Part 2: 3: Crime

3. Certainly Market Street was no stranger to crime of various sorts.

3. Certainly Market Street was no stranger to crime of various sorts.

There were the somewhat typical thefts:

The six foot tall, “hearty southern European mountaineer” Romanian Nick Rossa, arrested carrying fifty pounds of coal from the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern railroad; “He could not speak a word of English beyond his name.” (1)

The twelve-year old sons of Mrs Schwartz and Mrs Laites (Lites) both of 428 Market street were arrested for stealing coal for fuel in January, 1907, but claimed they were compelled to do so by their mothers, who would beat them if they were unsuccessful. The mothers were fined $5. (2) The 1900 census lists Annie Schwartz as 27, widowed, living with her mother, aged 77 and four children, Bertha, 11, Bennie 9, Elick, 5 and John 3. Annie Lies, 25 is listed as 25, with her husband John, also 25 and their five children, Delia 12, George, 10, Frank, 6, Joseph 8 and Julie, 2.

John Kerrise of Market street, a “handyman” at the EE&J roundhouse was arrested for steel coal from the Northwestern yards in 1917. Police could not fully understand why someone who made as much as $105 a month would need to steel coal, but Kerrise claimed he could not live on what he made. (3)

Philip Moriale was found to have 400 pounds of brass hidden under his bed at 917 Market Street, presumably stolen from the nearby American Steel and Wire plant, the stash uncovered after a Mrs. Stulevich tried to sell some other wire taken from the plant; (4)

John Henry and Tom Sweeney were arrested for going house to house on Market street trying to sell “furs, some silverware, a pair of almost new corsets, and a pair of highly decorated bedroom slippers” which they had recently stolen from a unoccupied house in a wealthier part of town (5)

Nickodine Burcak accused his fellow roomer boarding on Market street Mike Antonik of stealing $35 from a trunk, after revealing the hiding place to him. Mike, who had only just arrived in the US from Russia two month prior, was contrite and offered--through an interpreter, since he spoke no English--to pay the money back. The assistant chief of police Tyrrell seemed unmoved, and after a strong reprimand, told the local press that he thought “it was a mistake to allow such people to enter the country and said he was in favor of deporting them.” Antonik, it was noted by the reporter, was “hardly more than a boy, appearing to be about nineteen years old.” (6) 

An organized gang attempted to steal six cases of 144 eggs each from freight cars of the Elgin Joiliet and Eastern railroad, unsuccessfully; (7)

Chas. Peskator, an employee of American Steel and Wire for twenty years, was found carrying 18 pounds of copper trolley wire and charged with grand larceny. A “large quantity” of copper scrap was also found at his home, 701 Market Street. (8)

The Hodnick and Capon grocery store and meat market at 712 Market street was broken into and its’ safe rolled into the back yard and the combination lock smashed off with a sledge hammer and door pried open. It is hard to imagine that this effort did not make enough noise to arouse the suspicions of those in  the immediate vicinity. The tools of the crime, including sledge hammer, crow-bars, screwdrivers, were left behind at the scene; approx. $150 was missing from the empty safe. (9) 

Police found crow bars outside the office of the Diamond Scrap Yards at 415 Market after robbers had broken in, pried open the safe early one November morning in 1959.  Despite the automatic trigger of tear gas on the safe’s dial when not properly handled, the burglars made off with the $2,000 inside.(10)

There were other schemes, including the passing of back checks, cashed unthinkingly by Market street saloon keepers used to cashing workers’ checks, (11)

Max Milinski of 802 Market street went visiting a friends, took a nap, but his wallet fell out of his pocket when he got up, or so he thought. When it could not be found, Max petitioned for the arrest of Paul Siph, J Solk and Mike Baza. The wallet contained $10 cash and a $50 check. (12)

The wife of Stanley Krywicki had a harrowing Saturday morning in March of 1912 when filling in for husband behind the bar at his saloon at 622 Market street, when two men came in, one brandishing a revolver, demanding money. “The woman speaks very little English, but she managed in telling the robber that she had no money—that there was none in the place.” The men discovered $150 stashed in a drawer for cashing workmen’s paychecks later that day, and fled toward the EJ&E track, not to be seen again. (13)

