Jump to content

Interesting Photo to Share


Recommended Posts

Interesting stuff and the Connecticut plates throw me. Yes, the suppressed Colt is very odd. The Lebman colt mini, is in the Swearengen book I believe, also on the cover of the SAR article by Ramos. odd grouping- lot of suppressors. ?

 

Any ideas on what it's about, Bart ? ( I assume coming from you a Kelly tie-in ? )

 

thanks for posting never seen this one.

 

 

OCM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

post-259549-0-71104000-1470089061_thumb.jpeg

 

Actually, this one has no ties to Kelly. I bought this one primarily due to the unique guns, especially the 1911 which I've never seen before. I was wondering if it was connected to San Antonio.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pretty interesting find. The Lebman conversion throws me , with the story. Think I'll toss this one to the master, Bill Helmer. ( or you should )

A Lebman Colt mini, showing up in New York, in 1934 ?

Maybe Hans has found this ?? Need/like to find out.

 

Good find- Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree. Would really like to know. Was Lebman into silencers too? I'll have to do some research on the Prudential Savings Bank.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Talked to Bill this morning about the photo, got a Huuhhh ? Also have an email to friend & author Ellen Poulsen in Brooklyn ( Don't Call Us Molls, Lucky Luciano, etc ) about this gang, see what we can turn up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's what I found out so far: it's the arsenal of a large (10+) gang led by Herbert Miller. Most lived in New York. They pulled at least four big bank scores in 1934 (May to November) until they were caught on 23-NOV-1934. Four of them were down in Miami at the time, where they were nabbed simultaneously. The gang is not mentioned in Helmer/Mattix's PUBLIC ENEMY ALMANAC. Apparently they managed to stay out of the headlines for a long time.

 

This is not the first Lebman conversion I've seen out of NYC. Another big gang, taken down in 1935, had a Lebman Carbine with all the fittings. The connection, most likely, was Eddie Bentz, who stayed in NYC for longer periods at several points throughout the 1930s. Bentz knew of Lebman, having sent Gillis (Nelson) down to Lebman in 1933.

 

Cheers

 

HANS

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We're working the same angle- Helmer found the article and had Xeroxed it to the late Rick Mattix.

The Nelson/Bentz/Lebman connection.

Maybe as far as it goes, we'll see.

 

Thanks again to Bart !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OCM

Well I initially told you that this photo had no KELLY connection. But Edward Bentz, at one time, was a close associate of Kelly and Bates. Even helping Kelly with his biggest bank job at Colfax. I did not realize that Bentz and Lebman were closely connected (thanks Hans).

I wonder what happened to all of Rick's research after his death. I believe Ellen and Rick were fairly close, perhaps she knows. What a great researcher Rick was.

Anyway, thanks to everyone for the research on this photo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bart-

Do a Google research on Eddie Bentz, opens up all of this- Alcatraz etc. Everything. What a thug.

Rick's wife Linda, who both were out here when Rick & I did a Lloyd Barker grave hunt, had his files after his death. She didn't know what to do with them . About the same situation as Helmer & I are in, but I have way less then Rick did. ( way less ) . I don't know what she did, but massive files.

She had called me about this. I had no idea what to do. Donate to the library as the Barrows did or what maybe will happen to the Dillinger files ( another story) .

Eddie Bentz and Marie Barrow, separately, have an extremely interesting story to tell.

 

Here is a fun picture of Rick I took with the Dillinger Essex and a couple of Thompsons..........

 

OCM

Rick Mattix with Essex.jpg

Edited by OCM
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Man, what a sweet car!

Thanks,

Darryl

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We did have fun- We drove to Broomfield , Colorado and found Lloyd Barker's unmarked grave. The cemetery staff had no idea he was buried there, Rick did ! We got lucky, they had the old cemetery register book, with his name and plot number, even went out with us to find it.

 

Got a picture I took of Rick with a Thompson and the money bag the gang used at the 1933 Racine robbery, found in the trunk of Pierpont's 1934 Buick in Tucson. Still had Racine wrapped money in it- Busted . Had this type stuff in my collection that Rick & I played with all day. Great fun, good guy.

 

I think last time I was to hook up with Rick was in Dexter, Iowa on a Bonnie & Clyde research project we were doing, but a tornado hit his house over in Bussey, Iowa and he couldn't make it, still fun project, but would of been excellent with him & Linda. One of those things-

 

OCM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

HaaaaaaHaaaaaaaaaa, no, just a hobby that got out of control chasing dead outlaws. Biggest reward was all the cool friends I've met thru the years.

 

As Darryl says, let the cat out of the bag, I'm Bill Helmer incognito.

 

I enjoy sharing this stuff with people, that takes an interest in it, all dozen of us.

 

Back to the subject, where did the Lebman gun in Bart's photo come from. Still an open book.

 

" stay thirsty my friends, lay down on the floor and stay calm "

 

OCM

illinois.jpg

Edited by OCM
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Man, Sandy...you've had a full and interesting life so far, my friend. :)

 

Rob

Maybe Sandy is "the most interesting man in the world" in a witness protection program

 

Ron

 

Lol...I wouldn't be surprised. :)

 

Rob

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...