Black Sheep Sunday: Youth Who Robbed The Cook Store Is Captured

"Youth Who Robbed The Cook Store Is Captured  article, Greencastle Herald, Greencastle, Indiana, January 9, 1922, page 1.

YOUTH WHO ROBBED THE COOK STORE IS CAPTURED

Indianapolis Thief Shoots Man, Who Catches Him In Attempt To Steal Automobile - Revolvers Stolen Here Thursday Night Are Recovered

The thief who robbed John Cook & Son's Hardware store of eleven revolvers and automatic pistols Thursday night, was captured at Indianapolis, near 8:00 o'clock Saturday night when he shot Edward Devine a contractor on the Circle, who caught the thief in the act of stealing his car.  The man gave his name as Harry L. Pierpont, age 19 of Indianapolis.

Pierpont confessed to the Indianapolis police that on Thursday he stole a car from New Jersey and Michigan streets in Indianapolis, and drove to Greencastle.  After robbing the Cook & Sons Hardware store of the revolvers, he drove to Terre Haute and then returned to Indianapolis, Friday night.  Back in Indianapolis he abandoned the automobile.  He has been dismissed from an insane asylum but shows no signs of insanity now.

Mr. Devine saw Pierpont attempting to start his car when he came out of his office on the Circle Saturday night with his wife.  He jumped in the car and caught Pierpont's arm which held a revolver and was pointed at Devine's waist and deflected the shot which struck him in the flesh of the left leg.  His wife attacked the bandit and helped hold him until the police arrived.  When caught Pierpont had four revolvers on him and a check for a parcel in the Terminal station check rooms which accounted for three more.  Although eleven revolvers are missing from Cook's store Pierpont said he only took nine.

He is held for shooting with intent to kill and vehicle taking by Indianapolis police.  He will also have a charge against him for burglary.

The revolvers are valued at more than $200 by John Cook, Jr., who investigated the robbery.  Insurance covers the loss, which will be about $80 for the four that are missing.

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Cousin Harry Pierpont (1902-1934), later famous as the trigger man for the Dillinger gang, started his criminal career shortly after being struck on the head and suffering an injury.  This is the earliest mention I've found of his criminal career. I found this through the Depauw University archives.

Black Sheep Sunday – create a post with the main focus being an ancestor with a “shaded past.” Bring out your ne’er-do-wells, your cads, your black widows, your horse thieves and tell their stories. And don’t forget to check out the International Black Sheep Society of Genealogists (IBSSG). This is an ongoing series at GeneaBloggers.