Everett Bridgewater

Last updated

Everett Bridgewater (born c.1902) [1] was an American bank robber during the Prohibition era. He is best known as an early associate of Harry Pierpont.

Contents

Criminal career

Pierpont-Bridgewater-Northern Gang, 1924-25

South Marion State Bank, Marion, Indiana, November 26, 1924

At 2:45 in the afternoon of November 26, 1924, seven young, unmasked, well-dressed bandits held up the officers and two customers of the South Marion State Bank at Thirty-first and Washington streets in Marion, Indiana, robbing the bank of approximately $4,000.00 in cash. [2] No one was injured, and not a shot was fired. Five men went inside, two stayed outside. [2]

The leader of the gang walked in ahead of the others and ordered "hands up", forcing the cashier and bookkeeper into the vault. [2] According to newspaper accounts, the gang had evidently studied the situation, knew the surroundings, and carried out their job with clockwork precision and uncanny accuracy. [2]

After the robbery, the bandits jumped into a purring Nash motor car and sped off south. Sixteen towns in a fifty-mile radius of Marion were notified of the robbery, and to be on the lookout for a Nash car with yellow license plates. [2] One report had them heading west on State Route 35, another report had them travelling east through Bluffton, Indiana at a high speed. [2] A couple from Fairmount, Indiana reported seeing a car matching that of the robbers at three o'clock, traveling west through Hackelman, Indiana in the direction of Elwood, Indiana. [3] Grant County Sheriff Bert Renbarger and his deputies stopped a Nash car matching the description at Sweetser, Indiana but the occupants were found to be out of town businessmen. [3]

Initial reports indicated that based on the description of the bandits, they were believed to be the same gang who had robbed the Farmers National Bank at Converse, Indiana the week before. [2] [3] Sheriff Renbarger speculated the robbers might be from South Bend, Terre Haute, Chicago, or Logansport. [3]

Citizens State Bank, Noblesville, Indiana, December 16, 1924

Just before closing time on December 16, 1924, seven unmasked bandits made an unsuccessful attempt to rob the Citizens State Bank. The bandit's car drove up to the side of the bank and six men leaped to the sidewalk and ran into the building, brandishing revolvers. [4]

While three robbers rushed to the rear of the bank to cover officials, the other three ordered several customers and the cashier to hold up their hands. The leader of the bandits cautioned his associates to listen for an alarm repeatedly. [4] With a revolver near his head, bank President Dunn touched a button on the floor which started a burglar alarm. The bandits immediately ran out the door and sped away with nothing for their effort. [4] The bandits headed north in a Cadillac bearing Indiana license plate 11829 at a high speed. [5]

Shelby Hardware Store, Lebanon, Indiana, December 22, 1924

On December 22, 1924, the John D. Shelby Hardware Store of Lebanon, Indiana was robbed of two rifles, two double barreled shot guns, one hammerless double barrel shot gun, two single shot rifles, one Marlin rifle, repeater, two Remington repeating rifles, eight pocket knives, one six inch barrel pistol, one 32 German automatic revolver, about fifty boxes of ammunition, four flashlights, several batteries, and other articles. [6]

Boone County, Indiana Sheriff Joe C. Cain notified Grant County, Indiana Sheriff Renbarger of the list of items stolen from the Lebanon store and stated that the robbers were driving a Moon sedan, with the license 443–554, which was stolen from Indianapolis the night of the Lebanon robbery. [6] The automobile belonged to George W. Killinger, Jr. of 1922 North Pennsylvania street in Indianapolis and was reported stolen on December 22.

Upland State Bank, Upland, Indiana, December 23, 1924

At 3:45 in the afternoon of December 23, 1924, six armed bandits entered the Upland State Bank within fifteen minutes of closing time and robbed the bank of approximately $2500.00 [7]

The bandits attempted to lock the cashier and a female employee in the bank vault. Finding that the safe would not work, they began scooping all of the money in sight as well as all the money in sight in the safe, consisting of paper and silver. [7] One of the bandits cautioned bank officials against making false moves under pain of having "hell shot out of them". [7]

After getting all the money in sight, they quickly left the bank and hopped into a waiting automobile, in which the sixth bandit sat, and departed north out of Upland, where it was reported they turned west. [7]

