Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 166, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 July 1919 — FARMERS BATTLE AUTO THIEVES [ARTICLE]

FARMERS BATTLE AUTO THIEVES

ONE BANDIT CAPTURED IN NEWTON COUNTY GUN BATTLE. Kentland, July 15.—Automobile thieves created great excitement in Newton county this afternoon when they staged a running gun battle; with the authorities and /Wounded C. W. Owensby, deputy sheriff of Lake Village, who, with the aid of farmers, captured one of the desperadoes- and succeeded in trailing a second to a dense section of the Kankakee marshes in the northern part of the county. At a late hour tonight a large posse with two bloodhounds were ready to start into the marshes in pursuit of the lone (bandit, who is at bay with two Goltz automatics and a plentiful supply of ammunition. The captured robber gave the name of John Luptha, 352 Cedar street, Indiana Harbor, and says he is but sixteen years old. .., . by Farmers.— Three men in a Buick six roadster were first observed at about 2 :30 o’clock this afternoon in the northern part of Newton county, and were thought by farmers to be acting in a very mysterious manner. Three farmers, Earl Catner, G. E. Lowe and Joe Lunghi, attempted to interrogate the men, who were stopped along the road. One of them immediately started to run and got away. After a short fight the other 'two were overpowered and loaded into an automobile to be taken to Kentland. They had no more than started when the larger of the bandits pulled two automatic revolvers and after threatening his unarmed captors leaped out of the car and got away, running through the fields north. With their single captive, who gave the name of John Luptha, of Indiana Harbor, the three men raced to Lake Village for the purpose of procuring aid. Deputy Sheriff Shot. With the Lake Village deputy sheriff, C. W. Owensby, the pursuit was taken up for the two men who had escaped. The second bandit, who had leaped from the automobile, was soon sighted and a running gun battle ensued. The desperado fired repeatedly at his pursuers and one of the bullets struck the deputy sheriff, causing him to drop. The man escaped and is believed to be hiding in the Kankakee swamp region. Owensby was rushed to a hospital where medical attention was given him. It was learned that the stolen automobile 'belonged to A. M. Burkett, of Indiana Harbor, and it is thought that the thieves belong to a well organized band of automobile bandits operating from the northern part of the state. The robber captured is a mere boy 16 years of age and it is thought that his companions are between the ages of 19 . and 24.

The Buick car which the bandits had stolen was found by Earl Gonderman, of this city, where»it had been abandoned along the roadside near Lake Village. Mr. Gonderman was returning from Kankakee, and found ’the car in good condition. He then notified the authorities at Lake Village of his find. R. W. Knickerbocker, also of this city, passed through Lake Village following the gun battle. Attracted by the call of a woman, he stopped, and soon found himself surrounded by farmers bearing shotguns. The latter, soon satisfied that he had not been connected with the bandits, asked that he aid in the search for the desperadoes. However, their efforts proved fruitless.