Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-06-19
4 MAIL BANDITS
fc...;nu.d srom Pare One)

,nsnectors said. One OF the two auto
mobiles used in the robbery has peen
recovered, all the mail pouches taken
ara recovered and more than $SV.voV
Of the loot IL in federal CUSTODY pc
sides yaluables found in the rifed mai
bags at Joliet yesterday In one OF tne
cars used by the bandits.
The three bandits who escaped nao
the loot and rode in the second auto
mobile, postal inspectors said. Green
berg, It is thought, did not participate
in the actual robbery.
Besides the four men under arrest
Who are alleged to have taken part IN
the actual robbery, the authorities also
are holding Walter McComb and MS
wife. a raid on whose fiat resulted IN
the arrest Of the Newton brothers, An
ma Meade OF Milwaukee, said 10 DO
Johnny Newton's sweetheart. VINO came
here with $4,000 to try to enect MS
release, and James Murray, prominent
Chicago politician for whom federai
warrant was issued late today chars-
ing conspiracy in the robbery.
An official statement placed the ioot
obtained by the robbers at $2,OOo'oUo IN
securities at $4,000 in cash. httle
more than $4,000 in cash has been re-
covered Murray, it lie alleged. Is I'M
plicated In the plan to concea! w lllio
Newton after the latter had been
wounded and was brought to Chicago
by his companions.
The robbery, the postal inspectors
said, was planned in a saloon in East
st. Louis. Greenberg, the Fontanos
and Willie Newton are said to nave
been present at this conference.
Willie Newton later went to KAN
sas City where he met and enlisted
the aid Of his brothers. The bandits
gathered here on the day of the rob-
berry, meeting at noon at the North
western station.
During the afternoon they secured
| two automobiles. both stolen. accord-
| ing to the inspector and all but VII
| lis Newton and Grant proceeded In
these two cars to the scene OF the
robbery at Rondout. Ills, 81 miles
north of Chicago.
| \. Willis Newton and Grant donned
cveralls and boarded the st. Paul
| mail train, riding between the tender
and first mail car. They were forced
| to chase out two tramps. inspectors
said, before they could take possess
| ion and later two other transients
tried to board the mail train with
them. These they frightened away
by ordering them to clear out, for
we are the law.
Just before they reached Rondout
they crawled into the engine cab and
| pointing pistols at the engineer and
| fireman, ordered the engineer to stop
the train when he approached wide
! cement road. 1t was at this point
| that their confederates were waiting.
The train crew offered no resist
ance, according to the postal inspect
ors, but agreed to stop II they were
unframed. When the train was
stopped. Willis Newton and Grant
| forced the fireman and engineer to
walk back the length of the train
while their companions swarmed
| about the mail cars, One of the
train crew pointed out that 1t was
dangerous to allow the train to stand
without putting fiagmen out and the
bandits agreed and ordered one men,
Der OF the crew to proceed back
| along the tracks. to flag the train.
| doors Of their cars. the postal in
spectors continued, so the train rob-
bers threw bottles containing for
maldehyde in to the cars and forced
the clerks out. When the mail clerks,
| nearly suffocated, crawled from their
cars, the bandits entered and picked
out the registered pouches.
While they were bombing the cars.
Willie Newton, alias Wayne. walked
back along the train and as he came
| back, Grant, who had missed him,
saw him and fred five shots, each
taking effect. A few minutes later
mail clerk remarked that he heard
man groaning and Willis Newton
went to investigate and found his
brother wounded.
The wounded man was put into
one OF the automobiles with some of
his companions and brought to Chi
cago and hidden in a garage for A
day, then taken to McComb's fiat
where he was arrested, together
| with his brothers. Ernest Fontano.
Grant and Wilcox departed from the
scene of the robbery in the secon. i
automobile with the 81 stolen uouch-
es and proceeded to near Joliet where
| they rified the mail pouches and dis
cardede them and the automobile.
Postal inspectors said the bandits
! had arranged to meet in an Fast ST,
Louis saloon last Monday and divide
the loot. This meeting did not take
place and another was arranged for
last night at the same place but fhe
saloon was watched and noLe II a. q
4 l.