Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-01-21
Chicago Officers Attacked
While Raiding Fence"
of Robbers.
MURDERER GETS AWAY
Fifty Men Are Put On Trail of
Robert Webb, ParoIed Re-
formatOry Convict.

Chicago, Jan. 21.-Frank Nadia, own
er Of the South Michigan avenue gar
age which the police declare was used
as headquarters Of automobile bandits,
was surrendered to the police by his
attorney today after information con-
cerning his whereabouts had been fur
nished the police by Mrs. Isabelle
Hastings, in whose apartment Detec
tive Peter Hart was shot and killed
yesterday afternoon by Robert Webb,
said to be chauffeur for the bandits.
Nadia, who is said to have been the
agent Of the robbers in disposing of
stolen property. told the police that on
one occasion he purchased six diamond
rings from James Perry, confessed
leader of the gang, for s65. Later he
purchased a gold watch from him for
81. He said Perry and two other men
frequently came to his garage. He said
he did not know the rings and watch
were stolen.
FIFTY DETECTIVES IN SEARCH.
Fifty detectives are searching the
city for Robert Webb. slayer Of Hart
Chief Of Police McWeeny instruct
ed his subordinates to capture Webb
dead or alive. The chief expected
Webb would be arrested in few hours
Mrs Hastings, in Whole apartment the
murder of Detective Hart occurred,
broke down and made a number OF i'm
portant admissions today. 1t is said
she has given infoTmation which is ex-
pected to lead TO the capture of Webb.
Il knew Webb was a hold up man,
but loved him in spite of that" the
woman said, II have been his sweet
heart year and saw him nearly every
day. He always had money and Of
course ! guessed where he got 1t, but
never talked about It,"
Webb shot and killed Detective Pc
ter Hart of the Fiftieth street police
station at 80 o'clock yesterday af-
ternoon. The murder took place in the
fiat OF Michael Cassella, 16l7 South
Wabash avenue. The fat is across
the alley from the auto bandits gar
age and fence" on automobile row.
Footprints over snow-covered roofs
indicated the path OF the murderer's g
escape. IL is the fourth time this
young desperate. a paroled product OF
the Pontiac reformatory, has been cap
tured by the police and allowed to es-
cape. all within a period OF nine days.
KILLED WITH OWN REVOLVER.
Hart was killed with his own re-
volveK The detective was searching
the robber for weapons when Webb
turned on him in a desperate attempt
10 gain his liberty. He was able TO
snatch the detectives revolver. In the
hand-to-hand struggle which followed.
the bandit shot twice. The second bul.
let entered the detectives body under
the left armpit and pierced his heart
The arrest and murder was witness
ed by Cassella, who said Webb ran out
Of the fat and vanished while he was
summoning other detectives stationed
in front of the fiat and in the rear.
Webb is the third member OF the
bandit gang OF which James A Perry
was the leader. He is the man who
took dive through window in the
fourth-story fat at 4307 South Wabash
avenue last Tuesday when Captain La
win Of the Hyde Park station had trail
ed the robbers to their rendezvou:
ana FeTTg anu w dAltI SSONN Wei
caught Webb has a multiple record
OF crimes in Chicago and has served
two years in Pontiac reformatory. Be
fore that he had been an inmate OF tbs
John Worthy School for Boys. He /!
said to be 25 years old.
POLICE FIND ~FENCE."
The killing OF Detective Hart form
ed the peak In the events Of a da!
which promised great achievement
for the police In running down the res
OF the automobile robber band.
The police had learned the identit.
OF the man said to have conducted th'
clearing house for the automobile ban
dts. The same man had furnished tn
robbers with their motor cars.
Perry in the course OF his series
amazing confessions OF a crime can
paign had named Frank Nadia, tn
keeper Of a small garage at 1912 Sout
Michigan avenue, as the fence OF th
bandits and the maa who furnishe
them with their machines. The Hyd
Park police were searching for Madif
but failed to find him. They were bal
tering with men who representa-
themselves as friends Of Nadia an
the police for the surrender Of the ga
age keeper.
Vienna-A corporal shot and kille
a A. r,NN n