Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-26

made this recommendation to
Prosecutor Chauncey W. Reed of Du Page
County, Ill, he saved Casper Rosenberg, long
an outlaw and now a successful real estate
agent from long prison term. But Mr.. Cut
ten by his magnanimous action did something
even more spectacular than that. BY his state
ment he relinquished policy Of reprisal for a
great wrong committed against himself and
members of his family, which he has followed,
Telentlessly for more than eight years.
Casper Rosenberg is one of nine men who in
March, 1922 entered the famous hnanciers
home robbed it Of loot valued at many thou
sands of dollars and locked Mr.. Cutten, his
WIFE, his brother and several servants in Q
vault, where, but for a fortunate escape, they
might have persisted from suffocation The
other eight are either behind bars or On parole
today as result Of arrests and convictions due
to Mr.. Cutten's persistent search. Casper
Rosenberg viii 60 free, with all the charges
against him quashed because his efforts to be-
come productive and law-abiding member Of
j. society have appealed to his former victims
sense Of generosity.
The story Of Mr. Cutten's unremittent efforts
70 apprehend and punish the men guilty Of
the outrage against him is dramatic enough to
be likened by Prosecutor Reed to Dumas story
of the Count of Monte Cristo and his success
full vendetta against the enemies who sought to
have him immured for life in a dungeon Of the
gloomy Chateau DIFF. Although the total value
of the plumber seized by the robbers did not
exceed 600, Mr.. Cutten has spent in the last
eight years no less than $4,000 in bringing
them. one by one, to justice.
The money and jewelry were nothing" Mr..
Cutten said In explaining his determination to
apprehend every member of the bandit gang.
What made me determined to get them, if 1t
took lifetime, was the fact that they tied up
Mrs. Cutten, tied up my brother and tied up
the servants and then locked us in the base
ment vault to be smothered to death.
THAT was an unnecessary, futile and hendish
piece of cruelty. 1t filled me with rage and
vowed then that I'd spend every dollar at my
command, If necessary, to put them where they
belonged-behind bars
" never let up. When a man comes into
my house and robs me and my family, then
locks us in a vault where we might have Suffo-
cated-wen, III get him"
4 IKE the reprisal, the robbery of Mr.. Cutten's
home in March of 1922 was dramatic in
the extreme. The plot was originated by one
Joseph Vormittag, former butler in the pala-
tial Cutten residence that stands on the farm
and showplace of the daring grain-pit operator
at Downers Grove, one of Chicago's most FASH
ionable and expensive suburbs. Vormittag &C.
cording to a confession obtained after his cap.
ture, had considered first the project of kidnap-
ing Mr.. Cutten and holding him for a huge
ransom, but finally decided that the risk Of
capture of any gang which kidnapped famous
a man was too great.
Another version of his tale is that the gang
actually followed Mr. Cuttens automobile in
two cars he drove to the home from Chicago,
but failing to overtake it at a lonely enough
spot to put the plan safely into effect, deter
mined to raid the house instead.
AS accomplices he chose eight men whom he
had met in the Chicago underworld Their
names. later confessed by him, were Joseph
Cornelissen, Gustave Kawell, John Kimnne,
John Cuda, Paul Graborski, Otto Tempers and
the Rosenberg brothers, Simon and Casper In
their two cars the men drove at night to the
Downers Grove estate. brought the butler to
the door by q subterfuge, entered after threat
ening him with revovers and In armed
group made their way to the dining ROOM where
Mr.. Cutten, his wife and his brother were at
dinner
Unwisely, perhaps. the bandits wore no masks.
The butler, though cowed by the display Of
weapons, nevertheless studied each of their
faces carefully, . precaution which proved In