The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-04-06
ARCH BANDITS
CAREER ENDS
/: ON GALLONS
(continuels from Ds9e ene)

lConC1noe4s from 80Io o0o)
he was boy. Under that name in
1907, he was first convicted of petty
thievcry and was. sent to Elmira re-
formatory. From that time he spent
more than one-third Of his life be-
hind prison walls.
Released from Elmira in 1908, he
was sentenced the following year to
Auburn prison for two years for
theft. In 1912 he went to Sing Sing
Prison to serve ten years for grand
larceny. but obtained a parole in
1919. He left prison with George
("Dutch") Anderson, Of Rochester,
NJ Y, who became his partner in
crime.
After illicit liquor ventures in the
west. the-two, together with Charles
Loerber, held up a New York post
office truck laden with a rich ship
ment of registered mail while~it was
en- route from a downtown, sub-sta-
ton to the general postoffice up
town. It was one Of the boldest, as
we'll as one Of the richest mail rob-
berries in the annals Of the postoffice.
The loot totalled $1,454,1 29 in cash
and securities.
Sent To Atlanta
Chapman and Anderson were ar
rested on July 8, 1922, in Chapman's
studio-apartment in fashionable
Gramercy Park, in New York. On
the testimony of Loerber; who was
arrested and turned states evidence,
the two were sentenced to Is years
each in Atlanta.
During the trial Chapman made
one break for liberty, but was cap
tured on narrow ledge of building
high above Broadway. He made two
different escapes from Atlanta, and
it was while at liberty after the lat
ter Jail break that he was charged
u with having killed Patrolman James
Sicily, during store robbery in New
Britain.
His first escape from Atlanta was
on March q, 1923, when he and Frank
Gray, forger, eluded the guards.
Two days later they were surrounded
about SO miles away. In the gun bat
tie which followed Chapman was shot
three times. He was taken to st.
Mary's Hospital at Athens, Georgia,
but escaped within month.
He was reported in various parts
Of the country Mt different times but
nothing definite became known until
October 10, 1924, when the New Bri-
tain policeman was killed. The pn-
liccman had surprised two safe blow
crs ut work. One of them, who prov
ed to be Chapman, shot his way to
liberty, killing Sketly, and the other,
Walter f.. Shean, son Of Spring
field, Mass. hotel man, was captured.
Shcan confessed that Chapman was
his acc0mDlicc.
Several Stays Secured
Chairman was arrested in Muncic,
Ind, and returned to Atlanta. The
state of Connecticut, however, extra
dited him to stand trial for Skclly's
murder. lie was, sentenced to die on
,June %, 1926. His attorneys obtain
cd n stay of execution until December
3 when they appealed the case, but
the Connecticut supreme court at
firmcd the death sentence. The point
was then raised that Chapman was a
federal prisoner and could not bt
executed until his term for mail rob.
berry was completed.
Meanwhile, late in 1925, Chapman
pal, Anderson, had Killed Ben Hance
and his wife, on whose farm nea,
Muncie, Chapman and Anderson once
lived, presumably because they hae
testified against Chapman in hi.
murder trial. Anderson himself was
killed a few weeks later by Muskc
i. gon, Mich, policeman.
President Coolidge committed Chap
mans % year sentence in an cxecu
tive. order issued November %, 1925
but three days later Chapman in his
cell in Wethersficld prison refused
to accept the order.
So that Chapman might have time
to carry the Communication order intt
the courts, Governor Trumbuil re
prievcd him on November q post
poning the execution. until April
Chapman's next move was to seel
writ Of habeas corpus which woulc
have transferred him back into fed
eral custody. That was denied or
December II, 1925 by Federal Judge
Thomas of Hartford. The Unitet
States Circuit Court at New York up
held his ruling on February Is, 1926