#safe crackers

“Swears Gallow Had Not Part in Robbery,” Toronto Star. April 5, 1941. Page 02. ----- Wm. Bradd Admits Crime, Absolves Torontonian Now on Trial ---- Special to The Star Peterboro, April. 5. - William Bradd today swore that Louis Gallow of Toronto did not take part in the $4,000 safe robbery for which Bradd was sentenced yesterday to five years in penitentiary. Bradd was sentenced after he and Lawrence Burns, Thomas Nicholls and Gallow had been prevented from escaping from jail after sawing the bars of their cells. Burns and Nicholls got four years for their part in the safe cracking.

Gallow, conducting his own defence after discharging Mannis Frankel, counsel for him  and the other three men, asked Bradd: ‘Was I one of the men who was with you?’

‘No,’ replied the witness. ‘We left Peterborough about 2 a.m. and arrived in Toronto again about 8.30 or 9 I rapped at the front door of 171 Mutual St. and you answered the door.’

Won’t Name Others ‘Who were the other men with you?’ asked Judge McGibbon. ‘I don’t care to give their names,’ replied Bradd.

‘Why didn’t you tell the police I was not one of the men?’ asked Gallow. Bradd said no one asked him and he ‘figured Gallow could beat the rap.’

Bradd said Gallow, the two men with him on the trip to Peterbo, and himself, sat and drank whiskey for about four hours at Gallow’s house in Toronto. About noon Bradd’s accomplices suggested going to Windsor and Gallow went with them to see his wife, who lives there.

‘I stayed in Toronto because I was sleepy from being up all night,’ he said. ‘I took off my shoes and left them under your (Gallow’s) bed and put on my slippers.’

‘Are they the same pair of shoes produced in court which the police claim are mine?’ asked Gallow. ‘Yes, I am positive they are mine’,’ answered Bradd.

“Safe Is Looted At Gas Station,” Border Cities Star. November 11, 1930. Page 03. ---- $67.60 Obtained During Night From Improperly Locked Box --- An improperly locked safe resulted in burglars obtaining $67.50 this morning from Tann’s Super-Service gas station at the corner of Howard avenue and Tecumseh Road.

The front door of the station was smashed in and the thieves had little difficulty in obtaining the money, the safe door, being practically unlocked. No clues were found on the premises, but an inquiry is being made by the Windsor police department.

“Toronto Men Found Guilty of Robbery,” The Globe and Mail. June 4, 1938. Page 04. ---- Plead Guilty in Stratford to Carrying Loaded Revolver in Auto ---- SENTENCES DEFERRED ---- Stratford, June 3 (CP). - ‘Circumstantial evidence is the strongest kind of evidence, because it tells the truth,’ said County Judge J. L. Killoran here today, in finding Lewis Beaver, 27; Leo Craig, 37, and Jack Stone, 25, of Toronto, guilty of breaking and entering Stacey Brothers Creamery at Willow Grove, four miles north of Mitchell, May 14.

A plea of guilty to carrying a loaded revolver in a vehicle, was also entered by defence counsel; while a third charge of having burglar tools in their possession, and a separate charge of assaulting a police officer, were withdrawn. Sentence was deferred until 10 o’clock Saturday morning.

The first witness called was Mrs. Mary Stacey, wife of Norman Stacey, one of the joint proprietors of the Willow Grove Creamery. Mrs. Stacey said that she was awakened shortly before 2 a.m. on the day of the attempted robbery and hearing several loud noises, which she described as ‘bangs,’ she looked through the window of an upstairs bdfroom in her home, situated diagonally across the highway from the creamery and observed a dark-colored coupe containing one man. 

Arouses Husband A third ‘bang’ and a flash caused her to waken her husband. Later, she heard some hammering as though on metal, followed by another flash and an explosion and saw a man come out of the creamery, go to the parked coupe and then return to the creamery. Later, she heard another blast and two men came out of the creamery, one carrying a satchel.

Later, when Highway Traffic Officer Jack Callander of Mitchell, arrived, she accompanied her husband and the officer across the highway to the creamery, where they found the door forced, the room reeking of smoke, the wall marked in several places, the combination and handle of the safe door smashed off and some dark-colored fluid on the floor in front of the safe.

Norman Stacey, husband of the former witness and joint owner of the creamery, testified that the office safe contained approximately $1,200 while a petty cash box contained $12.29, the latter being found empty.