James Rose--”alias Douglas Blair, alias Douglas Black”-- of 916 Market was arrested after a chase in July of 1920 for attempted burglary of the Washburn hotel. (14) He was arrested again in February of 1921 for attempted theft of a whiskey bottle from Pearce’s drugstore. (15)

Another chase occurred in January of 1921 when Andrew Tony, aged 21, of 217 Market Street, grabbed a $20 from the Model Laundry and made a run toward Market street. Police were puzzled why he had left the rest of the $500 payroll that was at the laundry at the time. Tony had left his home by the time the police arrived, but they eventually spotted him back up the hill near Park Avenue and arrested him. “I have been living in Waukegan about eight months,: Tony said. “I was working in at the tannery but lost my job three weeks ago. I haven’t been able to get anything to do. We haven’t a thing in the house to eat. My wife recently had an operation for appendicitis and needed good food, but I did not have the money to buy if for her. She also needed medicine and I could not buy it. This was what drove me to steal the money. I couldn’t bare to see my wife slowly starving to death.” When police went back to the residence, Tony’s wife turned over the $20. He plead guilty to larceny and was held in jail until trial, since he could not pay the $1,000 bond.(16)

A “crime wave” continued into the depression. In January, 1933, “William Finch, 324 Market street notified the police that burglars had broken into the garage at the rear of his home, pushed his car into the street and had apparently towed it away…” (17) 1933 seems to have been a difficult year for William. In May, his wife Belle was released from custody and attempted murder charges dropped after she had shot William in the stomach during an argument on March 18. He did not press charges against her. (18)

Annie Phillips of 324 Market Street confessed to stealing $40 from a coal office in Kenosha Wisconsin on Oct 31, 1935. She had entered the office asking to see types of coal, and after a brief tour of the coal yards, it was discovered that money was missing from the cash register. Annie, 25, was identified by the prominent black eye she had at the time, and was soon captured. (19)

Virginia Tyson Harris of 522 Market pleaded guilty to grand larceny for stealing $2,500 in jewelry from the home of Herbert Schaffner, a Chicago broker living in Highland Park, for whom she had worked as a maid in 1946. She had been arrested in Indianapolis, and sentenced to 1-2 years in the Women’s Reformatory at Dwight. She was 19 years old.(20)

In a brazen robbery in broad daylight, a man drove his car to the home of Leaner Riley at 618 Market Street, stuck out a fishing pole and hooked three of Riley’s Plymouth Rock hens from the coop behind the house, then drove off. Riley contemplated putting up a “No Chickening” sign.(21)

Willie Lewis of 524 Market went on something of an unsuccessful crime spree in January of 1949; he first drove off with a used sedan from the Bozarth Motor Sales company, where he worked as a car washer, then drew a gun at the Waukegan Co-Op Credit Union and when he was told to “quit fooling and get out,” he hit union treasurer Leo Saari and make made his retreat. Police caught up with him less than two hours later. He was charged with larceny, attempted armed robbery and carrying a concealed weapon. (22)

William Bartholomay, an 82 year old insurance broker from Warren Township, identified Solomon Alexander, 19, or 500 ½ Market street as the person who attempted to rob him at the Waukegan train station one summer Thursday night in 1964. Bartholomay claims to have pushed the robber, who fled without money, but was apprehended later. (23)

Notes

(1) Coal gets man in Jail Libertyville Independent, Jan 4, 1907, p12

(2) Mothers teach boys to thieve Libertyville Independent, Jan 25, 1907, p10

(3) Earns $105 per month; arrested for stealing coal Libertyville independent June 28, 1917, P10

(4) Wire mill plundered by thieves Libertyville Independent, July 12, 1907, p12

(5) Two loot a tenantless house; peddled booty Libertyville Independent April 15, 1910, p1

(6) Steals $35 from trunk owned by fellow roomer Libertyville Independent, May 9, 1913, p35

(7) Arrest three on charge of having stolen many eggs, Libertyville independent, May 15, 1914 p3

(8) Lake County Independent, Dec 13, 1901, P4

(9) Roll safe into yard; smash it open with sledge Libertyville Independent Jan 20, 1921 p7

