On this date in 1933, three men — believed to be outlaw, and former lawman, Verne Miller, along with bank robbers Charles “Pretty Boy” Floyd and Adam Richetti — attempted to free Frank “Jelly” Nash from Federal custody in Kansas City. A gunfight ensued, leaving three police officers, an FBI Agent, and Frank Nash dead.
FBI History: Famous Cases Kansas City Massacre – Charles Arthur “Pretty Boy” Floyd
Wikipedia: Kansas City Massacre
On this date in 1999, middle class St. Paul, MN mom Sara Jane Olson was arrested after being profiled on America’s Most Wanted. As it turns out, the socially active mother of three had a secret identity. In a prior life, she was Kathleen Ann Soliah, a member of the Symbionese Liberation Army terrorist group.
Soliah had been in hiding since 1976, when she was indicted for her role in planting pipe bombs that were targeted at police officers in Los Angeles.
Olson eventually pleaded guilty to the explosives charges and to her role in a robbery that resulted in the death of a woman. She was sentenced to 14 years in prison, but her sentence was eventually reduced by a judge.
In 2008, Olson was erroneously released from prison due to a miscalculation by prison officials. She was rearrested and returned to prison. She was paroled in March of 2009 and was allowed to return to Minnesota to serve out her sentence.
Further reading:
CNN – ’70s radical Sara Jane Olson released from prison
Wikipedia – Sara Jane Olson
On this date in 1933, William Hamm Jr., heir to the Hamm’s Brewery, was kidnapped by the Barker-Karpis gang in St. Paul, MN. The kidnappers demanded a ransom of $100,000, which they received. After the ransom was paid, Hamm was released near Wyoming, MN.
The Barker-Karpis gang’s crime spree would continue as the government arrested and unsuccessfully prosecuted Chicago bootlegger Roger Touhy and members of his gang (thanks to informants working for Touhy’s rival, Al Capone). The true culprits were eventually located and prosecuted, thanks in large part to the emerging forensic science of latent fingerprint examination.
Further reading:
FBI – Barker/Karpis Gang
Placeography – Hamm Brewery, Saint Paul, Minnesota
Wikipedia – Alvin Karpis
“Salvation is a last-minute business, boy.”
-Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum), Night of the Hunter (1955)
On this date in 1962, Anna E. Slesers was found dead. She was believed to be the first victim of the notorious serial killer known as the Boston Strangler, who may, or may not, have been Albert DeSalvo (pictured above). In fact, the murders may have been committed by more than one person. DeSalvo’s confession was the only significant piece of evidence that linked him to the crimes. He died in 1973, while serving time in prison on unrelated offenses.
Further reading:
Crime Museum – The Boston Strangler
Wikipedia: Boston Strangler
On this date in 1966, the US Supreme Court decided Miranda v. Arizona. This decision would result in the warning given to criminal suspects that cops, crooks, and fans of police procedurals know by heart.
Further reading:
Opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court, June 13, 1966
Wikipedia – Miranda v. Arizona
For those who miss the pre-Miranda days, here’s a little taste of how it was done old school by Sergeant Joe Friday in the 1954 big-screen version of Dragnet.
On this date in 1962, prison officials at Alcatraz discovered that inmates Frank Morris, and brothers John and Clarence Anglin had apparently escaped from the federal prison. The escape took over two years to plan and execute. The escapees used stolen materials to make a raft to escape on and dummies to place in their bunks. They tunneled from their cells into the prison ventilation shaft, through which they climbed up to the roof of the prison. They climbed down from the roof, made it to the water, and paddled away on their homemade raft. The men were never found and were presumed drowned in San Francisco Bay.
Further reading:
“The Great Escape from Alcatraz”
FBI Files: Alcatraz Escape
IMDb: Escape from Alcatraz
