The L'Anse sentinel., 1922-06-30
LADY ASTOR FIGURES IN MOST
ROMANTIC CRIMINAL EPISODE
Through Her Influence "charey" Smith, Who Shot Noted Bank
Robber, Eddie Guern Is Set Free in England
Guern World Famous for His Escape From
Devils Island, Now Broken Man.

1901, when all Paris and its guests
was basking at the little tables Of the
boulevards, the distinguished Ameri-
cans planned a more spectacular and
richer haul. Around the corner from
the Cafe de la Paix, the busiest and
most famous corner In all Paris, and
In the very shadow of the great
opera house, were the offices of the
American Express company.
With them now were Kid McManus,
young Eastsider who had ascend
ed from the prosperous state Of a
New York saloonkeeper to the COM
panionship Of Eddie Guerin, and
Dutch Gus Miller, notorious Ger
man-American criminal.
Their booty from the express rob-
berry consisted of only 10000 francs,
then worth about $4,000. They had
overlooked or had been unable to
break the larger safes.
The four accomplices left Paris on
different days. Kid McManus went
first and reached London, but was
later arrested for another crime and
spent seven years in a Canadian peni-
tentiary, emerging mental wreck.
Dutch Gus Miller and Chicago May
were arrested as the. left on differ
ent trains. And on June 13-"thir-
teen" was again to figure as an un-
lucky number for him-Eddie Guerin
was arrested just as he reached the
French border and brought back to
Paris.
Chicago May was sentenced to five
years Of penal servitude. Dutch Gus
and Eddie Guerin were each sentenced
to Imprisonment "at hard labor" for
life.
AS the sentence was pronounced
Chicago May threw her arms about
Eddie Guerin and kissed him long and
passionately. Eddie was affected
But he learned later that 1t was she
who, in order to gain lighter SEN
tence for herself, had given the In
formation which led to his arrest.
.Guerin and Dutch Gus were shipped
to that penitentiary which is the hor
ror of French criminals-Devils Is
land, that CHASTITY strip Of land Off the
coast of South America in French
Guiana, where tropic sun beats
down mercilessly on steaming clay
and pestilential swamp.
But then came the most sensational
episode in all Guerin's sensational
career. From Devils Island" thu
hopeless saying is, mo man ever es
capes."
But Guerin escaped!
The true story of the way in which
he effected it has never been told. II
all probability it never will be. Th'
generally accepted version is that Pa
| Sheedy, New York's famous gamble
and patron of art" who had con
ceived real liking for Guerln. gav'
or collected a fund of some $5O,OO'
which was sent secretly to Guerin oil
Devils Island, and used to bribe hi
| guards.
Guerin reached New York in tn,
early summer of 1905, just four year
after the court In Paris had sentenced
him to Imprisonment for life. He wa
seen at his old resorts. In the autumn
he revisited his boyhood haunts Ii
| Chicago-and then he dropped out o
sight.
Charley Smith Appears.
Two years went by before the pc
lice found him troublesome again. B.
this time, Chicago May had complete,
her five-year term In a French priso
and had gone back to London. wher
she had rented fiat In Cover street
In the sedate Bloomsbury neighoor
hood, and was back at her old game
it was said, of blackmailing wealth
admirers. But now it was no longe
Eddie GuerIn who acted as her NAL
accomplice In the business. 1t was
slender, curly-headed young American
who sometimes gave the name @
Sabine Jackson ant sometimes tina
Of Charley Smith,,
Eddie Guerin suddenly reappeare
in London. With him was a woma
known as Emily Skinner, who passe
as his wife, at times.
Guerin had been In London for a
least six months before their ol
quarrel broke out violently. This wa