

“I think,” Turner said slowly, “that
you and Thacker ‘killed Huntley .. .”

A dead silence fell upon the room.
Freeman, now fully awake, ex-

changed a quick glance with Thacker. |

“You're crazy!” he exclaimed at last.
Turner seemed not to have heard

him. “I first suspected you when vou

told us that Woody would not kill

an old man.”

“So what?”

“And you didn’t even know Hunt-

“That's right.”

“But you knew he was an old man.”

The silence returned—and this time
its impact was even more powerful
than the thunder of the previous.
night.

“YOO sas

le

. you can’t make a mur-

der charge stick on that,” Thacker .

said finally. But by this time it was
evident that his confidence had been
shaken.

Turner made an impatient gesture.
“Let’s quit playing cat and mouse,
Thacker. First you ought to know
that two fellows—probably the killers

—were seen twice yesterday evening. «

Once before the murder, seeking di-

ain

after the murder, anf Aa a broken
¢

rections to Huntley’s farm.

shot gun and headin or the hollow.
What ‘if these people identify you?
Will you come along?”

Freeman got to his feet. “No!” he
shouted. “And you can’t make us!”

-Thacker placed a restraining hand
on his friend’s arm. “Why not, Ray?”
he said sarcastically. “So what if
these people do identify us? It still
don’t prove we committed murder.”

Turner nodded. “Maybe so; maybe
not. But that’s not all. I have an idea
that if we search your place here,
we'll find that broken shotgun and
maybe even the torn shirt you were
wearing when you came away from
Huntley’s place.”

“You can’t search us!” Thacker
cried out, on the brink of panic now.
“That is,” he added, “without a war-
rant.” '

“J have a warrant,” Turner said
simply.

Freeman arene: into a chair. “It’s
no use, Herb,” he said hoarsely. “If
they search the place...”

Thacker turned on Freeman with a
burst of fury. “You fool! You got
us into this mess. It was your idea to
rob the’ old man. And it was you
that got the blame turned ‘to us by
that stupid crack about Woody, not
killing an old man. You said we
could get a fortune off the old man.
All we got was twenty-three dollars.
Did you hear that?" he said, facing
the investigators, as though expecting
sympathy for the fact that the murder
yenture had been a’ financial failure.
‘Only twenty-three dollars!” ‘

Freeman leaped for
throat, but Turner and Warren in-
tervened. Struggling to free himself
from the sheriff and the deputy, Free-
man blurted: “I’m a fool, am I? Didn't
I.say we should get rid of the stuff—
the gun and the shirt and all that?
You were the one that kept saying
everything was all right, now that
Woody was picked up.”

He turned to Warren. “Go on!
Look around. You’ll find it all there—
right in the closet. The gun’s still got
his blood on it: And the shirt’s bloody
all the way to the elbow. I had it
rolled up so people wouldn’t see the
blood when we left the place.”

“There’s no-blood on ‘my shirt,”
Thacker said, looking defiantly into
Freeman’s eyes.

Freeman sneered. “Just like a rat!
Don’t try to squeeze out of it. You
beat the old man just as much as I
did. It’s your rifle that got busted in
the killing!”

B* six o’clock that evening both
youths had signed confessions
admitting that they had _ jointly
planned: the robbery and committed
the murder of Stephen Huntley.

It had been Ray’s idea to switch
suspicion onto the harmless Woody.
It had been he who _ had _ noticed
Woody's torn shirt—and it had sug-
gested an idea to his twisted mind.
Ray had left two dollars on the chair
beside the bed in Woody’s cabin. It
had been a ridiculously easy stunt
then to convince the simple-minded
man that he needed a new shirt and
that he should go to Jackson imme-
diately to buy one. The trick had
worked—and then, Freeman admitted
glumly, it had backfired. He and his
murderous associate had been good
bluffers—but not quite good enough.
If they had been sullen and silent,

Thacker’s —

instead of pi
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that same yea!
At 7:30 p.m
Herbert Thack:
in the electric «

as

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Charles |
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Bedford the
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er said as the
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CRIME
DETECTIVE

head, “I can’t figure it out myself. I
got up this morning and seen it was
torn. But I had a couple dollars put
away, so I decided to go right into
town and get me another one.”

“Where did you get the money,
Woody?”

Woody scratched his head. “Dog-
gone it, I don’t know that, either. I
usually get my government check
around the fifth of the month—ought
to be here today, in fact. But the
money was laying right next to my
bed—on_ that chair where you was
sitting. I guess I must’ve got it some
place last -night. I don’t remember
about it, though.”

“You don’t remember much of any-
thing, do you?” Turner asked.

Woody howled with laughter. Obvi-
ously he thought the sheriff had been
joking. “No, sir,” he said finally, ‘I
got an awful memory! Awful mem-
ory! Hey, how about some coffee?”’

This time Turner accepted. “We
are a little Sn atee he admitted. “A
cup of coffee would go just right.”

“Oh, good! Good!” Then Woody
stopped short. “I just remembered, I
don’t have no coffee in the place and
no stove to cook it on, anyway.”

“That's all right. Don’t bother.”

But Woody clearly was not going to
pass up’a chancé to please his guests.
“I know what I’ll do,” he said at last.
“T’ll go over to Ray’s place and have
him boil up some coffee. Wait for me

right here. I’ll come back with a whole

pot in a minute!”

Warren made a gesture towards the
little man as he raced for the door,
but Turner motioned the deputy back.
“He'll return,” the sheriff said simply.

“You've got a lot of faith in‘ him,”
Warren said skeptically.

“He’ll be back.”

‘Did you see that = gun-—busted
around the trigger assembly?” Warren
asked grimly. “Maybe he’s not as
dumb as he wants to make us think.
That gun was wiped clean—no blood
on it or anything now. And he had
sense enough to get it put together
before we arrived.”

Walters broke his silence. “I no-

.ticed that, but I noticed something

else, too. If he went to all that bother
to patch up the gun, why didn’t he do
something about that shirt? Maybe
he’s not so smart, at that.” :

“You’re pretty sure he did it, aren’t
you?” Turner. asked.

The constable and the deputy were
startled. “Why, if he didn’t,’ Warren

said, “he sure managed to get a ball

of circumstantial evidence wound
around himself.”

Walters shook his head. “Every-
‘thing points to him right now. No
denying that, is there?”

“No denying that,” Turner agreed.
“Everything points to him clearly—
and it’s too clear to suit me.”

-“You mean he didn’t kill the old
man?” Walters asked.

Turner shook his head. “I didn’t
say that. But I doubt it very much.”

“Well, what do you’ plan’ to do?”

“TY plan,” the sheriff said, “to take

BLUDGEONERS

Continued from page 37

him in on suspicion of murder! I’m
going to let it be known all over the
hollow that Woody’s the main suspect
in this case.”

Walters was on his feet now. “Well,
I don’t see what you want there.
First you say you doubt that Woody
‘had anything to do with the killing.
Now you say you’re going to charge
him with it. Why, the poor fellow
can’t even defend himself!”

“That's right,” Turner said, “and
that’s the exact reason why I want
somebody else to defend him. I’ve
got an idea that as soon as it gets
around that he’s being held on sus-
picion of murder, his friends from all
over the county will come to his de-

fense. He can’t seem to work out his |.

own alibi—so maybe someone else
will.”

Chey TURNER’S theory bore
fruit immediately. No sooner did
word get out that Woody was the
prime suspect in the Huntley murder
than a dozen people collected in the
sheriff’s office.

First to appear was a doctor who
claimed he treated Woody for his
mental illness. “That man is abso-
lutely harmless,” the doctor insisted.
“He may have lapses of memory and
the like, but I know him well enough
to know that he is absolutely in-
capable of murder!”

The doctor stomped out of the office
angrily when he could get no com-
ment from Turner. But the sheriff
was. pleased by the _ physician’s
analysis. ‘Mark that down as point
number one for Woody,” he_ told
Walters.

