Ottawa County news. (Port Clinton, Ohio) 1931-1956, 1951-06-15
No Clues Established To Hide-Out
OF Bandits In Daring Winery Holdup

armed robbery at the Mon Ami
Winery last Friday morning.
The federal Investigators,
who came here from San.
dusky. were reportedly inter
ested In the robbery from the
federal tax stamps which were
affixed TO the 20 BOTTLES Of
champagne which were inclvd.
ed In the loot taken.
Sheriff Merriam Bvdd and Po.
lice Chief Jack Shelter both
said today that there were no
new leads on the Whereabouts
Of the two bandits who made
of with between 500 and $500.
Daring Robbery
Catawba Island experienced one
Of the most daring armed robbery
episodes in all its history Friday
morning when two masked ban
dts, flashing blue steel .38 cali
bre revolvers, strobe into the
barroom of the Mon Ami Cham.
pagne cellar and bruskly demand
ed of Carl Rupert "all the money
in this place"
Frisking Ruppert's pockets, one
of the bandits drew out his bill
fold, containing an unestimated
amount of cash while his COM
panion opened an unlocked safe
and withdrew $643 .OO-all in vari-
ous denominations, plus 81 in
pennies and nickels.
An employee, Mrs. Cora Fill.
niger, who was cleaning up the
rooms of the we'll known dining
establishment. was ordered, with
Rupert Into washroom, where
they were imprisoned for about
Is minutes. The robbers then
ripped telephone off the wall
as they yelled to the captives to
make no alarm. The holdup last
ed only several minutes.
Managing to force the wash
room door shortly after the rob-
bers roared away in an unidenti-
fed faded blue torpedo type car,
model, about 1912, Rupert and
Mrs. Fillinger found their free
dom, but we're unable to COM
the news until he was
able to clear another phone in the
building to call Louis Dreier,
deskman at city police headquar-
ters asking that the robbery be
relayed to the state patrol over
the police radio network.
Police Chief Jack Shelter and
Sheriff Merlan Budd ordered road
blocks at the Portage River
bridge and on route 2 east Of the
city for two hours. The old blue
car has not been sighted up to
this time.
Seize Champagne
Before fleeing the winery the
took time to grab 20 bot
ties of champagne and $50 worth
of cigarettes and cigars. Total
loot taken was estimateed as hav'
ing an approximate value of $500
Local authorities are studying
the possibility that the robbers
are hiding out in this area, not
daring to leave in the old model
car, the color of which is dis.
tictively faded blue, and bullet.
shaped. 1t was believed the car
would be found abandoned some
place near the Peninsula.
The bandits were of stocky
build, one being about $40 and
his companion about three III
ches shorter. Both spoke good
Rupert told police
Their ages were judged to be be-
tween 35 and 40. Both wore old
style Army khaki raincoats with
hoods drawn tightly over their
heads. Their faces were fully
covered by large handkerchiefs
which allowed only Sits for their
eyes.
Lots OF Blue Cars
1--WE never knew there were sc
many blue cars-and all of them
faded in color" deputy sheriff
remarked this week. He was al
luding to the continuing search
for the two masked armed band
its who held up Carl Rupert al
the Mon Ami winery Friday and
escaped with over $700 in cash
and merchandise.
Many reports have been receiv.
ed about blue cars, but the one
police would like to see has ap.
parently dissolved into thin air
like magic.
The police theory that the ban
dts did not leave this area, still
persists. One car which well fit
ted the description of the rob-
bers' vehicle was stopped and the
occupants questioned by state pa.
trolmen, but it was found to be
a false lead.