A good description of the men was secured by Deputy Sheriffs John Schell and Woody Smith, who conversed with the six men at a filing station at Highland avenue and Washington streets in Marion at about 2:30 in the afternoon that day. The men had been asking about the road to Hartford City and that they desired to find State Road 35. [7]

The men were first noticed in Marion driving a Moon car, bearing the license plate number 443-554, which was seen driving the wrong way around the public square. The license number matched one that had been in town about a week before, when it ran a stop sign at Fourth and Nebraska streets and failed to stop when called on by the police. [7]

Reports indicated that Sherriff Renbarger notified many surrounding cities and Indianapolis, as it was believed that the gang had a headquarters in that city and was the same crowd who attempted to hold up a bank at Noblesville, Indiana the week before. [7]

The automobile used by the bandits of the Upland State Bank and the Lebanon hardware store was found abandoned in the mud at Kempton, Indiana on December 27, 1924. [6] Authorities learned at the car became mired in the mud around 7:30 in the evening of December 23. The men walked to a local home and called a garage at Kempton. The garage worker started to take the men to Frankfort, Indiana at their request. Carrying shotguns, rifles, revolvers and satchels, the men changed their minds and asked to be dropped off at the edge of town at Lebanon, Indiana. [6] The men told the garage mechanic they had been out hunting and were from Louisville, Kentucky and wished to get home for Christmas.

No one ever came back for the car, and authorities were notified.

Arrest in Kokomo, Indiana, March 22, 1925

On March 22, 1925, Everrett, along with Harry Pierpont, was arrested by Kokomo, Indiana police on suspicion of possessing a stolen car. [8] However, the possession of the Ford roadster they were driving was found to be legitimate and they were released.

First State Bank of Galveston, Galveston, Indiana, June 6, 1925

On June 6, 1925, three bandits entered the First State Bank of Galveston, Indiana around 9 o'clock and robbed the bank of $3,000. [9] A fourth bandit stayed at the wheel of a Studebaker automobile.

The cashier of the bank was alone at the time of the robbery. Two and a half miles from Galveston the car was abandoned. [9]

Arrest in Indianapolis, Indiana, June 19, 1925

At the habitual criminal trial of Earl Northern, Bridgewater was accused as a principal in the South Kokomo bank robbery as well as the South Marion robbery. It was noted that if apprehended, he would likely be turned over to Grant county authorities as the case against him was stronger there. [10]

Bridgewater managed to elude authorities for several months before being captured by Indianapolis police on June 19, 1925. [11] Arrested along with Bridgewater was Clinton Simms, 25, and Bridgewater's brother-in-law, William A. Zander. [11]

Bridgewater confessed to police that he had obtained an estimated $33,000 in cash and double that amount in securities. [11] He confessed to being implicated in the robberies at Upland, Marion, Kokomo and New Harmony. [11]

At the time of his arrest, police found two army rifles, a shotgun and a revolver with 150 rounds of ammunition in Bridgewater's possession. [11]

Arrest of Other Gang Members

On June 30, 1925, Norman Lipscomb, 23, was arrested in Indianapolis after an exchange of gunfire and was being questioned about a number of recent robberies. He was described as a known member of the gang formerly headed by Bridgewater. [12]

On July 3, 1925, a George "Dewey" Elliott was arrested in Indianapolis and was believed to be connected with the Kokomo bank bandit gang. [13] Kokomo police were doubting that the man arrested in Indianapolis was the same as the Kokomo "Dewey" Elliott, husband of local madam Pearl Elliott. The Kokomo Elliott was a known associate of Pierpont and Bridgewater.