The next visitor stood in front of
a delegation of four men and a woman
who said they were good friends of
Woody. -The leader spoke first. He
cleared up the mystery of the broken
trigger assembly. “You see,” he said,
“Woody’s a little unbalanced. About
ten years ago he said he wanted a
shotgun to hunt Indians with. Well,
we got together and bought him one,
but we fixed it so it wouldn’t shoot.
We didn’t want him to hurt himself
with it. He’s just a nice little guy—
wouldn’t hurt a soul.” :

Turner: nodded. “Can any of you
tell me where Woody was around six-
thirty last night?” |

The woman spoke up. “He wasn’t
nowhere near the Huntley place—
“T can tell you that. My husband seen
him just after six o’clock and he was
a good two miles the other side of
the hollow.” She nudged a big man
standing next to her. “Tell him about
that, John.”

The man addressed as John stepped
forward timidly. “That’s the truth,”
he said. “I was driving down the road
and I seen Woody with his gun under
his arm. I asked him if he wanted
a lift back to the hollow, but he just
told me to shush up ’cause I might
scare away the Injuns.”

Turner dismissed the delegation
with thanks. When the room was

cleared he turned to Warren. “All

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75


’ evening.
‘eking di-
1 Again
a broken
ie hollow.
tify you?

“No!” he
nake us!”
1ing hand
1ot, Ray?”
what if
s? It still
murder.”
so; maybe
ve an idea
lace here,
tgun and
you were
way from

Thacker
vanic now.
‘ut a war-

irner said

chair. “It’s
arsely. “If

1an with a
You. got
our idea to
was you
to us by
Voody, not
said we
d man.
ollars.
facing
expecting
he murder
ial failure,
rat’
Thacker’s
Varren in-
ee himself
uty, Free-
n I? Didn’t
the stuff—
i all that?
ept saying
now that

“Go on!
all there—
v's still got
irt’s bloody
. I had it
n’t see the
lace.”
my_ shirt,”
iantly into

like a rat!
of it. You
much as I
t busted in

ening both
confessions
ad jointly
committed
untley.

. to switch
ess Woody.
ad noticed
.t had sug-
isted mind.
m the chair
s cabin. It
easy stunt
ple-minded
v shirt and
c<son imme-

rick had
imitted
land his
een good

od enough.
and silent,

ct Sa lala

instead of putting on what they
thought was a convincing act, they
might never have faced murder
charges. .

Armed with the confessions and
information supplied him hy the
sheriff’s office, Prosecutor ON
Everett, Jr. carried the charges of
first-degree murder against both men
to. court.
that same year, both stood convicted.

At 7:30 p.m., November 22, 1934,
Herbert Thacker was pronounced dead
in the electric chair of the Ohio Peni-

By the middle of August, :

tentiary. As his body was unstrapped
and removed from the death room,
his friend, Ray.Freeman, waited out-
“< the door for his own turn to
ie.

At 7:51, the last business in clear-
ing up the Huntley case was pro-
nounced officially completed.

Epiror’s Nore: To protect the name
of an innocent person who was ques-
tioned, the name “Woody” in the
foregoing true-crime story is fic-
titious.

comfortably fixed? The idea made
citizens of New Jersey boil in anger,
and protests flocked, hot to handle,
to The New Jersey Department of In-
stitutions and Agencies, leading to the
ruling that Becker and other would-
be business wizards must lay off
profitable exploits. while being kept at
the State’s expense.

In August, 1948, Edwin J. Becker
was granted a parole, with a warning
that he must stay in his home state
of Maryland. He went to his home
town of Baltimore, and for some
months reported to his parole officer;
then he disappeared, and was not
heard of until June, 1949, when it
came out that he had been living in
the Greenwich Village section of New
York City. ;

This was bad enough to bring out
a “Wanted” notice from the New
Jersey authorities, but when Becker
was arrested by police from the
Charles Street Station, it appeared
that he was up to his old tricks; in the
magistrate’s court, in the morning, 14
local merchants appeared—and all his
checks that had bounced from the
bank.

Perhaps Becker hadn’t been selling
so well since leaving prison on parole.
Anyway, he can go back to finish his
sentence, and then face new charges;
the disposition of his case hasn’t been
announced, at this writing, but there
certainly seems to be a lot of grief in
store for young Becker—for over in
New Jersey citizens are writing to
their local newspapers. Why was
Becker. paroled so readily in the first

lace, after, as has transpired, he

adn’t yet been made to see the error
of his ways? His reply to the lenient
treatment of the Parole Board was to
go back to his old criminal ways. Wh
not make criminals serve their full
sentences? the correspondents ask.

In New York City, on the afternoon
of June 10, 1949, a cleaning woman
spotted two young men in a passage-
way leading to the fifth-floor apart-
ment of Mrs. Rosa Doleschel, at 216
East 87th Street and she immediatel
called the police, who converged ae 4
three radio cars on the building.

Patrolman Edwin Jackson rushed
up the stairs and broke in the door,
just as the two men left via the fire
escape, up which they escaped to the
roof. P
by several other bluecoats, who chased
the pair, firing as they went, until the
pursued were captured after taking to

atrolman Jackson was joined ,

PROBATION

Continued from page 6

another fire escape at 226 East 87th
Street. Never had there been a more
long drawn out game of cops and
robbers. .

Taken to the 104th Street Station
the two prisoners were identified as
John Akey, 25, of 338 East 94th Street,
on parole from a sentence for an auto
theft, and Thomas Roberts, 21, of 405
East 92nd Street, paroled after a burg-
lary conviction.

Well, there will be new convictions,
perhaps, or a return of the pair to
serve out terms given by pores but
not served, and the usual criticism:
why were such jailbirds treated so
easily? If this is the return given so-
ciety for such mildness, might not
severity bring a better effect? .

A study of the parole problem has
been made by Judge Patrick T. Stone,
U. S. District Court, Western District
of Wisconsin, and in a speech that he
made last year at the University of
Wisconsin, to the In-Service con-
ducted by The Federal Probation
Service, he told just how little the

ublic understands the work that is

eing done.

It is a well-known and regrettable
fact, he said, that parole and proba-
tion are mentioned so prominently in
news publications when a probationer
or a parolee goes wrong, and then the
offender is held up to the public as a
horrible example of “soft justice.” By
the very nature of things, the well-
behaved parolee or probationer re-
ceives no publicity.

“The big problem is how to tell your
story in a manner that will capture
the popular imagination,” Judge Stone

went on to say. “The activities of the-

ims Pampa so far as the public
nows of them, do not lend themselves
to dramatic presentation, there are no
thrilling -gun-battles, no spine-ting-
ling episodes, no hair-raising escapes—
but surely the drama is there in heart-
warming human interest and pathos,
the experiences of lives and families
re-established, the home re-organized,
and a boy taken out of criminal activ-
ities and started on the road to a finer
manhood.

“I recall that my probation officer
Elmer J. Krueger, received an appeal
from an ex-bank robber in his efforts
to find a girl-friend. As. he said: ‘I
haven’t had a girl in my arms for six

ears.’ I understand he now has a girl
in his arms, not placed there by Mr.
Krueger, but with his blessing. The
probation officer is not a ‘Hairbreadth

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77


fo: Victor L. Stretb

From: Michael Buzulencia

Subject: Donald Frohner aks B-20-/9¥9

Age at Commission of Cr .e - 16

Age at Execution - 18 (8-20-/9¥ 8)

Birthdate - May 9, 1930

Jurisdiction exercised by Common Pleas
Court for Mahoning County - 3 Judge Panel

Donald Frohner was convicted and sentenced to death by a three-Judge
Tribunal for his part in the murder of William Spieth on January 13, 1947.
Frohner and a companion, Arthur Ned Chapman, had been picked up hitchiking
by Spieth in Canfield, a suburb of Youngstown. Frohner was seated in the
back seat of the car, Chapman in front, next to the driver Spieth.

Chapman grabbed the wheel of the car, shutting off the ignition in the
process. Spieth struggled with Chapman, and Frohner hit him repeatedly
with a blackjack in the head. Frohner, losing all control, pulled out a
,38 caliber handgun and fired two shots into Spieth, killing him. The boys
then ran through nearby woods after a bus which had passed by stoppe,
the driver and several passengers attempting to chase the boys. The

boys eluded their pursuers and were captured four hours later when a
deputy sheriff spotted them walking along the roadside not more than a
mile from where the murder occurred.

The pair had planned to steal an automobile and met one of their
South High classmates, Richard Masters, in Youngstown later in the day.
The pair planned to kidnap Masters and hide him in a stone quarry near
New Castle, Pa. and after receiving ransom money, run away to the west.
Although Frohner was a friend of Masters, he admitted that he resented
Masters because of the Masters’ family money and influence.

