Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 261, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 November 1920 — CHICAGO HOLDUP MEN GET $50,000 [ARTICLE]

CHICAGO HOLDUP MEN GET $50,000

Auto Bandits in a Bold Daylight Raid on Bank Mes* ' sengers. two men Shot during fight

Big Battle in Street on the South Side for Possession of Money Satchel • —Robbers Escape In Fusil* X* lade of Shots. ' Chicago, Nqv. 1. —A spectacular and daring robbery in which a bank messenger and policeman were shot netted three young bandits $50,000 in currency. The robbet-y occiired under the Ashland avenue viaduct of the C. B. &Q.railroad tracks between Fifteenth and Sixteenth streets, shortly after 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Jacob Yanovitz, the bank messenger, was wounded in the chest and right arm. He is thirty-five years old and lives at 1048 North Oakley avenue Patrolman John Leonard of Brighton Park station, who was accompanying -Yanovitz as a guard, escaped serious injury when a bullet struck a nail file in his pocket and was deflected. The bandits, described as young, well dressed and about thirty years old, escaped. Money in Small Trunk. The money, in denomination of $5, $lO and S2O, was being transported from the Continental and Commercial National bank to the Southwest Trust and Savings bank, 3500 Archer avenue. It was in a small black trunk. Yanovitz, according to Andrew Wolski, cashier of the Southwest bank, Is sent twice a week to the loop bank for funds. Today he obtained approxi. mately $50,000. As usual, he was'accompanied by Patrolman John Leonard, 3642 South Wells street The messenger and policeman were riding 'south in Ashland avenue in a Buick car belonging to the bank, Yanovitz at the wheel and Leonard in the tonneau guarding the money, when the robbery took place. The bandits approached from the opposite direction In a Cadillac touring car. When 20 feet from the bank machine the bandit car suddenly swerved across the street and blocked the passage of Yanovitz’s automobile. ‘ — Bandits Shoot Messenger. Suddenly one of the men in Cadillac car pointed a pistol at Yanovitz and ordered him to “throw up his hands.” A pistol also appeared in the hand of one of the other bandits. Patrolman Leonard attempted to draw his pistol, and the bandits opened Are. Yanovitz slumped down in his seat Another bullet went through the policeman’s coat, but his life was probably saved by a nail file which was in his coat pocket over his heart, which deflected the cartridge. Two of the bandits then leaped into the bank car, seized the trunk of currency, handed it .into their own car, took Leonard’s and the messenger’s pistols and jumped to the Cadillac machine as it got under way. Rifle Squad Is Out" • A few minutes after the robbery squads of police from Brighton Pajk station and the ’rifle squad from the detective bureau were combing the district for a trace of the bandits. A report from Twenty-third and Robey streets stated that a Cadillac automobile containing three young men was seen speeding west sit that point a few minutes after the robbery.