The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-09-10
FUGITIVE BANDIT
AND GIRL-WIFE
CAPTURED HERE
Man Wanted in Two States
Run Down by Police
Squad Here.


Without an attempt to use the
two guns with which he was armed,
Hunter 3. Watson, 81, fugitive bank
robber, surrendered Friday night to
police and today is awaiting remov-
al to the south, being wanted in
two states as a bandit and prison
breaker.
Watson's 17-year-old wife, Lo-
letta, curly haired blond, also is
in custody.
Arrest was made shortly before
Friday night at Twenty and
Harding streets by Lieutenant Dan
Cummings and patrolmen Walter
Baase and Edward Quinnette, whose
automobile forced that Of the bandit
to the curb.
With sawed off shotgun and two
revolvers pointed at him, Watson
raised his hands without word.
In his belt he carried a .38-caliber
revolver; in pocket he had .25-
caliber automatic pistol. Both wea-
pons were loaded.
Details Criminal Record
The girl wife sobbed as the ar
rest was made. The only participant
in the drama at the curb remaining
calm, was Teddy Bear, the chow
dog Of the girl.
Today Watson detailed his GRIM
inal record in a statement to police.
1t includes conviction for auto
theft, bank robberies and three Jail
escapes.
Specific charge on which Watson
was arrested here alleges robbery of
bank at Ola, La.
The arrest ended two days of in
tensiVe work by Indianapolis off,
GERS, who were asked to seek Wat
son by Louisiana officials, who had
been informed that Mrs. Watson
had gone to Indianapolis from
Baton Rouge, La, to join her hus-
band at an apartment on North Il
linois street.
Close in on Apartment
Early Friday, several police squads
closed in on the apartment, but the
WatsonS had moved. However, pa
pers were found indicating a new
car had been bought. Later in the
day it was seen in the 1000 block
Koehne street, but was driven away
before police arrived.
1t was learned after the capture
that the couple had occupied fur
nished house at 2026 Koehne street.
License number of the car, bought
in the name of Mrs. j. j. Thomas.
the name without the prefix having
been one of Watson'S aliases, were
broadcast by the police radio for
time, but this was stopped when it
was learned Watson had equipped
his car with a radio set. Tele-
phones then were brought into play.
Harry Smith, motorcycle police
man, was ordered from his mount
to his home near the Koehne street
address when he kept vigil with
opera glasses. Three times he
sighted Watson's car.
Most of Loot Gone
Cruising on Twenty-first street,
Cummings and his squad saw the
car and few minutes later Watson
was a prisoner.
The bandit, said to have had
$4,000 in bank robbery loot when he
came here, had $50 when arrested,
and his wife, Sill. Besides purchase
of the car, Watson bought the radio
set, a large stock of clothing and
paid for tonsil operations for him
self and wife at the Methodist hos
pital. He paid several hundred dol
lars for dental work for himself.
Watson decline to sign extradition
waivers to either Texas or Louis-
ana.
iii fight" he announced.
Watson, held on a fugitive war
rant, will be given a hearing Sept.
20 before Municipal Judge William
H. Sheaffer. His wife, charged with
vagrancy will be given a hearing
Monday II, tho Sap,o cot,r+