The pair were originally charged with delinquency in attempt to

perpetrate a robbery. They were bound over to Common Pleas Court by the


urderer
e tree
of the
1s were

|* THE eastern section of Ohio, just north of the first
United States highway ever built—Federal Route 40—
is a village known as Post Boy. Trains on the Cleveland
and Marietta railway stop there. The town lies nestled: in
a symphony of hills, dales and luxuriant foliage which in-
deed is the charm of all the western reserve.

But it isn’t the aesthetic locale which put the community
on the map. Not at all. Post Boy, Ohio, enjoys the unique
reputation of being the only town in the United States—
perhaps, for that matter, in the world—named in honor of
a murder! :

Far from being abashed at this striking anomaly, the
honest, church-going folk of the vicinity—in which no
other major crime ever occurred before or since—will take
time off from their labors, for hours on end, to discuss the
intimate details of this murder which more than a century
ago infuriated their ancestors, and climaxed in a series of
episodes so dramatic that the tale refuses to die. ’

As a chronologer of crime and its futility, I have a deep
distrust of lore. Memories are apt to be colored with vary-
ing fantasies and growing imagination in the ‘telling.
Therefore, when W. G. Wolfe, eminent citizen of nearby
Cambridge, Ohio, who is writing a history of the territory,
told me the story I frankly looked dubious.

“We are only interested,” I told him courteously, “in
stories which are true beyond question of a doubt.”

Mr. Wolfe was obviously hurt. “This story,” he declared
with feeling, “is true—every word of it. If you don’t be-
lieve it, look into the county records. They’re still intact,
even though the crime occurred in 1825.” ;

My host’s sincerity prompted me to action. I not only
looked into the official records, but—with Mr. Wolfe’s
kind help—probed the dusty archives of old libraries at
Cambridge, Coshocton and New Philadelphia and dis-
covered, to my amazement, undisputed evidence of the
veracity of the Post Boy crime classic.

Although I. discovered thousands of words written in the
local histories of the surrounding tewnships, the story has
never been published, until now, outside the confines of
those beautiful rolling hills.

So, here goes.

On the narrow trail that led through dense forests from
Cadiz to Coshocton, a handful of merrymakers were
whooping it up in Booth’s Tavern while their genial host,
Mr. Booth, was kept busy filling and refilling big copper
cups with hot buttered rum, the popular drink of the time.

By mid-afternoon on that sunny September day, the
heavy rafters of the inn literally shook as the funsters
opened lusty throats with song. Then, suddenly, a lull went
over the crowd. The big front door swung open and in the

we pte

Special Investigator For
FRONT PAGE DETECTIVE

threshold stood a handsome stranger.

The sleek cut of his eastern store clothes, his confident
posture, the gradual infectioits smile which spread over his
face immediately branded the man as an unreal phantom
from another world, in this crude frontier setting. For
Ohio, in those days, was a state “way out West.” The
merrymakers stared hard. No one thought to extend a wel-
come hand, at least for the moment.

Undaunted, the handsome stranger advanced to the bar.
“Greetings,” he began in a pleasant voice, “my name is
William Johnson. I’m riding from New York and it would
be a privilege to buy you gentlemen a drink.” He flipped
a handful of silver coins on the bar,

Ashamed at their lack of hospitality and still fascinated
by the stranger’s cock-sure but democratic big city airs,
the drinkers hastened to accept the proffer with enthusi-
asm. Very soon, William Johnson not only was one of them;
he was the center of interest, with his colorful tales of
New York and his gracious manners.

AX HOUR LATER, the big front door swung open
again. This time, the merrymakers shouted in up-
roarious welcome. For the young man who entered now
was William Cartmell, the post boy.

As can well be imagined, a postman in those parts and
those days was a sight for sore eyes. He Tepresented sole
contact with the outside world and his arrival at irregular
intervals was almost sure cause for celebration.

Young Cartmell smiled acknowledgment to the cheer
and with some show of ceremony laid a package of en-
velopes on the bar and turned to leave. He still had many
miles ahead of him-and his horse was weary with heavy
saddle bags.

As he reached the door, the stranger Johnson called after
him.

“If you don’t mind,” he said genially, “I’ll ride along
with you.”

The post boy was obviously pleased. “I like company,”
he said. ‘‘But let’s go; I’m in a hurry.”

The crowd about the bar warmly .bade Johnson good-
bye; urged him to return when again he would ride this
way; and: stood watching in front of the inn as the two
horsemen faded into. the late afternoon. Then someone
ordered another round of rum.

The drinking and merriment had resumed its original
tempo when the innkeeper—peering out a window sudden-
ly exclaimed, “Look, he’s coming back. His horse is all
lathered. There’s something wrong!”

William Johnson, the stranger, pulled his panting mare
to an abrupt stop in front, leaped to the ground and breath-

AN INNOCENT MAN WAS CONVICTED OF MURDER BUT—

NoveMsBerR, 1941


i 68 have mer.

|

REAL

DETELTIVE

help me now that I was living with
Ralph.

“They told me to call him anyway.
At first he wouldn’t even answer the
phone. On the next day I called again
and he said his sister-in-law was there
and for me to wait till night. So I
told him I’d stop by. That night—
Friday—Ralph and Giriny and I gota
cab and drove out there. The boys
had been drinking and were feeling
mean. I was afraid for what they’d
do, but they promised not to hurt
Jonesie. .

“When we got there it was midnight.
I rang the doorbell and Jonesie an-
swered it. He was in his pajamas.
But he held out his arms and I went
to him and he hugged me. The boys
pushed inside and he went to _ his
bedroom to put his pants on. While
he was doing that tried to warn
him; to tell him to get the gun and
be ready for trouble. Then Ginny
(Sacchetti) came into the room and
grabbed him from behind. Ralph got
the gun from his dresser drawer.
They dragged him out into the front
room.”

AT this point the girl broke down
and was unable to go on. Later
she became calmer and continued her
tale of the night of horror that had
preceded the murder of her aged
benefactor:

“They first tied him to a chair and
started punching him around. Ginny
pulled the ring off his finger and he
cried out in pain. Then they started
twisting his arms, demanding to know

.

.
.

the combination of the safe. I’d al-
ready gone through his wallet and
found only $26.

“Poor Jonesie was crying and
screaming. Finally he passed out and
I pleaded with the boys not to hurt
him anymore. But they brought him
to by throwing water in his face. Then
they tied his hands and feet. I was
afraid someone might hear his
screams. So we pushed a pillowcase
in his mouth,

“Then they started the fire and put
live coals against the soles of his
feet. It was horrible; I could smell
the flesh burning. He was screaming
awful by then—I could see it! But
no sound came from him for the pil-
low slip was jammed in his mouth.
They kept it up till he passed out
again. Ginny seemed to go crazy. He
grabbed the Luger and crashed it
over poor Jonesie’s head.

“That ended it. There was nothing
more they could do to him then.
Jonesie was dead.”

The week after their arrest Evelyn
Lari and Ralph Hunter were arraigned
before Judge Erwin Schink in Re-
corders Court on charges of first de-
gree murder and ordered held without

bail for trial later this year. And~

three weeks after that, on the morn-
ing of August third, Inspector Branton
received a message from Charleston,
West Virginia, that a man answering
the description of James Sacchetti had
been arrested there as a “suspicious
person” during a routine police round-
up several days before.

The arrested man’s fingerprints,

along with a description of a tattoo
mark on his left shoulder, had been
forwarded to the FBI in Washington,
D. C. And two days later the Charles-
ton authorities received word that he
was wanted in Detroit on a charge of
murder.

Confronted with the evidence
against him, Sacchetti admitted his
identity, and as this is being written
arrangements are being made to ex-
tradite him to the Michigan city where
he has already been indicted on the
capital charge. Like Roberts, he has
refused to either admit or deny the
accusation against him.