Officer Meets Auto Provincial Traffic Officer Jack Callander of Mitchell, testified that when informed by phone of the attempted robbery, he immediately left for Willow Grove in his car, passing only one car on the highway, travelling in a southerly direction, opposite to the direction in which he was travelling. He found the office door forced, a strong odor of smoke much like that of gunpowder. Officer Callander also testified that he noted part of license plate of a coupe that passed him on the highway, bearing the first two characters, ‘3-W.’

Ted Wright, photographer for the Criminal Investigation Department, swore to certain pictures of inside of police patrol car taken by him, showing certain stains on the floor.

Describes Arrest Sergeant George Walker of Stratford police force told of taking the police van to the city limits, along with Constable Taylor, where they switched off their lights, after being notified of the Willow Grove crime, and lay in wait, and in about four minutes a car hove in sight, which they followed until it crashed on the Ontario Street curb, where it toppled over and the trio was arrested and lodged in police cells.

He identified a revolver, bullets, hammer, kit of chisels, and screw drivers, found in wrecked car, and also articles found on the three men when searched in police station after being arrested.

Professor Joslyn Rogers, University of Toronto, testified blotting paper used to soak up the brown fluid in front of the sale contained nitro glycerine. Particles of tape found, with absorbant attached, corresponded with a roll of tape found in the car of the accused. ‘He also detected nitro glycerine on blotters used to soak up fluid on the floor of the police van, and an eye dropper and particles of a broken bottle found in the police van also contained portions of the same explosive. The wet spot on the floor in front of the safe also bore evidence of reaction to nitrates, which was an evidence of explosives.

Defense Counsel E. J. Murphy, K.C., contended the evidence was purely circumstantial, and people were not sent to prison on those grounds.

“Two Burglars Sent to Prison,” Windsor Star. May 28, 1940. Page 10. ---- Highly Mechanized Yeggs Draw Three Years in Hamilton --- HAMILTON, May 28. - Two Quebec cracksmen, caught by a posse of Hamilton policemen in Zellers’ James street store with an amazing array of burglar tools, were sentenced by Magistrate H. A. Burbridge today to concurrent terms of three years in the penitentiary on charges of breaking and entering and having burglar tools.

The men, Frank Martin [TOP] and Marcel Barre, both of Hull, pleaded guilty to both charges after asking summary disposition of the case. His Worship imposed a sentence of three years on Barre and of three years and six months on Martin which must be served following completion of an unexpired term in Quebec from which Martin was free on ticket-of-leave. He has to serve until December 1941, before the unexpired term is completed.

‘You must describe them as professional burglars,’ the magistrate remarked.

Crown Attorney Ballard referred to the elaborate and expensive equipment carried by the men, including a unique can-opener used in opening small safes.

Detective Digby Sharpe testified for the record the two men entered the store by cutting a heavy bar on a second story window.

“We’re Lucky, Boasts Clerk,” Windsor Star. March 13, 1939. Page 03. ---- Says Damage Avoided by Yeggs’ Discovery of Combination --- LaSalle Robbery --- Professionals get Only $30 in Town Hall Burglary ---- Burglars who looted the safe at the LaSalle town hall early today did all the work of professional bank robbers and netted on;y $50. An oxyacetylene torch, believed to be one stolen from a Windsor construction company last week, was used to knife through the former bank vault and cast-steel strong box. Printed Instructions Experienced cracksmen committed the robbery, police are confident. The thieves used printed instructions discovered in the vault to complete opening the safe within. The burglars chose an ideal time for their attempt. Residents of LaSalle had been without electricity all day Sunday and went to bed by candlelight. The front door of the town hall, until two years ago the Vank of Montreal at Lasalle, was broken open. The heavy outer door of the bank vault was cut through like butter, and the blow torch was then turned n the safe. A small hole had been cut through its cast-steel door when the thieves discovered the combination instructions and open the safe without further damage.

Inside the safe was the cash box, in a compartment guarded by three combination locks so simple that the thieves apparently had no trouble solving them even without further printed instructions. The three inner locks had been made easy to open for the convenience of the office staff, for it was thought the safe was impregnable. The thieves took $50, overlooking $1. ‘We’re Lucky’ Besides the cash, a pistol and ammunition was taken from within the vault. The thieves also took along with them the printed instructions for opening the safe which had proved so helpful. They apparently left by a rear door and all blinds in the office were pulled down. ‘We’re lucky they did find the instructions, so they didn’t further damage the safe.’ Paul A. Monforton, LaSalle clerk-treasurer, commented. He explained that he had last been in the office at 4.30 o’clock Sunday afternoon, and revealed that larger sum had been in the safe the previous day. ‘If I ever see that pistol again, I’ll recognize it.’ the clerk-treasurer remarked. ‘It had a kink in it.’