(10) Burglars rob 2 safes, flee thru tear gas, Chicago Tribune, Sat Nov 7, 1959, p48

(11) Bogus checks in Waukegan, Libertyville independent,  Feb 18, 1910 p8

(12) Loses Wallet: 3 now under arrest Lake County Independent and Waukegan Weekly Sun, Nov 25, 1910, p9

(13) Hold up men rob woman Lake County Independent and Waukegan Weekly Sun, March 8, 1912, p1

(14) Robbery early this evening Libertyville independent, July 1, 1920, p9

(15) Negro caught in act of stealing whiskey in store Libertyville independent, Feb  3, 1921, p6

(16) Negro thief is captured after chase by police Libertyville independent, Jan 13, 1921, p12

(17) Crime hits city during the night, The Waukegan News-Sun, Wednesday January 4, 1933, p1

(18) Release woman who shot mate, The Waukegan news-sun Friday April 7,1933, p1

(19) Black eye leads to robbery suspect Racine Journal-Times, Racine, Wisconsin, Nov 1, 1935

(20) Maid who stole $2,500 jewelry gets 1-2 years Chicago Tribune, Wed, Oct 23, 1946, p 18

(21) An Angler drops his line in chicken coop; the fishing is fine. Chicago Tribune Sat Sept 24, 1938, p1

(22) Nab auto thief after holdup attempt and slugging at Waukegan, Chicago Tribune, Wed Jan 29, 1949, p6

(23) Held to jury in attempt to rob broker, 82, Chicago Tribune, Sat July 4, 1964, p5

 

Appendix

(1) Coal gets man in Jail Libertyville Independent, Jan 4, 1907, p12

Coal gets man in Jail

Nick Rossa of market street, one of the Waukegan Romanian colony, found himself in the city jail Saturday morning for alleged thefts of coal from the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad company cars at 1:30

Rossa was with two companions, alleged special officer wells, who made the arrest and had taken a fifty pound lump of coal when caught. The plucky officer is a medium sized man. His capture was six feet tall, strong as an ox, a hearty southern European mountaineer. He was fined $5 and costs and returned to jail. He could not speak a word of English beyond his name.

 

(2) Mothers teach boys to thieve Libertyville Independent, Jan 25, 1907, p10

Mothers teach boys to thieve

Waukegan police allege that market street women force children to steal

Two mothers are fined by the court Grim and foreboding as anything that has ever transpired in the police courts, on Saturday justice Weiss and the police ferretted out a school for crime in Waukegan in which small boys are taught by their own mothers to steal or to be whipped if unsuccessful in stealing. The two alleged female Fagina arraigned this morning before the justice were Mrs. Mary Schwartz and Mrs. Laitis, both of whom are residents of the Market street disc. The two Oliver Twists are Alec Schwartz ageed 12 and Frank Laitis, aged 12 and they aver that they stole coal at the commands of their mothers. On Saturday Mrs. Schwartz and Mrs. Laitis were fined $5 and costs each by justice Weiss for teaching their 12 year old sons Alec Schwartz and Frank Laitis to steal coal. Threatened with jail sentences if they did not pay the fine, they hung out until the last moment and it was only when the justice was about to attach his name to the mittmus that would have been the officer’s power to take them to the county jail that they relented and “dug” for the money with which to pay the fines. Taught their sons to steal “Were you stealing coal yesterday?” asked judge Weiss of Schwartz ‘Yes sir.” Answered the boy but there was a shift in his eyes. “Don’t lie to the justice,” said officer Hicks. ”Tell him what you told me when I got you.” The boy said nothing “didn’t you tell me that your mother had sent you out to get coal after you got some eggs at the store and that every time you did not get any coal she licked you?” asked the officer With a glance of fear that chilled him through, the boy glanced at his mother and admitted that this was the truth. Mother in denial “I no send him  get coal,” stated the mother. She too was crying, but because of rage not because she felt repentant. She thought she had “fixed” the boy with threats. “Him get eggs. Come back and get coal. Arrested.” Didn’t you ever lick him when he did not get coal? She was asked, and again she entered a denial. The woman admitted that she burnt it as fuel and the case ended then and there with the fine that the justice imposed on her. The recital of the Laitis woman was substantially the same. Police are horror struck The police are shocked with the revelations and do not know how far women of the foreign born are teaching their children to grow up as thieves. They intend to investigate and if any more men or women are found to be threatening their children with beatings if they do not steal, they will receive the extreme penalty, a fine of about $200. The Schwartz and Laitis families live in extreme squalor and wretchedness and the police claim that the Schwartz family at least has a police record.