Epfror’s Note: The name Michael
Kozaks in the above story is fictitious
in order to spare possible embarrass-
ment to an-entirely innocent man. As
this manuscript was being prepared
for the printer the guilt or innocence

‘of Evelyn Lari, Ralph Hunter, and

James Sacchetti had not yet been
established in a court of law. Until
the completion of their trials they
are, in accordance with American
tradition, entitled to be presumed in-
nocent of the charge of murder. This
magazine does give them such benefit
and assumes that they are all com-
pletely innocent. Nothing contained
in the above account of a police in-
vestigation is intended or should be
construed to give a contrary impres-
sion,

PLEASE NOTE: Word has just reached
us that Hunter has admitted sole re-
sponsibility for the crime, entirely ex-
onerating Mrs. Lari and Sacchetti.

of the prison priest. He never opened
his eyes.

As he neared the chair, he lowered
his head and the shaved spot showed
white where they had clipped his lux-
urious black hair.

“Oh, God, have mercy!” he cried.

The guard helped him into the chair.
They pinioned his body and-his arms.
His voice rose higher in agonizing
prayer. ~

“Oh, God!” he screamed. “Oh, God,
please have mercy for I have offended
thee!”

He screamed louder as the guard
pulled his head back and wrapped a
strap around his chin.

The priest begged,. “Don, Don, take
it like a man!”

The screaming stopped. Prayers
gurgled in his throat as the guard
pulled the strap tighter. The other
electrode was placed on his shaved
head.

“Our Father who art in Heaven,”
the priest began.

“Our Father who art in Heaven,” the
youth repeated.

When the two had finished the
Lord’s prayer, the black leather mask
was lowered over his face.

His face still turned upward, Froh-
ner prayed through the mask. The
rest of the room was quiet, horribly
still. The guard pressed the button
near’ the chair. Everyone present
stopped breathing.

“Oh, God, Oh, God, have mercy,

,

at hi Siliuas $2. iesu sellin.

We Watched Him Die

(Continued from page 6)

THE WORDS were stopped when
the crackling sound began. The
youth stiffened as the thunderbolt

raced through his body.
prison physician stepped up to the
chair. he guards ripped open the
white shirt. A Catholic medallion
dangled from a chain and rested on his
bared chest. The physician listened
for the heartbeat that would never
come. Don Frohner had paid his debt
to society.
What is my purpose in recounting
this tragic, sickening incident? Al-
though I have no legal grounds to
back me up, I cannot see where any-
thing was gained in taking young
Frohner’s life. His execution was a
shameful gesture in defense of our own
social defects. Unless we correct con-

Then the

ditions which make it possible for a-

boy of 16 to commit murder, this
snuffing-out of a young life is mock-
ery, indeed.

When I first met Don, I was shocked
by his callousness, his utter lack of
remorse. Now I realize he was merely
playing a part for those other miser-
able souls in death row. It was a kid’s
bravado, a show of false courage to
justify his own childish pride.

He wanted to appear a man—un-
afraid, tough, sneering. None of this
buildup was real. When it came time
for him to die, he had the same horri-
fying reactions‘to death as any other
youngster faced with such a crucifying
ordeal. He was afraid, in his great
loneliness, as you or I would be.

as

Don Frohner was intelligent enough
finally to realize and interpret the
cause of his own tragic end. This
self-knowledge came late in his un-
happy career, but the fact that it did
finally come at all indicates that he
had the stuff from which a reformed
and useful life might have been made.
He looked back into his life, and put
his finger on the basic problems.

“You see, the boy I wanted to kid-
nap had everything,” he said. “He had
a nice home, parents and all that—
everything I didn’t have. I hated him
for it. I used to steal things from him
and not let him know it just so I
could hurt him.

“Guys like me go wrong because of
the way we’re brought up,” he con-
tinued. “I was guided in life by the
movies and other such things. I had
no one to go to for advice. I always
figured the easiest way out was to try
and outsmart the other guy. If I had
been brought up by the right kind of
parents, I would net have gone
wrong.”

Don Frohner expiated his grievous
crime but, in the last analysis, he died
a sacrifice to those glaring defects of
our society which create conditions
that make children want to rob and
kill. Even you and I are not without
guilt. All of us had an unwilling part
in his dishonorable end. But he will
not have died in vain if we will heed
those agonizing cries and take steps
to put our social house in order.

THE END

False Alar:

Sheriff Harold Hubt
querque, N. M. thought
a double murder on }
other day when a _ loc:
ported finding two skele
his land. A quick inv
vealed, however, that 1
if they were murders—
about 800 years ago, |
properly the concern of
bell. The victims were
residents of this countr)
plete with an assortm:
heads and shards.

Firebird

It wasn’t any firebug |
recent blaze in Lynn, M
and fire-department of
down for a fact: it was
be precise, it was a
pigeon. This talented fe:
picked up a cigaret butt,
burning, and carried it t
the eaves of a Washingt:
ing. There it attemptec
smoldering cigaret into
posed mainly of twigs a
The result was a fire w
the big red wagons and
for an hour.

Cool Thies

Two men enterec
elry store, ostensi
some wristwatches.
engaged the clerk uu
about the watches, the
around the store and li
wedding band worth $
other showcase. A cle
of the store thought sh:
action and notified the
called a cop. Howeve
certain that the ring w
—rather than risk a su
rest—the manager |
thieves to stroll casua
store past the attendar
ment later, when a ci
their guess that the vai
ring had been taken, 1
out in pursuit of the cv
find that they had vanis
in the throng of sho;
Avenue.

Clean Sw

A clerk in the office
torney Gehrig in .Mineo!
noticed that her fou
missing, went into the
borrow one from anoth
action led to a quick
offices, and the discov
available pen—either j
type—had been stolen.
to the law demanded ac:
an hour the hunt was o1
ful suspects.

’
,

P


lessly pushed open the door. Again the merrymakers stared
in wonderment—this time for a different cause...

Gone were Johnson’s gallant airs, his confident swing.
His face was chalky white; his eyes were dilated twice.
their normal size.

“Come quick,” he cried as though in complete panic.
“The post boy is dead! He’s been shot and robbed.”

The rum drinkers sprung into action. As one of their
number galloped toward New Philadelphia to fetch Sheriff
Walter M. Blake, the rest joined the stranger Johnson on
their horses. The shock of Johnson’s announcement had
a most sobering effect and the party pushed their animals
forward—Johnson leading the way.

No one thought to ask Johnson for details, That could
await their arrival. Scarcely two miles from the inn, the
party halted.

| 22 ACROSS the narrow dusty trail, in a pool of his
own blood, was the mute form of William Cartmell,
the popular post boy, his youthful features twisted in
agony. It didn’t take an expert eye to see he was dead.

Tied to a sapling nearby was Cartmell’s horse. Straps
on the saddlebags were cut from their buckles; the bags
were empty. Everyone had noted they were stuffed almost
full, when Cartmell left the inn.

Someone stooped over the corpse, briefly announced: “He
was shot in the back with a rifle.”

An ominous silence fell over the group. All eyes were
gradually fastened on Johnson, who sat silently staring at
the corpse from his horse. Strapped to his saddle was a
rifle, such as all men of the day car-
ried for protection, and to hunt food.

“What happened?” someone finally
asked.

Johnson poured. out a strange tale,
as the merrymakers of a few minutes
before stared silently listening in-
tently to his every quaking inflection,
watching each nervous gesture.

“Just around that bend,” he said,
pointing back up the trail, “there’s a
spring.

“That rum made me thirsty, so I
got off my horse at the spring: The
post boy said he would ride on slow-
ly and I could catch up,” he con-
tinued, breathing deeply.

‘T had to stoop down on my knees
because the spring runs slow and it
took me quite a while to get enough.

Bernard Walters points to spring, still,

flowing, where the stranger from the

East said he stopped to drink, while the
post boy rode on ahead of him.

24

Citizens of the newly developed Ohio

community were making merry in this

tavern when ‘the stranger walked in
and ordered drinks for the house.

I was still drinking when, suddenly,
I heard a shot. I thought maybe some-
body was shooting a squirrel.
“Finally I got enough water and
climbed on my horse and kicked her
to a trot. When I got around the bend
_ I could see the post boy’s horse
’ standing in the trail. No one was on
Aad shim. Then, as I got nearer, I could
see the post. boy lying here.”

The party stood stark still, staring

intently as Johnson hesitated a mo-
"ment. He resumed slowly.

“I got off my horse and saw right
away the post boy was shot in the
spine. I called out to him, but he was
unconscious. I felt his pulse; he was
still living, but you could see he was
dying.

