The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1921-12-30
Big Robbery Solved.

Ii into Judge North's court he he's I'M
earthed all the details of the big rob-
berry at the Du Frame warehouse in
Fond du Lac, which was committed on
January IL, 1920, and there have been
arrested in different parts of the state
the following people who were impli-
Gated in it: Frank Gretzke OF Fond du
Lilac, the brains of the gang, Matt
Baulie, an employee in the Du Frame
warehouse, Herman Hauser, owner of
| the auto bus line from Chiffon to She
boygan at Sheboygan, Owen Hughes,
ex-saloon keeper, Chippewa Falls, Wal
ter Poplowski, Wisconsin Rapids, AL
bert Xmas, ex- saloon keeper at Prince
ton, Ed. Steube and R. A. Alexander,
ex-saloon keepers at Montello, and DR..
B. P. Schnetsky, wealthy physician and
financier at Princeton. The doctor is
also the president of bank at Prince
ton.
Besides these who are now under ar
rest there were implicated in the rob-
berry Stanley Poplowski, who is known
here, and Joe Poplowski of Racine.
These last two are serving sentences in
Waupun. Eleven men in all up to date
are under arrest. The papers and Off
Gals of the city of Fond du Lac have
good deal to say in praise of the work
done by Judge North in this matter.
The case has utterly baff1ed both the
police force of the city and the sheriff's
office of the county. Two of the men
under arrest were suspected, but not
one shred of evidence was found
against them.
Judge North noticed that one of the
men implicated, whom he knew to be |
dead broke in the last days of Deem
Der, was staying at one of the best |
hotels in Milwaukee and at the Radisson |
in Minneapolis. This aff1uence came so
nearly on the heels of the big robbery |
at Fond du Lac that he became sus-
picious and questioned one of the
friends of these men. From him he
learned that they had pulled some
thing. This was about as far as Mr..
North could get for some six or eight
months when the Poplowskis were ar
rested at Eau Claire and the sheriff of
Eau Claire county got in touch with
him. From that time on he began to
gather little matters and until two
weeks ago when he was sufficiently
clear In his line up of the robbery he
made trip to Waupun and laid the
facts before the two Poplowskis charg-
ing them with their part in the big
deal. Both stoutly maintained their
innocence until they knew that Mr..
North had all the facts in the case and
it would be impossible for them to save
the deal and from them he secured at
the state prison in Waupun two con-
fessions, since which time Hughes of
Chippewa Falls, Hauser of Sneboygan
and Poplowski of Wisconsin Rapids
have each made a signed confession
and it is remarkable thing that each
of these five confessions have corrobo-
rated Mr.. North line up of this rob-
berry to the chief of police of Fond du
Lac and every man mentioned by him
is now under arrest. Chief of Police
Nolan of Fond du Lac in speaking of
the matter says:
s'This was the most battling case that
we have had to deal with during the rs
years have been on the police force.
l have been chief for 81 years last past
and wish TO say that Mr.. North's work
on this case is the best that have had
anything to do with during the Is pears
/ have been on the force.
The papers throughout the state have
commented on the case and have been
unanimous in giving Judge North cred
it for his efficient assistance in unrav-
cling the mystery that SO long hung
over this case.