Chicago’s ‘Midget Bandit’ Fernekes
Tags: Mystery, True Crime, History, Crime, Time

With the dichotomies of the age, Media Darling, accused mastermind; thief and murderer (23)

“Ungodly Errand, Knightly Purpose”

‘The boy soured on humanity when he realized that he could not support his 16 year old wife on a salary of $9 a week. He then Started his career of crime (6)’.

The ‘kit’ found in Henry’s Bookbag (5)

In 1914, short statured Henry J. Fernekes first made the news robbing people at gun point, with the excuse that he did it because couldn’t afford to care for his new wife. This entranced the media as he was portrayed as a child criminal with the right intentions. The 18 year old charmed the public in his excuse for a string of robberies and after he was nabbed for his crimes, he joked with his captors and seemed unusually smug. He only made $9 a week at his clerical job, and had married a girl that the family did not approve of. He kept his ‘robbery kit’ in his book bag once used for school and with his full confession (6). The year 1914 was also the year of the first use of the word Sociopath, which epitomized a cultural obsession with trying to understand the criminal mind (11). The man who coined the term sociopath, Dr. William J. Hickson, examined Henry saying: “Fernekes is a high-grade sociopath. This class does not have intelligence enough to maintain itself independently in its environment” (8). It was noted in an editorial piece on Henry’s age for such crimes that his father disowned him, and that he was inspired by his crimes for reading picture books (5).

Before he left for his crimes, Henry wrote to his new bride (2):

A few words before I go on this ungodly errand, although a knightly purpose. If I am caught which will only be at my death, as that is much preferable, learn to forgive and forget, as my sincere love for you prompted this action. I wanted to give you comfort and happiness but alas the best laid plans of mice and men…

Among his friends, Henry was nicknamed “midget” as he was shorter in height, and soon the media picked up the moniker “midget bandit”. Henry had started to hang out with the wrong crowd and they all started to rob banks (51). The City of Chicago, and frankly the entire nation, was gripped in crime phobia, and with psychology standing as a new field of science, many doctors offered to cure crime when ignoring poverty and social causes. Henry was classified as a ‘Sociopath’, which at that time meant mentality above 12 years of age, but defective and unintelligent. He proved to be anything but regarding the complexity of his plans.

The Setup

After 7 years of not speaking, Henry and his father reunited in Indiana, but the police had picked him up for a murder robbery of Michael Swiontkowsi that he claimed he did not commit, theorizing the police had set him up (29, 42, 48). He was also accused of robberies in New York that resulted in the murder of two persons, but the state agreed to drop the case in leiu of being tried in Chicago (21, 49). When police picked Henry up, he was reading about noxious gasses at the library, and soon it was discovered he had been hoarding explosives for use in his robberies (19, 21, 22).

unsourced photo, Henry J. Fernekes

While he was in prison, a tenant found a cache of weapons and plans under the floor of his closet in his old apartment including enough explosive material to level several city blocks, building plans for banks and neighboring buildings, lists/schedules of money wagons and payroll trucks, guns, ammunition, keys to safe deposit boxes and protective gear to guard against explosions (35, 36). Later, at his a friend’s home another cache had been found and news sources of they day point out it was the home of a little girl, who was a tap dancer, and practiced near the stash.

While the evidence indicated he definitely had plans to mastermind robbery, there was no evidence that he committed murder. He was charged with nearly 20 bank robberies (25).

20

Pray that your conscious may be void of offense

Furious that he was arrested for murder which he said he was framed for, Henry started writing letters to those associated with his trial. Upon the death of an associate, Henry wrote the the Atty General his sympathies for the loss (21) and even exchanged holiday cards with the judge who sentenced him to death: “Cordial Greetings and all Good Wishes for Christmas. Your conscious lies dormant!” The judge, William N. Gemmill replied:

“Greetings of the season, with hearty good wishes for your happiness.

Pray that your conscious may be void of offense towards all men” (34).

Within prison, Henry and his Gang were accused of orchestrating the attempted kidnapping of John and Jean Schwepe, siblings for the ransom of nearly 1 million dollars, but nothing conclusive was found and was likely fueled by rumor (33, 37). Soon, he and his pals would attempt escape with explosives. Somehow he smuggled in bomb making materials two different times, causing damange to the walls of the Cook County prison but not enough to escape. Bomb making materials were found in cell (38, 40, 46). Thick as thieves, Henry and his pals would be caught trying to escape several more times, always with Henry being put in isolation (37, 38). A long investigation took place regarding how Fernekes was able to smuggle such weapons into the prison (41).

Escape Bulletin, 18

From 1925–1927, Henry served on death row until he was able to prove that he was in Indiana during the murder of Michael Swiontkowsi and he was acquitted of murder but had tried to escape again alone(29). In those days, the prison visitor room was a single door for both prisons and visitors and donning civilian clothes, Henry J. Fernekes quite literally walked out of prison his own accord (23, 30). Though the term sociopath meant intellectually challenged in the era he he lived, Henry was known for being especially quick witted and for planning his heists out to remarkable detail (28, 51). He had taught himself explosives, electric drilling and welding to aid in his craft (47).

Henry was later quoted as denying his involvement of the murders vehemently:

“No, I’d never stoop to a stick up [because …] when you do that you are taking money away from some poor fellow who hasn’t much. Probably his pay check, but a bank or syndicate, that’s different. They’re insured. Its just a profit and loss business deal with them. It requires finesses to outsmart such a corporation, […] its just like most businesses […]”. (51).

“I am no more dangerous than a rabbit. Everybody has been given a wrong impression about me” (43).

“There will be no show up for me. This is my last day”

Though passionate and almost genius at times, Henry J. Fernekes was most definitely misunderstood. He went through several marriages and lost one of his wives to suicide due to his imprisonment. The press had likely encountered few personalities with such cunning and charm, but their portrayal of his character likely contributes to the lasting legacy of the sociopath definition.

Henry likely left his mark on history in three societal ways:

1) Contribution to the term sociopath, as Dr Hickson coined the term from juvenile offenders.

2) The public’s fascination with Henry’s intelligence and sociopath classification likely influenced pop culture stereotypes of invincible super villian.

3) The media’s love for him changed the light in which the depression era gangster was seen, lovable/honorable.

In 1935 at age 39 years old, Henry was found frothing at the mouth in his cell. He was taken to the hospital, and as he lay dying in ambulance, he said, “There will be no show up for me. This is my last day”. He died leaving a great sum of money to his two boys (53). Later, police found a vial of green and white crystals in his pocket and no one could figure out how he had smuggled them in (51).

At his death he was considered one of the most beloved and dangerous gunmen in the country (44). His sons took the last name of one his aliases, and his mother’s maiden name at his death. One could argue that even though those that knew him were enamored with his supposed intelligence/charm, he was not smart enough if he left his life in ruin and at his own hands.

53

Like this story? Check out similar at Internet Archaeology.

Reference/Resource/Bibliography

Because my references and resources are about 100 sources and very long, often times, this tanks my stats. I’ve opted to record them on a different page as to not ax my required reading time. You can find them recorded accurately here.