“While I was stooping over him,”
Johnson continued, “I heard a noise near me. I looked up
and there stood a man. I hadn’t seen him before. He must
have been hiding. behind that big tree there.”

Johnson described the man as being about twenty-five,
stockily built, carrying a rifle.
“He told me he was ‘hunting in the woods and heard the

‘same shot I did and came running,” Johnson nervously

continued. “We talked for a minute or two as to what to
do. Finally he suggested I go back to the inn after you
fellows and he would go over that hill there and get some
neighbor.”

There was a slight stir in the crowd. A short man with

' weatherbeaten face said ominously, “There ain’t anybody

lives over that direction.”

Johnson shrugged. “That’s what he told me,” he said.

Two of the party—expert trackers—separated and silent-
ly scanned the ground. Fall rains had not set in. The earth
was hard. Drying grass and weeds were matted down.

One of the men returned. “No one’s gone over that hill
lately,” he said.

A burly individual dismounted, walked up to Johnson.
“Tll thank you to hand me your gun,” he said. Johnson
complied, panic mounting across his already paled hand-
some face.

“Surely,” he declared, “you don’t think I did it.”

The burly man peered down the barrel of the rifle. The
science of ballistics was totally unheard of, but the man
was keen-eyed and experienced with fire arms.

“This gun’s been fired lately,” he announced.

-“Why, yes,” Johnson declared, (Continued on page 40)

>| ‘

Am > s
™

A e


OH on December 30,

FUNSTON, John, white, hanged

‘ 4 “She
‘ eae

behind a huge tree
Wgithe return of the
e saddle bags were
Hed with silver.

FRONT PAGE DETECTIVE, November, 1941

BA ee Se S|

Mr

covere
verac)
Alth
local }
never
those }
So, }
On t
Cadiz
whoop
Mr. Bc
cups w
By 1
heavy
opened
Over th

AN

Novem)


is in Ma.
sites, A
veatment
‘uld also
r, Viee
NZ and

ee ! ( if
ee i’ ton Ogi /
AOR aiden dead. fiwhile, that tend to make a service | Marton D4 //

Firse Tu Exptate Crime. [ike thin alenticant.

Gaekenpacn is-the frat dersnn | “Firat, wa remember tham he- as C. HO Akron. aecrelary, Mry |
we love them. Love hag not | Mary Murphy Barve a very teresting

*ver Sen? to the peattentlary fron Sauce
‘Marion fOunty who paig the Gerth: ween
benalty for nia-erime. death

Edward Rantr 2 om Pasion [ly os.
of Gackenvacn, WhO was alan ar-}

i Fested tn connect

killed by what wer
Te still holda dear
Walked and talked

| Seconda, herause of what ¢
ONswith the crime |

gs frit 2
is fiw Prteoner at the Mansauig | The nobility ¢ Character

reformatory |
It was Dot long aftap Rakeor'e coy. wht

tha Manly or womanly

festion that Gackenbacy also mas. their lives atin lives. chal]
ly confession and after being {ndier. love and “Tite their names

ted by the grand JUry. De entered .° Memories Third. because of what | charter members. Arrangements

[Plea of Bullty hefare Jutge Grant Fj they
eee On the Morning oe March pp Fat Ye

It was Gackenpach'. ain ota) Lincoln, McKinley and th
1PSCAaDe the. raectte ehatr. hus Jitgej tude of Otters who hare
j Mouser 1M POsedh the death Penalty greatly for the world.

‘and efforts on the Part o° Gack>3..
| bach’, relatives and frien 4, TO Se- otygpry

“We remember

i
our friends <*p9: |
because of the fact that we; Supreme President a. 2. McLean, 0 . .

eugd busi

Stary, Ti

Oe ae _ — See

efer to as| report of the state convention he.d

those Who j im Cleveland June 5, 6. 7 and 8. DOES ENOL
with us. | Echoes of the convention were also

hey were.! given ts State Deputy Wo ow Heniein,

displaying | of Dayton. and Mw. he OR YOU T(
Qualities | rangements were made ty hoid open. ne

they have exhibited during | house Monday evening. Joly 3, ar

‘

enkes our, whieo tithe the history of the lodge AN 4p M
Upon our | will be given by J. A Rice, one of the 2 Wwe f

hem. 8a: were made to have the imager ecircia
Jefferson, i degree put on here November 39, at
e molti- | asich time a class from Delaware
Wrought , lodge will be ‘taken in by the degree.
team of _the two lodges Brate wee
Deputy Henlein ad onnoced © th3: oo

i jCure @ stay cf frecution ang have yr ie that man is immortal. He Is Sharon. Pennsylvania, will attend
Yy, O. area nears commuted nee NT ah on Creature of one but of two ‘the Inner Circle ctremonial. =
= ee ae last Day Se ee setae ©n and on tn ae Moose Homeroming G Coe
————=2 , ol after e. us our everxreen an = omero . : =
oo a0d ber naan tee Hes ya our flowers and cur memortal ser. About os Sper aan ert Dinati
Ji seunings of Marton, were Visitore: nts become significant. They con- Bes ee a { Four. ait ae 7: &
4 iWith Gackenta-y ale dayton {nue to live with us because. they Order of Moose last e ening. ae ape 2
; iand UP to 8 o'clock Monday erenise  Uve in the yonder Mfe.”° teen applications were pa: ve
¢ { The Mothe- o¢ Gackenbach- ria ie The lst of dead follows: : etzht balloted Upon, and a vEES
5 Sees :3n unusual Tequest of Warden p E Abigail DeWitr, Mary Katharine | clase initiated. Arrangements we o
ee ‘Thomas, ears, tn the Olean wien Smith. -Florence Parkinson, Mary | made to Initiate a Centennial class

wa

Deal, was a cel} Mate of
i®ho declareg that Charte

ithe law her request had +, be retas. rar, gt
' Od, HY, Telatives Temaisay in Ca. ten, M

RS hacy to Domha

PPY and Lrone,

ie 24 i
aM praying to my God to deliver ne lee 12
Cute? this and { aca. he answers fi rest.
prarers. Say Frank, seng me some Cf&cers

: Clgarets ang Write to me, 7 Want to Ewers
hear all the news ; Alma Picket, vice

“I send my best wishes to your Verna

me since I have, been here and, aris:

‘the asked the Privileg. Of witness. Hodges,
i!ng the *leetrocution. Because os Reimer, Relle Bland, A. RB

Sn vietlon i Cora Barone,

fame. - eiford
Well, how is everybody jn Marions ance
Tell all YOur friends 7 fend tham my we
regards Ow manr hors have ou S.
Got fn jai] now? Tell your Mother Ree . Le hee
I said hello to her and may God Ddless a tere par@ Robbing
and keep her welll How ‘are vou , “Pfer. Laura Peller,

you before my time fs up. Gniy Fos
» twenty-six days more. es HaRE
+ "Well Frank, Eddj js learning to Six ee — .

Print in Mansfield Med he has a tine | ae pe cue wate BD te
record so far. There are Only six of g eee: “ rates ee
Bn here how “y say four go ont the SF Uar core ne of the
back Way and two the fron: Way. J Home Circle was oe

O@etta Knapp, Joseph Johns- lodge at last night's meeting for

ary Ellen Powers,

ugh, VK Gathery, Charles | home that the lodge expects tr,
Rebecca Miller, Alice Hazen, | build in the near future. The plas

rR Matthews, , Del!
n Ilda Klingel, Fra

er, James Cun

ede innocese |
' ae “7 Reason
i Myeaks Bho Tecently was Eranted an, ies Sms :
atay of eXecution Pending action hy! aries Smit George

John Wilson, Rose Oppen-/| the evening of July 3.

Mary Knoch, Anna Several interesting talks. wer,

- McMur- A plan was Presented: to the ”

Phillip | the proper Anancing of the new

® Clark i as Presented wa adopted unani-
ak Levy, mously. — :

ningham, | made by members Present. tnelud.
Salmon, | ing Benjamin T. Wiant and John K
Mooney, | Peters. A. F. Ritzert, of Kento>
Cooper, | was Present and extended an iny:.
Mitchell, tation to the lodge to attend a pin.

