The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-07-01
DRAMATIC STORY
BY A CRACKSMAN
CLEARS UP TTIEFTs WHICH HAVE
BAFFLED POLICE.
Clarence Warmelin, an Accomplished
Musician and Crook, Turns State s
Evidence and .tsqueals' on Pals
How He Met and Assisted in Plan
ming Series Of Safe Cracking Ex-
ploits.

Cracksmen IS secrets that have baf-
fled detectives for months were given
to the public, in police court today
when Clarence Warmelin, accused OF
completely in the robbery of 9. J. Carl,
sons store last Saturday, testified
against his pal, John Doole. Warmelln
has already been held to the grand Jury
on his own admissions, but Doole asked
for an examination and the two men
faced each other this morning.
The young musician told how he sac
rifced position AID the honor OF him
men. How the plans were laid to blow
the safe in Cramer's grocery store at
Grant and Nicollet and in Carlson s gro
Gerry store at 720 Twenty-sixth avenue
n. Because of his education and air
of innocence he acted as the scout,
looked up the easy Jobs and reported to
Kalmer and Doodle, who did the real
work. In case of an arrest. the, man
who sized up the place would always
have an alibi. .E
Planned a Campaign.
He looked Doole squarely in the eye
while telling his story. He first met
Kalmer in a saloon early IN the. SPRING
Both men having served time, they be-
came goood "pals'' and, he said, final
ly proposed a gigantic plan for sue
| u
He stayed in the, game, but illness
prevented him from looking up another
easy place for three weeks. Then he
| went to Carlson s store and bought:
package of tobacco, taking care to size
up the safe at the ,s sam? tine me- st Mrss
corroborated his story of his purchase.
That was on Friday, June %.
| Warmelin's first work, he says, was wa;
to look over the Cramer store, The
safe had large crack in 1T and ne SO
reported to Kalmer. His next meeting
with Kalmer was hsr at the G be Was
troduced to Doole as the man who
| looked up the easy Job. At that time
he asked about the shooting during the
| Cramer lob and Doole said 1T was al
newspaper talk, and for him to stay IN
the game.
Drew Sketch Of Store. -.
He drew sketch of the store show
ing the position of the safe and on the
Sunday night following he went to the
barn where he found Kalmer and Doolt
in bed. He aroused them, and learn
that it was a stormy night, Doole pro
posed that they do the job immediate
ly. The three came down town ane
; Warmelin left them at Washington
avenue and went home.
The job was done and the next day
Warme1in s pals, fearing that suspi
cion was turned in their direction, be
gan to throw suspicion on the scout
Kalmer went to Warmelin's home
taking the outfit used in all the jobs
including the three guns and at nltr'
=, glycerine. These Warmelin kept I'm
: til the next day, when Kalmer cam
again and the two prepared to tax
the things back to the barn. Kalme
| III ha sold hooorso thin u
= were getting too warm at the lcehouse
4 When they reached Hennepin avenu
: and Sixth street they got off the. ca
e and were grabbed by the detective:
: When they were arraigned the next da
J. Doole stepped close to Warmelin an
: said, ~ don It know you
/ Doole Glared at Witness.
s Altho Warmelin knew this was
threat he had already decided to tie
the truth and save his family. He d.
:. clares that 40 promises of a short sci
d tence were held out to him. During h
n testimony Doole glowered at Warmeli
:. in threatening manner but the youn
man aid not finch d nor did he + try
y had received $l5 as his share Of tt
n Cramer job. Kalmer said, when ham
t ing over the money, that the haul was
d small one, altho Mr.. Cramer declare
that $3.50 was taken from the safe.
A Talented Musician.
: Warmelin has also told the count
:. attorney and the police all obut h
! past record. ell is an accomplish
e musician, has played in the best O.
\. chestras in New York and has a pos
q ton open for him there at the prese1
$ time. A Minneapolis orchestra leade
says that Warmelin is known in mus
;, cal circles as one Of the best clagint
u players in America. Those who hay
: known him in a business way wei
shocked to learn that he had been
crooked work. .-
At one time there were eleven i,
dictments hanging over him for cou
le.I terfeiting in Chicago. He served tin
le on one of these and the others we
n nolled. He was drawing a salary
s. 1925 a month in st. Paul, and was Ii
a. ing with his wife and little baby .
l.. Twenty-fvth avenue S. Even tho
pals visited him there and talked ov
S. plans, his wife never learned Of tt
n work, and she is now on the verge
ct nervous prostration. ess..
At At the close of the examinati
G. Doole, who expected to go free, on la
- IL.