Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1925-11-05
DUTCH ANDERSON
MEETS HIS DOOM
Notorious Gunman is Shot With Own
Weapon in Tilt With Michigan Of
fcer. Dying Officer Avenged.

Muskegon, Mich, Nov. 2.---The in
eXorable hand of the law has cut the
last notch in the gun of the notorious
George Dutch" Anderson; and the
notch stands for Anderson himself
Anderson, gunman-pal of the "su-
per criminal Gerald Chapman, and
the man whose face stares from thou
sands of wanted" placards in post
Offices and jails across the continent,
was dropped by bullet from his own
revolver, wresoed from him by De-
tective Charles Hammond.
Death overlook Anderson Satur-
day, but it was not until today that
he was identified. 1t was not clear
victory for the law, because Ander-
son, with his last shot, mortally
wounded Detective Hammond, and
died with the blood Of his last VIC
tim oozing into the dirt Of an al
ley few feet from the heart of
downtown Muskegon.
Even as he lay in the morgue Sat
urday night with his identity un-
known he was shrouded in a ghoulish
glamor not wasted on a thug of les
ser record Of crime. Police for sew
eral hours believed that the dead was
Martin Durkin, Chicago's "steel vest"
slayer.
Identification of Anderson was
made positive today however, when
it was found that the finger prints
and bertillon measurements of the
dead man tailed with those of An
derson. A federal operative from To-
ledo who knew Anderson personally,
was expected here tonight to COM
plete the identification.
A box of candy, $40 bank note,
that was queer" an astute store
keeper and straight shooting de-
tective placed rolss in the tragic
climax of Anderson's life. 1t was a
strange jest of fate that Anderson,
who with Chapman, made a nation
gasp four years ago with daring
mail truck hold up in New York and
who has been sought everywhere by
the crack sleuths of the secret ser
vice, should die in a small Michigan
City at the hands of small city de-
tective.
Anderson sealed his doom late on
Saturday afternoon when he enter
ed a confectionery store and purchas
ed a box of candy. He rendered a $40
bill in payment, received his change
and sauntered out. 1t was the same
procedure he had followed out in
Flint, Lansing, Saginaw and other
Michigan cities and towns during the
last months, always escaping detec-
ton.
He tried the trick once too often.
The shopkeeper, skeptical Of the bills
.genuineness, crossed the street to
bank where the shopkeeper confirm
ed his suspicious. He called the po-
lice and with Detective Hammond
walked into the afternoon crowds on
Western avenue.
"There's the man." he said, point
to Anderson.
Hammond collared Anderson and
started toward the police station
with him. When they had gone
short distance, Anderson jerked a
way, pulled a revolver and began to
fire. The first two shots went wild as
Anderson went into an alley. Ham,
mond's own weapon was in its hol-
ster, buttoned beneath his coat but
he followed his man into the alley
in the face of the gun fire. AS ne
grabbed Anderson the latter fired,
the bullet penetrating the detectives
lungs and liver.
Mortally wounded, Hammond
wrestled with Anderson and jerked
the weapon from Anderson hanu.
He fired one shot. The men fell, al
most topether ~:
Patrolman George Thompson, at
tracted by the shots, ran up to them.
"Get him, he got me-" Hammond
gasped, whereupon Thompson fired
shot into Anderson's body. 1t was the
shot fired by Hammond however that
killed the gunman, the bullet strik-
ing near the heart.
Hammond, assisted by two officers
walked to police headquarters where
he turned in Anderson's revolver. He
was then taken to hospital where
he died two hours later. He was AZ
years old and the father of four
children.
W NJ II