Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-09
Officials Take DeSperados,
Guarded by Crack Shots,
to Chicago.
LOOT OF OPERATIONS
BELIEVED 100000
Suspected Of Robbing Denver Mint
Of 100000 and Nebraska
Bank of Million.
BY the Associated Press.

robbery, sped over Northern Illinois
highways today manacled and guarded
by large force of State police.
Headed for Sterling, ILL.,, where they
we're to be served with warrants charg-
ing them with the $2,sO0,000 robbery of
the Lincoln, Nebr, National Bank last
year, were Tommy Hayes, Thomas
O'Connor. Jack Britt, Howard Lee, z.
Hawks end William McQuillan, ar
rested at East st. Louis, Ill, last night
by combined squad of Federal, State
and local police.
The motor caravan headed north from
Springfield after spending the night
there. Seven cars carried the six pris-
oners and highway policemen selected
for their craftsmanship.
State Police Chief Walter Moody said
the heavily armed guard which he
headed was composed of ex-service men
who know when to shoot and how to
shoot"
Defles Rescue Attempt.
I'm going to take them to Sterling
ever the main highways Of the State
he said. eff their pals want to attempt
to rescue them, let them try"
At Sterling six warrants were sworn
out charging robbery with gun OF
the Lincoln bank and the men were
to be given hearing Immediately after
their arrival. Five warrants, sworn out
by Oliver KempSter. sergeant OF the
state police, named John Doe" The
other was Issued for Tommy Pat
Conner.
The warrants charged robbery OF
$4,000 in cash and securities worth
50, 500 900.
In Chicago. Attorney Emory Smith:
representing Nebraska authorities, SAID
the lincoln robbery was 1.-The largest
ever perpetrated in the United States.
The loot amounted to $4,000 900, ne
said. Previous estimates had been
about 81 900 900.
Bankers Cooperate.
Although the men were said by their
captors to be suspects In many other
bank robberies and numerous kidnap-
inps and killings, the Lincoln robbery
charge was the first to be brought
against them.
Illinois Bankers Association ofhcials,
cooperating with Nebraska authorizes
went to Sterling TO attend the nearing ing.
Authorities claimed the gangs loot
and ransom money ran into the
millions, including 100000 taken IN
the Denver Mint hold-up OF 1922. Thelr
nroceeds were estimated by their &C
cusers at $4,000, 900, of which $l,OOOOOO
was fixed as ransom money, IN klonap-
ings.
The six were caught in spectacular
raid on what officers described as a
"gangster fat in downtown East 81.
Louis, ILL.,, late yesterday.
Remnants Of Notorious Gang.
Said by police to be remnants OF the
Cuckoo and Shelton gangs OF southern
Illinois and to have also been animated
With the mob" of Fred Burke, notorious
killer. the six were accused OF partlcl-
patton in more than so bank robber!es
in illinois. Iowa, Wisconsin and Ne
braska, including the theft OF $l,OoO,-
600 from the Lincoln Bank on Sep
TENDER II, 1880.
In addition to these crimes the off,
GERS attributed to the gang the Staying
OF Mrs. Cora Garrison, wife OF Clyos
Garrison, Peoria, ILL.,, gambler, kliieo
october II, 1880; the killing OF THOMAS
J. Rooney, Chicago labor leader, Marcn
10. 1881. and the kidnapping OF Fred j.
Blumer, Monroe. Wis near-beer brewer
and James Hackett, Blue Island. Ill,
gambler. who said he paid S15O.OOo, or
his entire. fortune, for his release.
Others Still at Large.
The accusations against the six were
made by Roy McWhorter ana PaC-
rick Roche, chief investigator for the
States attorneys office. Among tne
bank robberies attributed TO the gang
were hold-ups committed at Mundeleln,
Clearing, Elmhurst, Lafayette, NeponseG
and Marengo, Ill, and Walwortn ana
Bristol, Wis. =,
There were plenty of others" said
Roche, scattered throughout the Mid
west and beyond this territory
The captures ended a Natlon-Wloe
search and more than eight months OF
intensive investigation, initiated by the
Postal Department. McWhorter, chi
cago postal inspector, said. Information
obtained by Federal officials was sup
plemented by the Chicago and State
highway police, as well as by the "Secret
Six" an anti-crime BUSINESS mems or
ganization, which is reported to have
received tips from within the State
prison at Joliet and the Federal peni-
| Tertiary at Leavenworth, Kans.
Mining Lea 10 Exposure.
Chicago police got thei" first intima-
ton OF the activities of the gang when
! Detective Sergt. Roy Steffens and
! Charljs Touzinsky, were working for
| solution of a gang killing in suburban
; Cicero, Ill They went to East st. Louis
and helped make the arrests.
| Telephone calls, overheard by investi-
( gators, made between members of the
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