 

(3) Earns $105 per month; arrested for stealing coal Libertyville independent June 28, 1917, P10

Earns $105 per month; arrested for stealing coal

John Kerrise of Market street is arrested by Northwestern Detectives

Waukegan June 27 John Kerrise, employed as a “handy man” at the round house of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern railroad was arrested by rail detectives late Tuesday night when detected in stealing coal from cars standing in the Northwestern yards. Investigation shows that Kerrise earns about $105 a month and that he is not possessed of a large family. For many months the detectives for the Northwestern have been watching Kerrise, but they labored under the impression that Kerrise was in a better position to steal coal from cars in the J yards than in the Northwestern. They thought they were on the trail of an innocent man, yet they couldn’t understand how it happened that Kerrise had coal in his basement when there was none to be had in Waukegan. They kept an eye on him when he left his work last night and they claim that they saw this Romanian dumping coal into a bag last night. He was given a hearing in police court today and was given a small fine. He claims he cannot live on the wages he receives and he also says that he attempted to buy coal and when refused fuel by the city dealers, he did the next best thing. He helped himself in order that his children would not suffer from the cold.

 

(4) Wire mill plundered by thieves Libertyville Independent, July 12, 1907, p12

Wire mill plundered by thieves

A fence sold steel wire for copper and would not give up money

Rub comes when dealers find they have been bled Demand their money back and when woman refuses have her arrested when whole theft story develops Is there a gang of thieves systematically plundering the Waukegan plant of the American steel and wire company? There is evidence of the fact in two arrests made last Friday. The arrested are: Phillip Moriale—Italian—alleged to have stolen 400 pounds of brass valves etc. that he never could have gotten out of the plant alone Mrs Stulevich—Lithuanian—alleged to have sold the gang 150 lbs. of coppered steel wire which never could have been removed from the plant by one man …400 pounds of brass findings found under the man’s bed at 917 Market Street.

 

(5) Two loot a tenantless house; peddled booty Libertyville Independent April 15, 1910, p1

Two loot a tenantless house; peddled booty

The police claim that in the arrest of the two this afternoon they have captured a couple of alleged thieves who could give Aresene Lupin and all other storybook crooks all the cards in the deck and still beat them in boldness and cleverness.

The two are John  Henry and Tom Sweeney who claim Canada as their homes. It is asserted by the police that after the two had looted an unoccupied house in the heart of the city they walked about four blocks to Market street and began to peddle their ill-gotten booty. Assistant chief of police Thomas Tyrrell made the arrests and the two are books as vags. When found on Market street going from house to house trying to sell the alleged booty they were found to have with them a set of furs, some silverware, a pair of almost new corsets, and a pair of highly decorated bedroom slipper which they were trying to push off onto an innocent Lithuanian woman. May have admitted The two are said to have admitted looting the residence which had been left completely furnished. Scores and hundreds pass the place every hour and still the robbery did not become known until the two “gave up the goods.”

 

(6) Steals $35 from trunk owned by fellow roomer Libertyville Independent, May 9, 1913, p35

Steals $35 from trunk owned by fellow roomer

In police court Mike Antonik showed contrition and tendered return of money

Arraigned by police Assistant chief says he is in favor of having all such citizens deported Mike Antonik, a Russian who has been in the united states but two month and who speaks not a word of English, has been arrested by the local police on a charge of having stolen $35 from Nickodine Burcak, a fellow roomer at 602 Market street. He will be given a hearing in police court today. Through an interpreter Antonik today admitted having taken the money and offered to pay it back. In a moment of indiscretion, Burcak confided to Antonik that he had $35 in his trunk and showed him where he kept the key hidden. At four o’clock Tuesday morning Antionik secured the key and unlocking the trunk appropriated the money. On Tuesday morning he went to work in the sugar refinery. When Burcak discovered his loss he notified the police and swore out a warrant for Antonik’s arrest. The latter was arrested while at work in the afternoon. The interested parties appeared in the police station this morning. At first Antonik refused to discuss the matter but was finally induced to make a confession Assistant chief of police Tyrrell reprimanded him in the strongest terms. He said  Antonik is hardly more than a boy, appearing to be about nineteen years old.

