MURDER GANG.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 May 1926, Page 3

MURDER GANG.

GRIM DEEDS OF U.S. “SUPERBANDITS.” NEW YORK, April 7. The history of “The Whittlemore Gang” which has been furnishing the New York Press with its leading news feature, forms a curious and very graphic epitome of the great crime plague which is raging in every big city of the United States. No fewer than seven men and one woman member of this gang are now in the hands of the police. Within a year they have committed at least seven murders and probably a dozen or more burglaries, with gross profits to themselves and their asoeiates of £200,000, most of which they have dissipated in gambling and riotous living. “THE KILLER.” Whit-temore, the leader, is known as “The Killer.” His custody was awarded yesterday to the city of Buffalo in competition with Baltimore. “The Killer” was enraged at this because he believed he could have secured acquittal at Baltimore. AVlien he reached Buffalo he broke from his guards and kicked the face of a photographer who had taken a snapshot of him.

His wife, Afurgaret, known as “The Tiger Cat,” smashed the camera. When Whittlemore was again pinioned he shouted, “Five others are going to burn with me if J burn.” He will face his trial this week in connection with an attack on an armoured car, and the murder of two of its guards. BLONDE BOBBED WIFE.

Alargaret Whittemora is stylishly dressed regardless of expense. Her hand are carefully manicured and her blonde hair is bobbed in the most approved fashion. Her husband and his lieutenants too are tailored in excellent tyle. They have lived at the best hotels, frequented the most expensive night clubs, and maintained each of .hem high-priced motor cars.

Whittcniorc. the “Lmlendorff” of the gang, has a long gaol record though he is only 28. The son of a Baltimore artisan, lie began his career of crime when he was a Sunday school hoy. He joined the Navy during the war, was convicted of stealing, and discharged dishonourably. After a brief term if imprisonment for burglary be returned to his native town, where lie organised a gang and was recaptured. This time he was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment. Two weeks’ after his incarceration he killed one of the prison guards and made his escape. He allowed his heard and hair to grow, dyed them a deep red and again returned to Baltimore, where he was joined by “Chicago Tommy” ami two other gunmen. DEPORTED FROM ENGLAND. They together robbed a bank messenger of £2.000 and repaired to New York. There “the Whittemore Gang” was recruited and (rained on military linos. Whittlemore was its l.udondorff and Jacob Kraemer its Hindeuluirg. Jacob Kraemer and his brother l.eon came from Poland. They posed in Loudon in 15)15 as dealers in antiques, hut in reality they were firstclass sale burglars. They were deported from England. With Whittemore and other members of. tbe gang their most daring act of banditry was committed last, October in Buffalo. There they attacked the armed guards of an armoured ear laden with securities. Two of the guards were killed ami the criminals escaped in a stolen motor-car with £IB.OOO.

Early this year, assisted by “Shuffles” Goldberg, they and Whittemore seized two jewellers near the most crowded part of Fifth Avenue, forced them into a doorway, and took from them £30,01)0 worth of jewellery. Successfully to accomplish this robbery they placed armed scouts at strategic points in 18th. Street and Fifth Avenue with orders to shoot anybody who seemed likely to foil them; and they got away amid a hail of bullets by driving at break-neck speed through the crowds of Fifth Avenue.

Whittemoro frankly describes himself as a “super bandit.” A swarthy, strongly built young man. be tolls the police that he considers liimelf above law and order. “It was bis life or mine, and T thought my life was a lot more important than his,” is his calm explanation of the murder of the Baltimore gaol guard. IT .MOVES. LONDON, April 6. 'lt moves,” said .Mrs Alice Mary Dawes, a general dealer, who, sitting in her shop parlour at Vauxhall, saw a roll of linoleum slide along a glutting outside the. window. “Drat those boys,” added Mrs Dawes, leaving her easy chair and charging into the street. But no boys were in sight, and in the near distance, she saw the roll of linoleum, still moving, in the arms of Frederick Sullivan, who was accompanied by Edward Sullivan, better known to the police as George Clarke.

Mrs Dawes is a tiny woman and the Sullivans are stalwart young men, but in a few minutes the roll of linoleum was under the arm ol its proprietress who. sending a girl for a constable, followed the two Sullivans. Through the curious streets went the procession, consisting of the two Sullivans, Mrs Dawes and the roll ol linoleum. “ Give me your name and address,” demanded Mi's Dawes, trotting belt inti the swift-walking Sullivans. “ You go home.” commanded Frederick. “ 1 want both of your mimes,” insisted Mrs Dawes. “Go back or I’ll knock your head off,” threatened lulu ai 3. " Your names and addresses,” persisted Mrs Dawes, hugging one idea and the linoleum. 'The two Sullivans looked helplessly at each other, and still more helplessly at the avenging shadow of Mrs Dawes, and so they stood until Mrs Dawes’s girl brought a policeman, who arrested Frederick. Edward, taking advantage of Mrs Dawes being occupied by the policeman, ran away and boarded a tramway-car, but lie was chased and caught ’ by another constable, in a motor car.

The Sullivans blanched when next they met Airs Dawes at Westminster Police Court yesterday, when Air Boyd, the magistrate, sentenced each to three months’ hard labour. Finger-print records showed, that both men had served several terms of imprisonment tor theft and the assembled police looked in awe at the tiny woman who, single-handed, had captured two desperate characters. The value of the .linoleum was 10s Gd.