Knickle, Lillie Clemmons, ! nic at that place July 20. After ee
Sanford. Renate Hinds, Ma- lodge, the lodge band gave a con. Gees oo

: Tah Smiley, Nicholas ¢,
Sherlf Fran, A. Washburn is pre. Beniamin FP. Shurz, Amos

Si - Murray, Anna Files, ‘Lucy

mons, George Ww. Ba-/ surprise to many presenr. Direcror

ha Rader, Leora Warrington, Jesse Mead was congratulated Cn
See The Cemmie Von Stein, Char!

Horse-| tion and also the ability of the mn. ; : f1 Sx
‘Ses ts man, Frank 7 Hunter, Wiliam siclans. During the concert,

Rader, | cert of Several selections. Whicr
Wilson, | was much appreciated, and was 4

Otte Me-] the Way he handled Ble organiza.

: re. SS
Rianche Smith, Levi Shack. freshments were served and a smox.: eon f 7
David Clifton, John C. An- {er enjoyed. ;
Edward Ray Bryant, Harry : : See

i
- Dombaugs. Anna Slayton. ‘Anna Maytag Cast Aluminum tys aes
1

their bal) On west

. The semi-annual Section of
Was. held. . Mre. Walter gy.
Was elected President: wre

dear mother and all the boys tn the A. Rice, chaplain; Mrs.
fall ard to Jim Deal ara yourself, y -Backiz
aM leaving yoy My watch as a re Krigh:,
*Membrance. 1 love - you as a big Conch);
brother, Frank. vou have been S00d sentinel: Nrs. Haze} Fillatraule, pi-

cian, Guide; Mrs

Carson B. Shetterly,
kroa,

ld Monday even- | 8

companion: Clarence #.

Bot rust or corrode—Paschal}'s i

ed at the
Protected

Center |

Pit ee eeecs

ene es SIG

J.D. WISE @ SON, --

Denszer,

account-
and

! - John AS. 7 ee
eeteeaataniaeg nnn —$<— a.
Blanche s


ae brightly. in ' Warren, as 12,000
o 15,000 persons lined the dusty

Finbut -County™ “was under
: alae: very jarge

Among: the several hundred
marchers in the parade were
soldiers, ‘Jawmen, ~ clergymen,
~-and “governmental ~ “officials,
but: “onssthat - day, the main
attraction .was?, an . ordinary,
“ Trumbull County dirt- -farmer,
ra West Gardner. — :

“man -~ ever jeganty. hanged
Trombull County. < ‘
Here, - pieced together., from
~ information gathered by .War-
“ren attorney and history buff
John King, are the events which
"precipitated Gardner’s ” execu-

Born. in 1193 in. Massechusetts,
Gardner moved to Ohio’ in 1813
and settled in‘ Elisworth Town-
“ship, which was then part of
— Trumbull . County, but which
now is in Mahoning y County’ \
In. “October,.; 1824, while liv-
pe “jn. Ellsworth,» he married
Anna Logan. The couple later
“moved (to Deerfield.in Rortage
County and then to a farm in
. Gustavus: Township | in pon:
~ bull County.
“#eLiving with’ “Gardner “ting his
-.-bride was Frances Maria Buell,
*-whom’ most — historians have
_ described as * , Gardner's step-
* daughter. :

Girl Was \ Vietim -

i

“The 16- Pv eareld ~ Frances
| Maria ° Buell. played a major
role in’ Trumull County’s ‘first
murder x.+she was the victim,
“One afternoon, ‘during — the
tirst. week of August, 1832,
Frances Maria was seen run-
ning from her home with her/é
clothing in a “state of disar-
tay,” reportedly after having
resisted Gardner's advances.

“> She returned’ sometime Aug.
af but later that evening she
iwas forced to flee again after
: : her “stepfather: became angry
and yquarreled © “with two ., of
her friends. .. <. ah
The next morning, persuaded
‘by, Gardner’s. promises every-
‘thing. would be all -right if she
“tame back, and assured she
‘could leave after a few days,
..and-take all of her belongings

Bes
he
ont
; ‘
;

* Frances went home, again, >.

5 a mistake for Frances ...

“k: 'Shortly after lunchtime,’ wit.

_|Was -arraigned before Kinsman
‘{Griswold and jailed in Warren:

_jital

|C).

with. her, if she so. ‘Gealred, ; Scie <p

af weyprtel psa fan Te

ably her last. The date was
Aug. 8, 1832... ayia

Stabbed With Butcher Knife”

nesses heard Frances. Maria
scream and saw |. Gardner
grb her around the “neck with
his left arm, and wielding a six-
cent . butcher knife with his
right, stab her twice in the
*\“abdomen “near the breast
bone,” inflicting a wound two
inches wide and six inches deep.
Gardner’s wife, Anna, a neigh-
bor, Harlo Mills, and two pas-
sersby witnessed the event.

Frances Maria Buell died. -

Gardner was arrested “by
Constable Anson Moore on °a
complaint signed by Mills. He

Justice of the Peace Abram

In. 1832, a defendant in a cap-
case could elect to be
tried in Common Pleas Court
or before the State Supreme
Court. Gardner. opted for the
latter. : :
Only ‘two- Supreme Court
justices were required to try a
case, Gardner’s trial was heard
by Justices Lane (first name
ener and aright (John

say

Famed Lawyers >
The list of

who
took part’ in the trial could
have 'béen taken from a roster

lawyers

of nes Who Jn: Ohio His-
tory.” Negus

Assisting the 48- reac nid pro-
secuting attorney, Roswell
Stone, was David Tod, 28, who
later served as governor of
Ohio during the War between
the States.

Across the table, Phar the ‘de-
fense, sat Joshua Giddings, 37,

publicans. He was assisted

‘by Benjamin Wade, who would
come within one vote
of becoming president of the
im-

later

U.S. on the attempted
peachment of Andrew Johnson.

fear of punishment,
3, he was willing

the Aug.. 27, 1833, trial,

of insanity.
Jury Out 2 Hours ‘

The trial

an guil
verdict, Assi tis 6 ne

afe

prob-}

 |place

who, several ‘years. later, be-
came one of the top leaders of
a new political party, the Re-

Immediately after the mur-
der, Gardner had expressed no
and had
indicated, according to witness-| \
to make
etribution for his crime. But at _
the.
plea was not guilty, by” reason

“lasted only one
day, and the jury took ‘only

-|two hours to i bac ty

hy Ohio, 11-1-16

tO KE Ee ce TN

2Y yhe his
The 35-year- old Gardner was
sentenced to be hanged “by the
neck. until dead,” with execu-
tion set for Oct. 4, 1833, How-
ever,, Ohio Gov. Robert, Lucas,
at .the exhortation of several
prominent Trumbull Countians
twho did not: want to see Gard-
ner hanged, Stayed execution
until _ Nov. 1. Lucas Said he
would commute the death pen-
alty if he sgh word that a
majority 0 the county’s
citizens gesitaa him to do so.
Lucas heard nothing. Sareea!

the “afternoon — ‘of

At) 12:15
Nov. .1, 1833, Gardner was
taken from ‘his cell, and the

parade, described earlier, be-
Ran, ; oh te fats j

Bows And Smiles °

During. ‘the journey to the
gallows,:riding in .a wagon sur-
rounded by a cordon of light
infantry, Gardner bowed and
smiled at friends and acquain-
tances in the crowd. Accounts
of the parade said he looked
“indifferent” and calm. pes

The cortege wound gs way
from the county jail (which was
located at_.the current site of
the parking lot next to the
new county administration
dbuilding on High NW) to the
of: execution between
the Erie tracks and South St.
(Atty. King places the spot
somewhere. to the south of ‘the
present site of the Red Head
gas station on South SE, ‘just
west of the Niles Rd. inter-
section). 2G sei ee
Gardner ~ climbed the stairs
of the gallows accompanied by
two. Methodist elders, - Mack
and Winans (first | names
unavailable), Sheriff . George
Mygatt,
variously as
brother-in- law.

and a. man described
or

a , brother

Joins In Singing

‘Once atop the scaffold, "the
clergymen led the crowd in the
singing of a hymn which be-
gan, ‘Show pity, Oh, Lord
forgive.” The hard-bitten Gard-
ner joined in the singing.
Gardner’s ostentatious _ stoi-

tara

ihe”

me governor’s. dispatch rider

22y.