 

(7) Arrest three on charge of having stolen many eggs, Libertyville independent, May 15, 1914 p3

Arrest three on charge of having stolen many eggs

EJ&E freight car here was robbed of six cases of eggs Friday night

Discover theft Saturday Waukegan May 11 Six cases containing 144 dozen eggs were stolen from a freight car in the rail yards of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railroad on Friday night. On Saturday night between six and seven o’clock the police arrested three who are said to be part of a gang which committed the robbery. Three cases of stolen eggs have been recovered and efforts are being made to find the others…

 

(8) Lake County Independent, Dec 13, 1901, P4

The police Friday morning arrested Chas. Peskator, a Swede, who for about twenty years has been an employee of the American Steel and Wire company. On his person was found about 18 pounds of copper in the form of short pieces of trolley wire. How long Peskator had been carrying on this thievery is not known, but officials of the company believe they have lost hundreds of dollars through the man’s light fingers. Peskator admitted that he had stolen the copper and said that there was more of it at his home, 701 Market street. Saturday morning the police went to his home with a search warrant and found a large quantity of copper scraps. Peskator was given a hearing Saturday afternoon and held to the grand jury in bonds of $1000 on a charge of larceny.

 

(9) Roll safe into yard; smash it open with sledge Libertyville Independent Jan 20, 1921 p7

Roll safe into yard; smash it open with sledge

One of the boldest robberies ever committed in Waukegan nets $150

No one heard the noise One of the boldest robberies to take place in Waukegan in a long time occurred Tuesday night when the grocery store and meat market conducted by Hodnick and Cepon at 712 Market street was broken into and robbed. Entrance was gained by prying open a window in the store. The thieves then crawled inside and opened the back door. With the aid of a crowbar the thieves rolled a heavy steel combination safe into the back yard. With a sledge hammer they knocked off the combination knob. They then inserted a cold chisel and with the aid of the sledge broke loose the combination. After this they were able to turn the handles and open the safe. Members of the grocery firm discovered the robbery at 7 o’clock this morning, reporting it to the police immediately. Between $140 and $150 in cash was taken in addition to a bank book. The cash registrar was also carried into the back yard and was forced to open, but it contained no money. The crow bar, chisel, screw driver pair of pliers and sledge hammer were left behind by the thieves, The police are incline to think that the articles were stolen from the old Waukegan Boiler shop located about a block away.

 

(10) Burglars rob 2 safes, flee thru tear gas, Chicago Tribune, Sat Nov 7, 1959, p48

Burglars rob 2 safes, flee thru tear gas,

Burglars used some crow bars they found outside of a junk yard office in Waukegan to break a window and then forced open two safes containing $2,000 early Friday.

Bert Diamond, owner of the Diamond Scrap yard, 415 Market Street, Waukegan said one of the looted safes had an automatic tear gas device which goes off when the safe’s dial is not properly operated. Despite the shower of tear gas, the burglars made off with the lot.

 

(11) Bogus checks in Waukegan, Libertyville independent,  Feb 18, 1910 p8

Bogus checks in Waukegan

Man who cashed fifteen dollar and half check at Ravenia repeated the trick in Waukegan and fact was discovered Friday—all are on the Mythic standard construction company and local bank

Four bogus checks have been cashed so far which were drawn on the first National bank of Waukegan. Joe Rossman a Market street saloonkeeper cashed one of the checks for $15.45, another one was cashed by another Market street saloonkeeper, and two others were successfully passed in Highland Park and Glencoe…. …This is considered to be a good time for the check forgers as there are so many contracting firms at work at the naval training station. Many Waukegan saloonkeepers are careless about cashing checks

   

(12) Loses Wallet: 3 now under arrest Lake County Independent and Waukegan Weekly Sun, Nov 25, 1910, p9

Loses Wallet: 3 now under arrest

Max Malinski left his pocket book on bed where he had been lying and when he came back money was gone

(From Wednesday’s Sun) Max Milinski of 802 Market street went visiting last night and top take quiet ease and comfort, he lay down on the bed in the room of his hosts. After a time, he says he arose and went out of the room. His pocket book dropped out of his pocket and onto the bed, he thinks. However, when he taxed the three others with having seen the wallet and hidden it, they denied it and he caused their arrest. They are Paul Siph, J Solk and Mike Baza. The wallet contained $10 in cash, a check for $50 on a bank in Silver City, and valuable papers and memoranda.