On July 4, 1925, Clifford Roth was arrested in Indianapolis as the fourth member of the gang who robbed the Galveston Bank under $5,000 bond on a vagrancy charge. [14] Roth was implicated through the confessions of other members of the "Bridgewater gang", but denied being involved when arrested. [14]

Robberies in Indiana, 1935

Grocery store, Dublin, Indiana, December 21, 1935

On December 21, 1935, Bridgewater along with Clyde Steinbarger and Eugene Dickson, robbed a grocery store in Dublin, Indiana. [15] Witnesses at the trial identified Bridgewater as the trigger man who fired several shots at store employees as they attempted to flee. [15]

Tried at Richmond, Indiana, Judge Earl Keisker gave Bridgewater the mandatory sentence of not less than 10 nor more than 25 years. [15] Bridgewater had to complete the remainder of his original sentence from Howard County Judge Marshall for the South Kokomo Bank robbery, making the minimum sentence 21 years and the maximum of 36 years before he could be paroled. [15]

Bridgewater attempted to bargain with the original judge, Judge Hoelscher, boasting of his knowledge of John Dillinger and telling how the prison break had denied his receiving parole. [15] When these efforts failed, Bridgewater obtained a change of venue and threw himself on the mercy of Special Judge Kiesker. [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bonnot Gang</span> French criminal anarchist group (1911-1912, convicted 1913) and supporters of "illegalism"

The Bonnot Gang or The Tragic Bandits was a French criminal anarchist group that operated in France and Belgium during the late Belle Époque, from 1911 to 1912. Composed of individuals who identified with the emerging illegalist milieu, the gang used new technology, such as cars and repeating rifles not then available to the police.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bank robbery</span> Crime of stealing from a bank using violence

Bank robbery is the criminal act of stealing from a bank, specifically while bank employees and customers are subjected to force, violence, or a threat of violence. This refers to robbery of a bank branch or teller, as opposed to other bank-owned property, such as a train, armored car, or (historically) stagecoach. It is a federal crime in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Brink's Robbery</span> 1950 security company robbery

The Great Brink's Robbery was an armed robbery of the Brink's building in the North End of Boston, Massachusetts, on January 17, 1950. The $2.775 million theft consisted of $1,218,211.29 in cash and $1,557,183.83 in checks, money orders, and other securities. It was at the time the largest robbery in the history of the United States and has been called "the crime of the century". The robbery remained unsolved for nearly six years, until estranged group member Joseph O'Keefe testified only days before the statute of limitations would have expired.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Pierpont</span> American gangster, murderer and bank robber

Harry "Pete" Pierpont was a Prohibition era gangster, convicted murderer and bank robber. He was a friend and mentor to John Dillinger.

The Fleagle Gang was a group of early 20th century American bank robbers and murderers. They were found and executed or killed after robbing the First National Bank in Lamar, Colorado. Their cases were the first in which the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) used a single fingerprint as part of the evidence leading to a conviction. They were also suspected to have committed a series of previous bank robberies over a 10-year period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Makley</span> American murderer (1889–1934)

Charles Omer Makley, also known as Charles McGray and Fat Charles, was an American criminal and bank robber active in the early 20th century, most notably as a criminal associate of John Dillinger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Homer Van Meter</span> American criminal and bank robber

Homer Virgil Van Meter was an American criminal and bank robber active in the early 20th century, most notably as a criminal associate of John Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dillinger Gang</span> Gang group of robbers

The Dillinger Gang was a group of American Depression-era bank robbers led by John Dillinger. The gang gained notoriety for a successful string of bank robberies, using modern tools and tactics, in the Midwestern United States from September 1933 to July 1934. During this crime spree, the gang killed 10 and wounded 7. They managed to pull off three jail breaks which wounded two guards and killed a sheriff.

The Reno Gang, also known as the Reno Brothers Gang and The Jackson Thieves, were a group of criminals that operated in the Midwestern United States during and just after the American Civil War. Though short-lived, the gang carried out the first three peacetime train robberies in U.S. history. Most of the stolen money was never recovered.

James Franklin "Frank" Sawyer was an American Depression-era bank robber and prison escapee. An associate of Jim Clark, Ed Davis and other fellow Oklahoma bandits, he was a participant in countless bank robberies throughout Kansas and Oklahoma between 1917 and 1933. He was wrongfully imprisoned for a 1932 bank robbery in Fort Scott, Kansas and spent almost 40 years in prison before he was pardoned by Governor Robert Docking in 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herman Lamm</span> German-American bank robber

Herman Karl Lamm, known as Baron Lamm, was a German-American bank robber. A former Prussian Army soldier who immigrated to the United States, Lamm believed a heist required all the planning of a military operation. He pioneered the concepts of "casing" a bank and developing escape routes before conducting the robbery. Using a meticulous planning system called "The Lamm Technique", he conducted dozens of successful bank robberies from the end of World War I.