ES) i
vs APE PED Por |

later refused -a_ blindfold
proffered by - Sheriff ~ Mygatt.
and Chose, instead, to wear his
beaver hat (probably similar
to the hat usually associated
with President Lincoln. 2

Weeps During ‘prayer

‘His resolve did crack, how-
ever, during a half hour speech
by Elder Mack and during
prayers led by the clergy mets,
Gardner wept.

5 eae
ne i,

Gardner requested ~ Several
other prayers and another
speech. Atty. “King _ believes

Gardner was trying to  pro-
long his life, to cling to his last
few moments of mortality, that,
possibly, he had hoped to see

gallop to the gallows conrying
a last minute reprieve,
No rider came. .
At 2:25 p.m., Sheriff Mygatt
tripped the gallows and Gardner
plunged six feet ‘‘into eternity.”
He made a few convulsive
efforts to breathe and struggled
a little. It took a full six min-
utes for all signs of life to
leave Gardner. 2%

The body was left hangin
until 3:05 p.m.

FS

Buried In Kinsman rate
Gardner was first — buried
in the Kinsman cemetery,
but fear that the body would
be exhumed : and _. mutilated,
caused it. to be moved to a
new , grave site ‘somewhere
along a fence line separating
the farms of Walter and Jesse
Smith in Willowsfield, approxi-
mately | five | -miles - north: sof
Kinsman. if
“Later accounts of the hanging
lauded the crowd, which had] ,
witnessed the event, for {its

orderliness .’ (at. that ‘time,
spectators at “hangings ‘often
rioted following the execution).
One newspaper described the
hanging and said, “All the
preparations _ were well ar-|
ranged and everything “passed
off, we., hope, to ‘the satisfac:

cism was again obvious when

tion of the paar: bs

“Returnin

g home proved to be!


on, on “account ‘of some
y with Gardner, had left
pa hous | e in wulch she had hither-

Bs Hoe ches! urpose of re-
her ‘clothing.’ Upon her way
house for this purpose she
net by Gardner. and received
efron a butcher's knife. avith

3 second was. given by the ;

‘through the
E ‘bsg Tastently: me
“Gardner was immediately ars
Psted wichot ty ‘offering resistance,
. Rivciiug Bidwell who had
nversing with= him at. his

‘ast: hefore, and had hastened

2 assistance’ of the unfor-
Sgirk “Upon, hearing hep

but tov late to save her.” ”

refercnee to Gardner or his |

rs again in thes Chron-
AUB. ob a aud, then

The State of Ohio ys. Ira West
‘\Gardner for the murder of, Maria
Gardner alias Maria F. Buel...

/ Counsel for prosecution, Messrs.
Stone and Tod; for prisoner,
Messrs, Gideings and. Loomis, x

: opening of the court, the rlegher’
{Was introduced to the box, and
gave in his. plea with a= slight

“stremor—Not Guilty. The trial _was
phen postpuned until August 27.-

“A jury was. impanelled com.
‘posed of the. following persors,

‘James. Duncan, - Linus Brainard,

Lucius Sackett, Philo Chedester,

John Hall, Benjamin N.- Robbins, |

‘{John. Northrup, Frederick Moher-

-fman, Richard Osborn, Henry F,

EWinans, Heuty, W, Holley s Hotace

Flower. es
/ The first witness? for the state

was Riverius Bidwell who had are

ecunk paragraph. State's Witnesses ,

“é

Following were!

flva,

Smith.

ity of sea nity haat

“Thaddeus “P. St.
John, WH. Roberts, Joseph Wil
son. Erastus Cone, Harlow Mills,
Fatth Anu Mills, Amoa C, Mills,
Dr. Deter Allen,

Busha ty ParaWegs brother ot
Chester Lewls, Muel Barnes, ©
Dro Asabel Jones, Dy Peter Allen,
WDr For Alien. Martin Moachiin,
BRGcacil Hot hhins, David and Leve
Smith, Arehibotd Wack, General
Jeduthaw Farnam, Mrs. Par.
num, Charles Reed were Salled by
the defense,

The Chronicle carr ted more than
three and a half columns In non-
_pariel type, unbroken by a single
headline, of testimony, The case ,
seemed clear enough with the de-
fense apparently attempting nothe ;
ing except to suggest the possibil- :

~ “Guilty”. —Jury

: The case went to the jury at a
o'clock the. evening of August 27
-and after being out two hours 22 a
returned a guilty verdict.

‘In the Sept. 5, 1833, W, R.
Chronicle appeared the charge of |
the judge to the jury, and the date :
of execution, Oct. 4,. 1833.

The editor of the Chronicle adds }
a subtle rote, “We have copied the »
(Gardner) sentence, after punctuat:
ing it, from the News-Letter,” his
way of telling the world that he
did not esteem the erudition of his
rival editor,

It became the custom for War:
ren newspaper years after the ex-
ecution of Gardner to carry stories
on the anniversaries of the grue-
some cyent and eften with the dats
erroncously given, under the im-
pression of course that the sen-
tence was carried put as ucinally
pron unced, 5

Co ernor Commutes Sentence

ti act the hanging was delayed
until /Nov, 1,.1833, Governor Robert
Lucas stating in’ <commuting the.
“senteénce to that date that he had
-recelved a petitfon “asking for life

‘impyisonment instead of -hanging .
for /t the condemned man, ‘This peti-
‘tion Was” signed by. Benjamin
Allen, Titus Brockway, Eben New:
pton, Alexander, McConnel, Ephraim |
iBrown, George Swift, “Richard |
i Hayes, iemy Manning, Richard’
jlddings. “Sylvanus- Seely, *Abram|
Gris: wold, Asahel Jones, Ed. Rock-'.
Well, “RiP. Spalding and John |
Crowell.) 34%

No wonder the Goverive "
mented on the “respectable
names." they must have consti-
tuted a large section of the social.
:Ferister of the time. 99

In a volume containing a report.
‘of the cases decided by the Su-
‘preme Court of Ohio for. the pcers

a”

1831 to "38 inclusive there appears

a report of ‘the case in question |
and jin this report the name ts,
“spelled Gardiner thruout. ~ Testy
Thanks to the late Judge Gill.
mer, The Tribune Trailer, in 1927,
had an opportunity to read the of--
‘ficial record of the case and this’
jaccount ciffers slightly from he:

" {Chronicle account..

if rested Garduer as stated ina Pres .

- _ Distinguished Ceunsete

Gardlner was defended by Joshua:
R, Giddings and Benjamin F, Wade,’
than whom more distinguished
counsel could scarcely have been
found. Giddings vould have been
about 37 at the “inte and Wade was
four years hfs junior,

David Tod, then 28 years old and
afterwards Olio’s Civil “War Goy-
ernor, was associated with. the’

ie

* Wounty. Exosecuting Attorney, F Ros.

“jserved of all

com- |

Fett Stond- ‘tor :the State. Stone
died a little more than a month
later, aged only 49 years,
Gardner was hanged Noy, 3, the
execution tiking place in a jot
Which lay between Houth and
the fiture location of the brie raft
road thacha, desevihed as heing

thout half way between Chestnut
hod Mla, ae thone streets lvoe on
jHouth Bt, i

Thousands See the angina i

today,

The contemporary newspaper ace.
count of the execution, printed four:
days afterwards said It took place-
“inthe presence of an immense:
asseinblage variously Saplistated at.
from 10,000 to 15,000.” ’ t

“About a quarter ‘past ‘12 the.
prisoner was conducted ‘under.
military escort from the fall to’ the;

» gallows svhere religious exercises’
jWwere performed by Rev.
|Mack and Winans of the Metho-:

Messrs.,

dist persuasion, in the course of!
which the Sist Psalm, first part,:
was sung in which Gardner joined{
with a firm and unshaken voice.
After the halter had been adjust.
ed and the cap drawn over his face’
he entreated the sheriff to remove
the cap and put on his hat which:
was done; and he watched with ap.’
parent catmness for the blow which!
Was to sever his spirit from its‘
earthly: tabernacle. The drop fell
abont half past two; and aiter be-
ing susperded for half an hour his
body was: “ Gelivered | to his ralasi
lives.” 7 : 4
(What must have been the feel-*
ings of Gardner in the two and a.
half hours in which he was the cen-
ter of those exercises and the ob-
observers in pnat
throug of thousands?!) %
George Mygatt was the sheriff on”
whom the\duty of the Ira Gardner

