Both victorious Illinois State Police Troopers and captured bank felons smiled down on the attentive crowd who attended the Morrison Historical Society Annual Meeting and program by Greg Langan from Dixon, IL, on Sunday, January 20, 2013. The venue was Morrison United Methodist Church, 200 W. Lincolnway, Morrison, IL.
After a potluck meal, Board of Trustees President Harvey Zuidema began the short Annual Meeting. Trustee Mary Ellen Brackemyer awarded Certificates of Appreciation to 22 dedicated persons who served as docents at Morrison’s Heritage Museum, 202 E. Lincolnway. Retiring Trustee Jack Ottosen received a special certificate for approximately 16 years of service.
Trustee Michelle VanDyke presented a slate of Board members, who were approved: Owen McCulloh, Carole Patton, and Stephanie Vavra (returning); Bill Huber and Deb Wikoff (new.)
At 2:00 Langan began his interesting program about early members of the Illinois State Highway Maintenance Police (ISHMP) during the 1920’s and 1930’s. He focused on O. W. “Buck” Kempster of Prophetsown, IL, and Hal Roberts from Dixon. Kempster was the first Sergeant and became Chief of the District Police of Northwest Illinois; he kept badge #3 until his death. After Roberts queried Kempster about a job, George Shaw of Dixon took Roberts to Springfield, IL, to meet Governor Lennington Small and secure a position with the ISHMP. Trooper Roberts came home with badge #176. All such appointments came through the Governor.
Initiation of the Illinois State Highway Maintenance Police in 1922 was the idea of Governor Small. Wearing former WWI U. S. Army uniforms, these men patrolled the Lincoln Highway from Chicago, IL, to the Mississippi River. Five men drove WWI Harley Davidson motorcycles for a few months, but “they were junk,” stated Langan. They cited people for having no license plate; overweight trucks; speeding; robberies; bootlegging. Ironically, in a June 19, 2011, article Small was labeled by The Chicago Daily Tribune as “perhaps the dirtiest Illinois governor of all” for embezzlement.
In the top photo, Kempster and his rifle are second-from-the-left in the front row; Roberts is in the dark suit at the far right. Between them–with overcoats covering their handcuffed wrists–are four notorious bank robbers.
As a teen, Langan and his parents met Roberts, who was born in Polo, but lived in Dixon. “Six or eight years ago” he met Hal’s daughter, Diane Roberts. She presented him with “a treasure trove” of primary source material. In the box were her father’s official State Police memos from 1927 to 1933; photos of criminals he helped capture; minutes of meetings; newspaper clippings. Langan contacted the Illinois State Police for permission to use the material and give presentations.
In the early 1908 Henry Ford’s assembly line manufacturing produced the first Model T. His prices declined over the years making it possible for average income families to afford. Thus, travel became easy for Americans. In 1913, the Lincoln Highway was proposed to carry those travelers aross the United States. Illinois Governor Frank Lowden (1916 to 1920) pushed legislation for construction of “hard roads.” Then, Governor Lennington Small pushed for a $100,000,000 bond issue for paved roads, and it was approved.
The 1933 World’s Fair was held in Chicago, but before this several nervous businessmen worried that the crime syndicate and murders would deter visitors. They formed “a privately-funded, extra-legal arm of the Chicago Crime Commission (CCC), calling themselves ‘The Secret Six.'” They included Colonel Robert Isham Randolph; Julian Rosenwald, Sears & Roebuck Board Chairman; Frank Loesch, CCC President; Samuel Insull, Utilities and Traction magnate; Edward Gore, Chicago civic leader; A. Paddock, Evanston, IL, stockbroker.” This ad hoc group was announced on February 8, 1930, less than a week before the St. Valentine’s Day, Clark Street massacre ordered by ganster Al Capone.
Governor Small released Buck Kempster and Hal Roberts from their ISHMP duties to work for the Secret Six; two Chicago Police Sergeants completed the group: Roy Steffens and Charles Touzinsky. Langan told the audience these unique crime fighters were nicknamed The Four Horsemen. They solved high-profile crimes–20 kidnappings, 15 bank robberies, and several murders–with a considerable number of convictions.
Langan stated these men solved the largest bank robbery of the time, recovering all but $10,000 of $2,850,000. After being incarcerated in the Morrison jail for a short time, six suspects were driven by The Four Horsemen to Chicago for a line-up. All were indicted, and The Four Horsemen drove them to Lincoln, NE, for trial.
However, their success was short-lived, and their jobs ended abruptly in 1932. In fact, nearly all of 265 State Patrolmen lost their jobs due to political appointments–the same means that had secured them a decade before.
Two Illinois State Police Troopers have died in action. Ken Church was murdered in pursuit of suspects in a car. Bob Card also was killed. His nephews Robert W. Card and Richard Card, niece, Bonnie Bohnhoff, and great-niece Susan DeJong, attended the program.