Fred Pierpont was the younger brother of Prohibition era gangster Harry Pierpont. He was often suspected and arrested for being a front man for his brother's bank robberies.

Mary Northern Kinder was a Prohibition era gun moll, most noted for being the girlfriend of Harry Pierpont and associate of John Dillinger. Along with Pearl Elliott, she was one of two women listed by the Chicago Police Department's Public Enemies list in 1933.

George Earl "The Kid" Northern (1903–1936) was a Prohibition-era bank robber and early associate of Harry Pierpont. He was the older brother of Pierpont's girlfriend, Mary Kinder.

Thaddeus R. 'Ted' Skeer was an Prohibition-era bank robber, best known as an early associate of Harry Pierpont.

Pearl Elliott was a notorious madam of Kokomo, Indiana, United States. She was best known as an early associate of the Prohibition era gangster Harry Pierpont and later of the bank robber John Dillinger. Along with the gun moll Mary Kinder, she was one of two women listed on the Chicago Police Department's Public Enemies list in 1933.

Lena Pierpont was the mother of Prohibition gangster Harry Pierpont. Her fierce loyalty to her son and his compatriots led to her arrest on numerous occasions by police in an attempt to ascertain her son's whereabouts.

Sylvia Clevenger was an American prostitute who worked with madam Pearl Elliott and was a minor associate of the John Dillinger gang. Her brother William was the former husband of Elliott. She was married three times, reverting to her maiden name of Hughes after her divorce from her second husband, John Clevenger, in 1930. She lived for much of her life in Kokomo, Indiana, and died in 1951 in Michigan City, Indiana.

The Lincoln National Bank robbery took place on September 17, 1930 when a group of armed men entered a bank in Lincoln, Nebraska, stole approximately $2.7 million in cash and securities, and then fled with help of a getaway driver. No one was seriously injured during the robbery. The majority of the money was never recovered.

References

  1. ↑ "1940 United States Federal Census". Ancestry. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Police Keep On Trail Of The Bandits article, Marion Leader-Tribune, Marion, Indiana, November 27, 1924, p. 1.
  3. 1 2 3 4 No New Clue Of Value On The Robbery article, Marion Leader-Tribune, Marion, Indiana, November 28, 1924, p. 1
  4. 1 2 3 Attempt Made To Rob Noblesville Bank Frustrated article, Marion Leader-Tribune, Marion, Indiana, December 17, 1924, p. 1
  5. ↑ Bandits Fail In Attempt To Rob Noblesville Bank article, Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis, Indiana, December 17, 1924, p. 1
  6. 1 2 3 4 Auto Used By Bank Bandits Is Found article, Marion Leader-Tribune, Marion, Indiana, December 28, 1924, p. 1
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Upland State Bank Robbed of $2500 article, Marion Leader-Tribune, Marion, Indiana, December 24, 1924, p. 1
  8. ↑ Identify Three Men As Kokomo Bank Bandits article, Kokomo Daily Tribune, Kokomo, Indiana, April 3, 1925, p.1
  9. 1 2 Rob Galveston Bank $3000 article, Logansport Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, Indiana, June 6, 1925, p. 1
  10. ↑ Jury Balks At Locking Bandit Away For Life article, Kokomo Daily Tribune, Kokomo, Indiana, June 26, 1925, p. 1.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Last Marion Bank Bandit Captured article, Marion Leader-Tribune, Marion, Indiana, June 20, 1925, p. 1.
  12. ↑ Hoosier Highlights article, Kokomo Daily Tribune, Kokomo, Indiana, June 30, 1925, p. 6.
  13. ↑ Local Police Interested In Man's Arrest article, Kokomo Daily Tribune, Kokomo, Indiana, July 3, 1925, p. 3.
  14. 1 2 Grab Clifford Roth article, Kokomo Daily Tribune, Kokomo, Indiana, July 4, 1925, p. 1.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kokomo Bank Robber Facing 21 Year Term article, Kokomo Tribune, Kokomo, Indiana, April 30, 1936, p. 1.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.