Sits

execution devolved, -For the more
than a year that the prisoner was
‘in jail here he would have been an’

Humate. of the county jail which
was the predecessor of the present.
Jail building, “22%

In 4844 Ghio abolished public
executions and electrocution wag
substituted for hanging in ~1396.. 3


VEAN FLANGS
POR CRIMI

Vas Executed Here
Nov. 3, 1833¢

ee

The Aug.
un Reserve Chronie le car-
ied the story of the only,
vurder for which the pen-
uty of hanging was ever
scented in. the county. It
cad:

“Murdc man murder of
incynmimoen brutality. was
crnmitted in Gustavus, in
on the [th inst by a
Gardner, upou
Duell, a daugh-
deceased, a
fatal

some

Vig county,
nan nained Ira W,
yer3gon of XN

his wife, The

furia

Yert time previous to the

etien. on account of
fientty with Gardner, had left
in Which she had hither
ded. Gardner insisted upon

fused to

pase

ning Which she re

To escent for the purpose of ree
Sag her clothing, Upon her way
Ny }ds hese for this purpose she
Ss omet byw Gurdner and received
etols frora a butcher's knife with
ich he was armed, but which
cto the knife coming in con-
with the iibs did not prove
woh A eecond was given by the

a ht passing through tha
inthe wegi9n of the liver. She
3 ed atniost instemtly,
: ney Wa huomediately arte
' bos heut offering resistanee,
Rivciins Bidwell whoa had
HoeonMers ta with fay oat dis
te Just before. oud had bastenred
‘4 ascjatan of the ownfor-
M gin! ouron hearhre heg
‘ 7 ge dat fo lave her?
pate f) Gareyper or hi
l iv dm 1} oan ‘
' alt ‘ " lit theo
‘ yee of 43 hiatal ij ef up
! L document,
pi¢ Capel
i } ‘ Vuciaet Term

Judges Lane and Wright
{ The State of Ohio vs. Ira West
‘Gardner for the inurder of Marta
(Gardner alias Maria lh. Buel. ,
Counsel for prosceution, Messrs,
Stone and VTod; for prisoner,
‘Messrs. Giddings and Loomis,

“Not Guilty”—Gardner

The report continued,

“At 10 o'clock a. m. after the
opening of the court, the prisqner
Was introduced to the box, and
eave in his plea With a slight
itremor--Not Guilty. The trial was
then postponed until August 27.-

“A jury was impanelled come
posed of the following persons
James Duncan, Linus Brainard,
Lucius Sackett, Philo Chedester,
John Hall, Benjamin N, Lobbins,
Johu Northvup, Frederick Moher.
jman, Richard Osborn, Henry F,
Winans, Henry W. Holley, Horace
ii lower.”

The first witness for the state
Pw: is Riverius Bidwell who had are
rested Garduer as stated in a pres

ceding paragiaph, State's withosses ,

16, 1832, West-—

faccount
‘Chronicle

fi aed vrai ne Paha POR
Jolin, Wad Robea ta, Joseph Wil-
Se OES its Cone, thaw Mills,
Balt Na Mills, Wind ak Milla,
Dy. Veter Nien

| Wis CM) Garden, brother of
That, Mester haewda, Ped Wattiven,
yay, Asatied totes, Oe beter Adten,
Dr PW Adem, Matin Mastediia,

Russell Hlotelykiin, Diavtd ane levi
Sutth, Nvebtbotd Uhweh,  Ghenmenad
Soft. Jeduchan Marni, Mra. bia
Huin, Charhos Teed were called by
the defense,

The Chronicle carried more than
three and a half column's fn non-
pariel type, unbroken by a single
headline, of testimony. The casa
seemed clear enough with the de-
fense apparently atfempting noth-
iug except to suggest the possibil-
ity of insanity,

“Guilty”—Jury

The case went to the jury at 7
o'clock the evening of Angust 27

aud after being out two hours the y
jFeturned a guilly verdict.
In the Sept. 5, 183 Wee R,

the judge to the jury. and the date
of execution, Oct. 4, 1833,

The editor of the Chronicle adds
a subtle rote, “We have copied the
(Gardner) sentence, after punctuate
line: it. from the News-Letter,” his
way of telling the world that he
did nof esteem the erudition of his
rival ediror, .

It, became the custom for Wars
ren Newspaper years after the ex.
reution of Gardner to carry stories
ion the anniversaries of the crue.
jSome cvent and often with the dats
perrenconsly given, under the jm-
pression of course that the
tener was carrfed out ons originally
pronounced,

ane

Covernor Commutes Sentence

In fact the honeaing
wtih Nov, 1, 1885) Governor Jtobert
[Euers stating in commuting the
sentence to that date that he had

was delayed

recedyed aoperitton oa Kine foe dite
Roprisonment inetoul oof hangin
for the cond amincd man. Phie poti-
Hon was sismed uy Veajeaain

len, Titus
ton, Alexanedoes

Brockway, Khe
MeConpyel, Ephraim
Brown, swift, Richard
jHayes. Venry Manning, Richard
pidge. Sstvenus Seely, Vhram

“Griswold, ae ihe] Jouve ‘5 a], Rock.

1 Newe

:
Geary re

we OR. OP. Spalding and John
Crocyvell, 4

Noo wonder the Goyerner come
mented on the “pespeetable

names,” hey must have cousti-
tuted a large scction of the social
register of the time.

In a volume containing a report
of the eases decided by the Sue
Pigee Court of Ohio for the years
1831 to ‘O45 inclusive there appears
a report of the. case In question
and in this report the name ts.
spelled Gardiner thruout.

Thanks to the late Judge Gill-
mer, The Liibune Trailer, in 1927,
had.an opportunity to read the of-
ficial record of the case aud this
Ciffers slightly from the

account,

Distinguished Counsel

. Gardiner was defended by Joshua
Nn. Giddings and Benjamin PY Wade,
than whom more distinsuished
counsel could scoreely have been
found. Giddings would have beewm
about 57 atthe time and Wade was
four years hia junior,

David ‘Tod, then 28 yerrs old and
atterwards Ohio's Civil Wat Goy-
ernor, was assoeiated with the
County Prosecuting Attorney, Row

Chronicle appeared the charge of

WH Rtone, fer tye . Stong
(led aw Tite more (hao a month
later, need only 40 years,

Cardner was hanped Nay 3, the
evecuiion  tabiag place In a dot
Whe lay between fourth Nt. and
the future cdorathow of the ds ide ovat}
towel fhiteha. bemoan tty dows belting
Whout Wah wity between Chentiut
wud bina te thane etreets hive on
Mouth oe, today,

thousands See the Hanging

The contemporary newapaper ace

count of the execution, printed four
days afferwards said it took Place
“in the presenee of an SMmense

assemblage variously estimated at

from 10,000 to 15,000." ;
“About a quarter past 12 the
prisoner was conducted under

military escort from the jall to the,

gallows
! wer re

where
performed

religious ererelses
by Rev. Messrs,

‘Mack and Winans of the Metho-
idist persuasion, in. the course of
Which the Sist Psalm, first part,
was stain in which Gardner Joined i

With a firm aad unshaken voice.
After the halter had been adjust.
od and the cap drawn over his face
he entreated the sherite¢ to remove
the cap and put on his hat whieh
WAS done; and he watehed with ap-

was fo sever his spirit
earthly tabernacle, The drep fell
about half post two: and nee he-
ing suspended for halt an livur his
hody was celivered to his rela-:
tives,”

(What must have been ths feel.
nge Of Gardner in othe ten and
Dalf Nourse ae whieh he we « iNe cen.

from fis.

pferved oof
ithronix

|

dumate of the

Re

ter of those esevefses and the ob.
cell Olver Pvers it} that
of Nella taadd

George Myeatt was the sheriff on
whem the duty at the Tra Gardner
execution devolved. Por he more

than a year that the ortcane was
in jul here he wonld vase heen an
eounty jail whieh
the predecessor of the preseat

fy ESS fa cath

ePrLECUTONS

ished wuhte
aad choetyvoeutfow vas

substiiated for hanclies ia yea

<

4

parent catniness for the blow which.

Ge vd ner -