In June 1925, a gang of men broke into the Ralph Hotel, Williamstown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, carried out a 900 pound safe, hoisted it into the back of a Dodge touring car (badly damaging the car), drove away, and then blasted the safe open in a field near the Williamstown trolley bridge.
It was determined by police at Shenandoah, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, that the gang was from that place, and because the authorities there were onto their illegal activities, chose to do their crimes in the “hicks.” Quoting one of the gang members, Detective Tomcavage said:
We’d be fools to operate here in Shenandoah and what’s the use of taking chances here. We work in the hicks where the constables have long beards and we do our work while they are sleeping.
However, credit for solving the crime was actually given to the State Police at Lykens, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, who followed through on the clues which led to the arrest of the first of the “band of robbers.”
From: Lykens Standard, July 3, 1925, via Newspapers.com.
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SHENANDOAH MAN HELD FOR RALPH ROBBERY
By Staff Reporter.
State Troopers Miller and Verbecken who are located in Lykens at the substation are to be praised for their exceptional ability in running down clues on a band of robbers who have been terrorizing this section for some months past.
Numerous thefts have been committed in Lykens and surrounding territory which have baffled the best detectives and police, but Miller and Verbecken, after receiving information on the robbery of the Allen Ralph Hotel, located at Williamstown, got to work, secured clues, and by Thursday evening of last week had sufficient information leading to the guilty party to enable their arrest.
Upon their arrival at Shenandoah additional information was secured concerning the band who “never worked and always had a wad large enough to choke a horse,” as expressed by the Justice of Peace. Their wave of crimes are numerous and varied that the police headquarters in Shenandoah have the pictures and fingerprints of the crew with detailed information concerning their former arrests.
Information secured from the Chief Burgess, Chief of Police, more than ten of the policemen and the Justice of the Peace, in Shenandoah gave more clues and evidence that State Troopers had their party.
More than seven hours was spent in investigations and finally Gus Patuski, whose car was seen at the Ralph Hotel, Williamstown, the morning of the robbery, was placed under arrest by the troopers and brought to Lykens.
He was questioned here and would give no information whatever concerning the entering of the hotel where the safe was carried from the building.
Pleads Innocent
Patuski, who since his arrest in pleading innocent of the charge, was taken to the County prison, Monday, by the troopers and will be given a hearing this afternoon at Alderman Windsor’s office charged with entry and robbery.
Safe is Found
The safe which weighs nearly 900 pounds according to Mr. Ralph’s information, was found by Troopers Miller and Verbecken Wednesday morning in underbrush at the east end of Williamstown near the trolley bridge. Condition of the safe when found indicate the gang blew it with nitro glycerine and took the contents.
Car As Evidence
The Dodge touring car owned and alleged to have been operated by Gus Patuski on the morning of the robbery was also brought here as evidence, the frame of the rear seat being caved in and the upholstery badly torn from loading the safe in the machine. Witnesses who saw them load the safe say they carried it to the street, the car run in front of the hotel, and the safe was loaded on the car from the right hand side of the machine, where there are several deep dents due to lifting it over the side. The floor of the car is also badly dented evidencing the safe being in the car and the dents caused by going over rough road to the place where the safe was loaded.
License Led to Arrest
A party near the Ralph Hotel, who was awakened by a man running along the sidewalk got to the window at their home in time to see the safe being thrown into the the car; the street light was bright enough and the license of the car was taken. There was no tail-light on the car. The car when seized was in this condition.
More Arrests Expected
Further investigations are being made and it is expected that after the hearing before Alderman Windsor this afternoon, more arrests will be made. In the band which is operating there are six or seven men. All have bad characters and they are quoted by the chief of police at Shenandoah as saying: “We’d be fools to operate here in Shenandoah and what’s the use of taking chances here. We work in the hicks where the constables have long beards and we do our work while they are sleeping.”
Worst Gang in County
All authorities of Shenandoah say the gang is the worst known in history in Schuylkill County. They have been operating for several yeas, and have been under the watchful eye of Detective Tomcavage of the R. R. Police for more than a year. The detective gave information the car of Patuski did not arrive in Shenandoah Thursday morning until nearly five o’clock.
Denies Charges
Patuski denies the charges and says his car was at his home Wednesday evening, June 24th. He was able under examination to tell where he was and where his car was kept every night from Thursday June 18th [1925] to June 23rd [1925] and Thursday June 25th [1925] to the time of his arrest, but claimed he didn’t know where he was Wednesday, June 24th, but said: “I think I was at home.” He stated he parked his car at his home at 2 A. M. at the latest Wednesday night and didn’t se it until Thursday morning about 10 o’clock.
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