 

(13) Hold up men rob woman Lake County Independent and Waukegan Weekly Sun, March 8, 1912, p1

Hold up men rob woman

Bold daylight thieves rob Waukegan saloon at point of gun

Police fail to get clew Robbery occurred when woman bartender was alone in saloon (from Saturday’s Sun) One of the boldest daylight robberies that has been perpetrated in the city took place Sat morning at 10 o’clock when two men at the point of a gun held up and robbed the saloon of Stanley Krywicki, 622 Market street. They got away with $150 which Krywicki had kept on hand to cash checks in case any would be presented. The men fled in the direction of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern railroad tracks and all efforts on the part of the police to get any trace of them has been futile up to the present time. Good fortune seemed to smile upon the bold robbers for their daring hold up occurred at a time when there were no customers in the place and when Krywicki’s wife was tending bar in the absence of her husband. Mrs. Krywiki was so frightened at the sight of the revolver which was leveled at her head that she was unable to give a good description of the robbers. She says that one of them was rather tall, while his companion was about a foot shorter. Both of them appeared to be either section hands or ordinary tramps, dressed in very shabby attire, with dirt smeared faces. One of the men, she says, had a long scratch on the back of his left hand. When the two men entered the place, Mrs. Krywicki was standing behind the bar. The fellows glanced about the room and saw that there were no other occupants. Without further ceremony one of the men slipped his hand into his overcoat pocket. When it was withdrawn, it gripped a gun which was pointed at the now thoroughly frightened woman. “Hold up your hands,” was the stern command. The woman tremblingly obeyed. “Give us your money,” was the next command. The woman speaks very little English, but she managed in telling the robber that she had no money—that there was none in the place. “We’ll see about that,” said the fellow and while his companion continued to point the gun at the woman’s head, he stepped behind the bar and pulling open a drawer removed a roll of bills containing $150. It was in this act that the robber showed some familiarity with the place, as he paid little attention to the cash registrar which stood nearby, walking directly to the drawer where Krywicki always kept his large sums of money. The roll of bills was stuffed in his pocket and the two men opened the door and hurried across the street. The woman looking through the window saw them disappear between some freight cars. A few moments later her husband appeared on the scene and when informed of the robbery hastily called the police. A search was made of the railroad yards, including the inside of several box cars, but no trace was secured of any men who answered the meager description given by the woman. No one apparently had seen the men make their escape. The only theory that seems reasonable is that the men boarded a freight train and made their way out of the city as fast as possible. It is possible also that the men just arrived on a train and thought that they would pick up some easy money before leaving town. Krywicki thought that perhaps the fellows might make an attempt to hold up other saloons in the same manner and telephoned to several saloons on Market street, warning them to be on their guard and to hold any men who answered the description of the fellows who entered his place. On any other day but Saturday, Krywicki would have had but a small amount of money in the cash drawer so early in the morning, but on Saturday he often is called upon to cash pay checks and he left the money in the drawer for that purpose.

 

(14) Robbery early this evening Libertyville independent, July 1, 1920, p9

Robbery early this evening

Catch Negro after chasing him several blocks

Jas Rose alias Douglas Black charged with breaking into the Washburn Hotel Robbery early this evening James Rose aged 42 of 916 Market street a negro who is known to the Waukegan police of several different aliases as…Douglas Black… was placed under arrest on a charge of burglary…following a chase of several blocks…

 

(15) Negro caught in act of stealing whiskey in store Libertyville independent, Feb  3, 1921, p6

Negro caught in act of stealing whiskey in store

James Rose Alias Douglas Blair stole booze at Pearce drugstore, police say

James Rose, alias Douglas Blair, alias Douglas Black, colored youth who has … …Drugstores are obliged to account for every bottle of whiskey they handle. For that reason the police are inclined to turn the case over to federal authorities in case they desire to handle it. Rose, or Black as he was known at the time, once was arrested for an alleged hold-up of the Hoban tin shop. At another time he was arrested after he made an attack on a clerk at the Washburn hotel after being found in a room where he had no business. On other occasions he has been taken into custody. In fact he has spent several month [sic] in jail here but has always managed to escape a penitentiary sentence.

