Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-09-13
QUARTETTE CAUGHT AT
TROY GROVE STOLE
CADILLAC CAR
CAUGHT THRU RUSE
GARAGEMEN PUT AUTO OUT OF
COMMISSION PENDING ARRIVAL
TO ARREST THIEVES OF SHER-
IFF AND DEUPTIES-P o e
TAKES PART IN CAPTURE.

Mike Tomsk aged 30, auto bandit
wounded during a volley of shots fired
by members OF posse that chased
him through a corn field near Troy
Grove, Is an ex-conviCt, having been
sont up from Bureau county on bar
glary charge several years ago. Tom
Xxi. the leader of the gang; Maurice
Thompson, aged 20, of Iowa; Edward
i. Haynes, aged 20, Of Waterloo,
Iowa, and Charles Johnson, aged H.
of New York City, the four bandits
captured by Sheriff Ayers and citi,
zens after having stolen an auto at
Chilllcothe early the same morning
were taken back to Peoria that night
by Deputies Grant Thurman and J. G.
Burns of the Peoria county shedffs $
office.
Car Belonged In Chllicothe.
The stolen auto, 1920 Cadillac
touring car with special body, was
returned to its owner, Arthur Smith
retired ChillicotEe business man.
this morning The gears of the car
had been stripped by the bandits.
The auto was rolled from the gar
Ggo at the rear of the Smith home in
Chiicothe by the bandits yesterday
morning at | o'clock. Tho quartet
pushed the car half block down the
street and then started the motor
The cold weather caused them to
have difficulty in starting the car and
made such n noise that Mr.. SmitA
waa awakened. He did not know at
first that the engine which was pound
ing so hard wGs his machine until the
bandits accidentally touched the horn.
He then realized that it was his car
that was being stolen, and, jumping
from bed, ran out in the alley just in
time to see the auto disappearing
down the street Within twenty min
utes he notified the sheriff at Peoria,
the Chillicothe police and the authorl-
ties at Sparland and Putnam
Buy Gas From Wagon.
Yesterday morning about II o'clock
tho bandits stopped an oil wagon
driven by Luke Woods of Mendoza
and purchased some gas. They were
evidently hoping to escape stopping
at garages by this action. At 1880
o'clock they pulled in about a quar-
ter of a mile north of Troy Grove
stalled by engine trouble. Alex
Hamel, who is better known as Tim,
saw that the men were il. trouble and,
being a former garage man, walked
out to give them a lift. When he saw
the dirty and ragged appearance Of
the bandits and tho high powered
Cadillac they were driving he became
suspicious of the occupants. He got
the car in working order, but told the
thieves that he would have to take
it lack to his home to get tools to
make other repairs. He ran the
Cadillac to the side of his house and
proceeded to lin" it, so that it was
put out of commission for several
hours. Hamel managed to work over
the auto without arousing suspicion,
to give the authorities chance to
make an investigation. In the mean
time Tom Flood, resident of Troy
Grove, who had formerly resided in
Dc Pue, saw Tomski and recognized
him as convicted robber of two
railroad stations and the De Pue
bank. He, fearing another robbery
was about to develop, hastcned to the
Troy Grove bank and informed the
president James Weldon, that Tom
ski was in town and might bo pre-
pairing to rob his institution. Weldon
notified the Mendoza police, who in
turn called Sheriff Ayers at Ottawa.
Sheriff Rushes to Scene.
Sheriff Ayers and Deputy Sheriff
Cisco left Ottawa lilo yesterday aft.
ernoon. They wore approaching Troy
Grove from the south, whom they met
two citizens stationed on the road as
outposts, who cautioned them to circle
around the town and come in from
tho north, the stage having been set
by the Troy Grove citizens for Sheriff
Ayers to work from that direction.
The auto containing Ayers. Deputy
Sheriff Cisco and chauffeur swung
into town from the north and drew
up in front of the stolen car. Tomski,
who was in the front scat, spotted the
officers. He jumped and started to
run. Ayers covered Thompson, John
son and Haynes with his revolver and
ordered them to throw up their hands
and stand still. They complied with
the request.
Posse Pursues Fugitive.
Cisco and five Troy Grove citizens
followed Tomski. The chase led