The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-12-18
NAB SUSPECT
LONG WANTED
F. Murtaugh, Alias Murtha,
Wanted Years Ago, Ar
rested in Chicago.
|LOVEDAY USED NAME
Records Show Earl L0veday
Used Murtha's Name in
Planning Robbery.

| An echo of the notorious brass mill
robbery here in March, 1919, when
bandits, after blowing the safe in the
offices of the American Brass company
here and stealing more than $4,000
| in Liberty bonds, killed Patrolman
Tony Pingatore when he attempted to
halt them, was heard today when word
reached Kenosha that Frank Murtaugh,
alias Frank Murtha and Peter Burke,
was arrested in Chicago Thursday night,
At the time of the brass mill rob-
berry a man named Murtha was sought
as suspect and the request for his
apprehension remained on the Chicago
police blotter despite the fact that the
robbery is believed to have been all
cleared up by confessions made by
Earl Loveday, Carl Carlson and
August Blank, all now serving long
terms in the state prison at Wau-
pun for the crime.
Loveday Had Used Name.
| Murtha had been sought shortly
after the robbery because of the fact
that Earl Loveday, who has confessed
to being the leader of the trio that
staged the robbery and who is now
serving a life sentence for the murder
of Patrolman Pingatore, used his name
when he came to Kenosha and regis
tered at local hotel while he planned
out "the big job" of his notorious
criminal career, .
"Peter f. Murtha," was the name
used by Loveday and this was the
name under which the suitcase con-
tanning the dynamite used in the rob-
berry was sent to him by express here.
This suit case abandoned by the ban
dts in their flight, was the clew which
after years of search led to their ap-
prehension and conviction.
Murtha Probably Knew Loveday.
When a man named Murtha was ar
rested Thursday night in Chicago,
police officials there, vigilant even
after several years, recalled that a
man by that name had once been
sought in connection, with a big rob-
| berry and murder here and for that
reason are holding the suspect until
a thorough investigation has been
made.
Kenosha police are of the opinion
that Murtha may have been chance
acquaintance of Loveday and that the
latter merely used his name in carry
ing on the robbery. In the confes-
sions made by Loveday, Carlson and
Blank, there was no mention of a
fourth person and it is hardly pos
sible that all three could have elimin-
mated reference to another person i'm
plicated in the robbery. The records
of the case here also fail to reveal
any trace of fourth party in the
bandit gang.
Had a Liberty Bond.
Murtaugh, or Murtha, when arrested
in Chicago on Thursday evening at
the corner of 46th street and Indiana
avenue, by Detectives John Cartan
and John Quinn, had 500 Liberty
bond in his possession, which had
been originally issued to Miss Adel-
aide Mckenzie, 429 East 45th street,
and two pay checks. Much of the loot
taken from the American Brass COM
pany safe consisted of Liberty bonds
some of which were never recovered.
All of the bandits serving time main
tanned that this loot had been thrown
/ into the Chicago river because they
had despaired of being able to dis
pose of the securities without being
detected.
There is possibility that Murtha
without having any part of the actual
robbery, may have helped dispose of
some of the loot and this angle of
the case is being investigated. 1t may
be that this will lead to the recovery
of some of the loot which has long
bean missing.
Police, however, are more inclined
to believe that Lovsday merely APP
propriated the name of a chance &C
quaintance and used it here to hide
his own identity. The brass mill rob-
berry had been considered "closed
case" by the police and the new
reference today caused no little sur
prise in police circles here.