 

(16) Negro thief is captured after chase by police Libertyville independent, Jan 13, 1921, p12

Negro thief is captured after chase by police

Negro stops after officer fires shot; says he stole because he was starving

Bound to grand jury Tony was arraigned in police court before police magistrate Walter Taylor this morning. He entered the plea of “guilty” to the charge of larceny and was bound to the grand jury in bonds of $1,000. He went to the county jail in default of getting bail and will remain there awaiting action of the grand jury which does not meet until March. Efficient work on the part of members of the Waukegan police department resulted in the capture large Tuesday afternoon of Andrew Tony, aged 21, a negro residing at 217 Market street. Tony is charged with having grabbed a $20 bill at the Model Laundry Tuesday afternoon about 2 o’clock and then escaping by dashing out of the door and racing in the direction of Market street. The bill which the negro took was part of the weekly payroll amounting to nearly $500. The thing which puzzles the police is why Tony did not take the whole entire amount instead of merely one bill. A J Burton, proprietor of the laundry pursued Tony to Market street and saw him rush into his home. In the meantime a call had been sent to the police station and Policeman John Klindsworth and special policeman John Rahling responded in the police automobile. Policeman Thomas Booth was dispatched to Market street when a second call was received to the effect that the negro had been seen leaving his house and start south in Market street, turning up the south avenue hill. Believing that Tony might have taken a street car south, Policeman Klindsworth stepped on the gas and raced to the north Chicago junction, beating the limited train on the North shore line. When the car arrived it was found the at the negro was not on board. The police car started back, going over a course which it was thought the negro might have taken. This course led to Edison Court depot, but he was not there and had not been seen. The care then started east in Washington street. In the machine with the two officers was a negro who had been washing windows at the laundry and who recognized Tony. As the machine neared Park avenue the negro cried out: “There he is! That’s him coming this way.” The car was brought to a stop and the officer leaped out. As soon as Tony saw them approaching he started to run south along the ravine where the new park is being built. Officer Rahling drew his pistol and fired one shot. Tony dropped to the ground as if he had been shot, holding both hands in the air. He was searched, but was found to be without a weapon. He was taken to the police station and locked up. Needed the money “I have been living in Waukegan about eight months,: Tony said. “I was working in at the tannery but lost my job three weeks ago. I haven’t been able to get anything to do. We haven’t a thing in the house to eat. My wife recently had an operation for appendicitis and needed good food, but I did not have the money to buy if for her. She also needed medicine and I could not buy it. This was what drove me to steal the money. I couldn’t bare to see my wife slowly starving to death.” Officers went to the house where Tony has been living and found his wife about ready top go. She had packed their belongings and the officers believe she was planning to meet her husband some place, believing that he had made good his escape. She turned over to them the $20 bill her husband had stolen.

 

(17) Crime hits city during the night , The Waukegan News-Sun, Wednesday January 4, 1933, p1

Crime hits city during the night

6 burglaries and 1 holdup are reported

A send P manager and staff held at bay by bandit paid losing $120 and auto; other thefts occur….. William Finch, 324 Market street notified the police that burglars had broken into the garage at the rear of his home, pushed his car into the street and had apparently towed it away….

 

(18) Release woman who shot mate, The Waukegan news-sun Friday April 7,1933, p1

Release woman who shot mate

Belle Finch, 524 Market street charged with attempted murder of her husband William whom she shot in the stomach on March 18 during an argument in their home, was released from jail this

Is morning and the charges dismissed. William finch has recovered from the bullet wound and refused to take action against his wife.

