The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-10-08
Jester and Knipfer Catch
Professional Safecrack-
er Red-handed.
ONE Is BELIEVED SHOT
Nights Work Also Results in
Capture of Two Alleged
Robbers with Goods.

Three men are IN the county jail
held incommunicado, one more is be-
ing sought, and an assortment of
equipment for a crew of professional
safe blowers is laid out on the desk
in the sheriffIs office this afternoon
following one of the busiest twelve
hours for the sheriff's office in Sher-
if Frank Willem's administration.
The trio was captured in two different
cases and landed only after heroic
work on the part of the sheriff's men
in the face of certain danger and risk
of their own lives.
George Martin, who gave his name
only after several hours of question
ing by the sheriff, and who said he
came here from Sedalia, Mo-, is held
for being the owner of the safe-crack-
ing paraphernalia, while deputies are
searching for his escaped companion
who is believed to have been wounded
with a shotgun as a result Of his
jump for freedom.
Two With Valuable Purse.
Hugh O'Rourke, Chicago, and Jack
Shea, Newport, r. l., are alo held with
Ford coupe and four genuine Baltic
seal fur coats with four valuable ORR
entail rugs, the whole of which is val
ued at sum which the sheriff says
exceeds $4,000.
The exciting chase after which Mar
tin was placed under arrest offers the
most thrilling story of the nights
activities of the sheriff's deputies. AT
two o'clock this morning call came
to Turnkey Ray Williams in the sher-
iff's office from Albert and James
Bullamore, who operate a general
store in the town of Somers, telling
that they had two men covered who
had been caught attempting to blow
the Bullamore store safe. Williams
despatched Undersheriff Joseph Knip-
fer and Deputy Tom Jester to. the
place and the trip to Somers was
made in record time.
Henchman Escapes.
While the deputies were still on the
way, howver, one of the two men made
a break for the rear door in the Bull
amore store and in an attempt to drop
him one of the Bullamores shot, and it
is believed that the escaped man was
shot in the head. His hat, which was
picked up near the scene later was
sprinkled with blood. When the two
officers arrived the undersheriff or
dered Jester to keep the remaining
man covered while Knipfer went out
in search for the other. After an
hours vain searching the two came
into town with their man. Jester was
driving and in his hurry had the
sheriff's car hitting 45 miles per hour
The prisoner, handcuffed to the other
officer, said nothing until the car be-
gan to hit the bumps on the road with
increasing speed. Finally the prison
err spoke up and yelled to the driver
to go easy--I've got enough soup
here to blow US all to hell" Jester
stopped the car and bottle of nitro
glycerine was found on the mans hip
pocket. The rest of the trip was made
at more leisurely pace with the UNI
dersheriff holding the bottle in his
hand. -
Went Back Again.
AS soon as the prisoner was searched
and placed in cell Jester and Knip-
fer went out again. They stopped off
at Truesdell on the Geneva road and
made search of the freight cars
standing there, believing that the es-
capped safe-blower might be in hiding
in the vicinity. They found one man
asleep in car but it was evident
that he was only hobo and he was
later released. The search was con-
tinued until dawn and then the men
reported back to the office. The hat
which is believed to have belonged to
the missing safe-cracker had in it
the initials up. W." and New York
stores trade mark.
At the sheriff's office Turnkey Will
lens forced Martin tC strip and in his
clothes were found the following ar
ticles: a bar of safe-blowing soap, .
package Of highly explosive fuses in a
tobacco car, two of which were all
set for use; ring of twelve skeleton
keys, Wisconsin road map, bottle
of nitro lycerine, pair of pliers, two
files, razor in leather case around
his neck, three spark plugs, brush to
clean the combination dial, pair of
scissors, and a package containing
three pocket knives wropped in their
original wrappers, probably stolen.
To Try All Hospitals.
Sheriff Willems today wired to all
nearby cities asking officials to be on
the lookout for the missing man, and
giving them description of him. All
hospitals have been notified and should
he show up at any of these he will
be placed under arrest. The sheriff
this afternoon went to Racine in an
effort to find if there should be any
trace to pick up in that city.
The indications were, according to
the Willems, that both the captured
man and the escaped man were pro-
fessional safe-crackers and the prepar-
ations they had made'-for their hauls
were complete in every respect. In
vestigation is being made into the rec
ord of Martin and the sheriff is await
ing word from Sedalia, No. officials.
The second case which occupied the
sheriff's attention was the first IN point
of time. At about o'clock Thursday
evening Henry Martin, who is en-
ployed by his father, Frank Martin, in
the Martin Inn on the Geneva road,
called Turnkey Willems and told him
that there were two suspicious looking
eggs" in his place. Deputies Fred
Williams, Nick Otto and Clarence Err
ickson were sent out to Martins place.
A few minutes later another call came
from Martin which told that The two
were pulling out and heading east on
the Geneva road. Willems then sent
out Tom Jester and Milton LaViolette
and the five deputies caught up to the
suspicious car at the same time.
Deputy Nick Otto Jumped on the