New-York tribune., 1920-05-15
Bandit Slain
In $4,000
Mail Robbery
100 Police and Rifle Squads
Fight Thief Who Used
Apartment House in Chi
cago as q Barricade
Wounds Kill Policeman
Youth Gives Clerk $4,000
for Travelling Bag in
Which to Place the Money

Ioi iFaVel1ng bag III
Which to Place the Money
CHICAGO. May IA bandit. identi-
fed as Horace Walton, twenty-five
years old. of St. Joseph, Mo,
last night looted the mail car
of the New Orleans Limited on
the Illinois Central Railroad of s75,
600 in currency. To-day in battle
with the police. in which the bandit
and one policeman were killed and an
other policeman wounded dangerously,
the bandit dropped the satchel contain
ing the money. Tonight Federal Of
hcers are investigating the disappear
ance of $4,000 from the satche.
Walton fell with four bullets in his
body after parricading himself in his
apartment and fighting with more than
100 police, including several picked
rifle squads.
Walton boarded the train at Gilman,
few miles from kankakee, and took
seat IN Pullman car A pouch con-
tanning the money. which was on it's
way to a Chicago bank from the Citi-
zens National Bank of Decatur. Ill.,,
was put on the train at Gilman.
AS the flyer pulled out of Kankakee
Walton stepped into the mail car and
announced that he was the postal in
spector. He walked toward Elmer F.
Harris, chief clerk, and his four as
sistants, then suddenly drew a pistol
and commanded "hands up" The clerks
/ obeyed. Harris and three of the clerks
were ordered to lie on the floor. James
E. Burke another clerk. was forced to
bind their hands behind them. Walton
then tied Burke's hands and set about
in leisurely fashion sorting the mail
pouches.
Places Money In Bag
Armed with the clerks key he picked
cut and rifed the bags containing
shipments Of money, remarking, "It's
easy when you have inside informa-
ton" He took a travelling bag from
one of the clerks, paying him $40 for
it out of his newly acquired roll, and
| putting the rest of the money in it.
After filing the bag Walton kept up
running fire of banter with the clerks
until the train reached Englewood Sta
ton, in South Chicago, shortly before
l q. m. There he leaped out.
Chief Clerk Harris loosened his bonds
/ and pulled the cord, stopping the train
soon after the robber had departed, but
even before the alarm had been spread
Patrolmen William A. Roberts and John
Hendricks met Walton. Their sus-
ricions were aroused by the bag he car
rjed and Roberts stepped forward to
question the man. Walton, with re-
volver in his pocket, fred through his
coat Roberts fell, shot in the head
and side.
Walton leaped into the areaway Of an
apartment building, while Hendricks
dropped behind Robertss body and
opened fire After an exchange of shots
the policeman dashed forward and
the bag and fed. When examined
later by Federal officers the bag con-
tanned only $4,000.
Bullets Riddle Apartment
Police rifle squads, summoned hy
ment house a half block away. They
surrounded the building and for more
than an hour poured hundreds Of bull
lets into Walton's apartment He re-
turned the fire steadily, using two guns,
then suddenly stopped. Detective Chief
Mooney led dash on the room. Wal
ton was found on the f0r, dead with
four bullets in his body.
A membership card issued by the St,
Joseph. Mo, Y. M. c. A, and letter
addressed to Mrs. L. V. Walton, 523
North Seventh Street, St. Joseph, we're
found in his pocket.
Patrolman Roberts was rushed to a
hospital, where he died after a few
hours. He is survived by a wife and
five children. Patrolman Thomas Ser
ritter also was wounded.
Walton had lived in the apartment
where he was killed for several weeks,
according to neighbors. A postal in
speetor's badge, mail pouch key and
an Illinois Central time table, printed
in pencil on card, were found on the
body.
Walton was identified as former
mail clerk of previously good character
by c. w. Sims, an officer of the Chicago
Young Mems Christian Association.
Mr.. Sims told the police he received a
letter from Mrs. l.. V. Walton, of St.
Joseph, stating that her son left home
three weeks ago and was believed to be
in Chicago. Walton was high school
graduate and a member of the Y. M.
c. A., according to word from St. Jo-
seph His father was said to be on his
way to Chicago to claim the body.
e