 

 

(19) Black eye leads to robbery suspect Racine Journal-Times, Racine, Wisconsin, Nov 1, 1935

Black eye leads to robbery suspect

A “Black eye” proved to be the undoing of Annie Phillips, 25, colored of 324 Market street, Waukegan.

She was arrested as a suspect in the larceny of $40 from the coal office of Edward Loef in Kenosha Monday, and the only clew the arresting officers Detective Carl Orgish and Arthur Riley, were working on was a black eye. The woman went into the coal office and told Thorton Ellis, the only one in the place at the time, she wanted to see various types of coal. He took her into the coal yard and showed her the coal. A short time later Ellis discovered that the cash registrar had been rifled and $40 was missing. Ellis reported the description of the woman to the police, telling of a prominent black eye. Detectives went to Waukegan and found her. Ellis immediately identified her, and yesterday she confessed her part in the affair. Now police are looking for her companion.

 

(20) Maid who stole $2,500 jewelry gets 1-2 years, Chicago Tribune, Wed, Oct 23, 1946, p 18

Maid who stole $2,500 jewelry gets 1-2 years,

Virginia Tyson Harris, 19, of 522 Market st, Waukegan, Negro, pleaded guilty to grand larceny before judge Raplh Dady in Circuit court at Waukegan yesterday and was sentanced to one to two years in the Dwight Women's reformatory. She was arrested in Indianapolis, Ind last september with $2,500 in jewelry from the home of Herbert P Schaffner, Chicago broker at 1139 Lincoln av, Highland park where she had been a maid.

 

(21) An Angler drops his line in chicken coop; the fishing is fine. Chicago Tribune Sat Sept 24, 1938, p1

An Angler drops his line in chicken coop; the fishing is fine

Here’s a pretty kettle of Plymouth Rocks: A chicken thief pulling chickens right out of the pen with a fishing pole.

Leaner Riley reported it yesterday. He said a woman neighbor, who always says the fish that got away was too small to bother about anyway, saw the whole thing. A man drove up to the Riley home at 618 Market Street. In broad daylight he bailed his hook and threw it over the fence into the Riley chicken coop. Three times he did that and each time he caught one of Riley’s Plymouth Rock hens. When he saw the neighbor was watching him, the chicken fisherman drove off with his catch. Riley said if it wouldn’t look so silly he’d put up a sign reading “No Chickening.”

 

(22) Nab auto thief after holdup attempt and slugging at Waukegan, Chicago Tribune, Wed Jan 29, 1949, p6

Nab auto thief after holdup attempt and slugging at Waukegan

Willie Lewis, 30 of 524 Market st, Waukegan, a 6 foot negro, was captured in the north shore suburb yesterday an hour after her had stolen a 1947 automobile from a former employer and then attempted to hold up the Waukegan Co-operative Credit Union at 709 McAlister Ave. Lewis hit Leo Saari, treasurer of the union on the head with a revolver but obtained no money.

The Bozarth Motor Sales company, 541 Genesee st Waukegan reported at 3 pm that Lewis, a former car washer, had driven away in the used sedan. At 3;40, the negro appeared at the credit union offices, purchased a 4 cent  stamped envelope, as he had also done at 2:30 pm, then drew a revolver and ordered Saari and his secretary Mrs Florence Jesenovec, to hold up their hands. When Saari told him “quit fooling and get out!” Lewis hit Saari with the revolver, inflicting a head wound and also gashing his arm. Policeman Gerald Riley and Stanley Butkus arrested Lewis at 5 PM in the automobile. They charged him with larceny of an automobile, attempted armed robbery and carrying concealed weapons.

 

(23) Held to jury in attempt to rob broker, 82, Chicago Tribune, Sat July 4, 1964, p5

Held to jury in attempt to rob broker, 82,

Solomon Alexander, 19, of 500 ½ Market st Waukegan was held to the grand jury by Magistrate John Hughes in circuit court at Waukegan yesterday on a charge of attempting to rob an 82 year old insurance broker Thursday.

The broker, William Bartholomay, of Marrelbar Farms, Warren township, identified Alexander as the man who threatened him with a razor in the North Western railway station in Waukegan and demanded money. Bartholomay pushed the robber, who fled. Alexander was arrested  later.