Robbery in front of Denver Mint 1922 0

[RWB]

This is the only presscopy (fuzzy) and transcription of Denver Mint Superintendent Grant's notice to the Director of the robbery that took place in front of the mint. I'm not sure if it has been published before. (The transcription was made by SW I am working on. It took 5 seconds to complete (the transcription not the SW.)

Denver, Colorado, December 18, 1922

 The Director of the Mint

Washington

D C

 At ten thirty this morning Federal Reserve Bank Denver automobile called at Mint to get two packages Federal Reserve notes fives amounting in all to two hundred thousand dollars.

 Just as they got the money in the automobile in front of the Mint a machine drove up and ordered the guards to throw up their hands.

 One of the Federal Reserve guards was shot probably fatally and in the melee the robbers got away with the money.

 The Mint guards and clerks fired about thirty shots at the bandits automobile as they left and we think one man was wounded.

 The Federal Reserve guards and bandits were in such position it was hard for our men to shoot from the windows on account of not being able to distinguish one man from the other.

 The number of the car was gotten and the police department were on the trail inside of two minutes.

 No results so far.

 The front door of the Mint was all shot full of holes by the bandits trying to keep our men in the building.

 Will advise if bandits are captured.

Grant,

Superintendent

________________________________________

GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL BUSINESS

CHIEF U S MINT

Edited March 23 by RWB

[Henri Charriere]

Not sure what to make of this mess. What I would like to know is who had jurisdiction?  In 1922, neither the FBI nor its predecessor, the Bureau of Investigation, existed. Hoover joined the DOJ in 1924 and I believe the FBI was established in 1930, or thereabouts. Now, the Mint itself was not robbed. But seeing as how money was not insured until FDR signed the Banking Act of 1933, which authorized the FDIC, it would appear this was a matter for local law enforcement to solve. The money taken was never recovered; although the principals were identified, none were taken into custody. The use, by the Director, of the term "machine" to refer to the getaway Buick touring car, is quaint. The haul was distinctive: 40,000 five-dollar bills. Afterthought:  I do not believe even assassinations of Federal officials, like the president, were Federally prosecuted until legislation was passed in 1964. If I am mistaken, feel free, anyone, to take me to task. Great job, Roger!

[RWB]

The City and County of Denver. Police Safety Manager Frank Downer posted a $10,000 reward....dead or alive, or anywhere in between.

[cobymordet]

Found this article:

 

THE GREAT DENVER MINT ROBBERY OF 1922

The Rocky Mountain News published an article January 4th on the "Great Mint Robbery" of 1922 -Editor

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3340/3185531580_6feb07348c_m.jpg Six days before Christmas 1922, the Rocky's page 1 lead story had all the elements of a best-seller - the robbery of $200,000 from the U.S. Mint, a shootout and getaway in downtown Denver, and the alluring notion that the "queen" of a bandit gang might somehow be involved.
 

While federal and county officers watched all roads throughout Colorado and neighboring states and officers of the law were sharpening their wits in effort to checkmate the fugitives, the four bandits who robbed a United States mint at 10:30 o'clock yesterday morning and killed Charles T. Linton, a guard, were still at liberty late last night, and the searchers frankly admitted that they were without clews.

That 63-word first paragraph was only the beginning of breathless coverage that would continue for days. The paper printed eight stories the first day after the robbery.

Four masked "desperadoes" in a black touring car, with curtains drawn, pulled in front of the West Colfax Avenue entrance to the mint alongside a Federal Reserve bank truck.

" 'I heard a shot, then several. Then the general alarm going in the mint,' superintendent Robert Grant told reporters after. 'Every man picked up a rifle and rushed to the door.' "

But Linton was shot, dying, and the robbers had grabbed 50 packages of $5 bills that the guards had been transferring into the truck.

Eighteen days later, the shot-up getaway car was found in a Denver garage. Sitting inside was the frozen body of one robber injured in the shootout. Part of the money, $80,000, eventually was recovered in Minnesota. Then, in 1934, Denver police announced that five men and two women had been linked to the robbery, but no names were released. Police said all of the suspects were either dead or in prison for other crimes.

No one was ever charged for the heist.

To read the complete article, see: December 19, 1922: The great mint robbery (http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/jan/04/
the-rocky-150-years-the-great-mint-robbery/)

Wayne Homren, Editor

[RWB]

[Jason Abshier]

On 3/24/2024 at 9:49 PM, cobymordet said:

'Every man picked up a rifle and rushed to the door.' "

They used to go to work with guns !💪 legend !!!

[GoldFinger1969]

Should have showed up 5 years later...stolen some 1927-D's...and buried them for 97 years in what would have been my backyard. 

[zadok]

On 3/26/2024 at 7:21 AM, Jason Abshier said:

They used to go to work with guns !💪 legend !!!

...some of us still do....

[VKurtB]

On 3/26/2024 at 10:42 AM, zadok said:

...some of us still do....

Yes, this is true. In my state, I may concealed carry even WITHOUT a permit, but the 67 county sheriffs still issue them for out of state reciprocal purposes. It helps when I go back to Pennsylvania or in Indiana, for example. 

[RWB]

On 3/26/2024 at 7:21 AM, Jason Abshier said:

They used to go to work with guns !💪 legend !!!

False legend. Guns were carried out of necessity, and only then almost entirely by rural and farm workers.

Each mint had a small armory containing several rifles, shotguns and pistols plus ammunition. This was locked and required 2 keys to open. Only guards/watchmen were authorized to have weapons or to access the armory. The guns were procured from the Army who retained ownership. They were uniformly old, used and outdated. At the time of the robbery is was common practice to put men who were too old, disabled or feeble to do mint work, on guard duty.

One of my CoinWeek columns will deal with the robbery.

[Jason Abshier]

On 3/26/2024 at 12:08 PM, VKurtB said:

Yes, this is true. In my state, I may concealed carry even WITHOUT a permit, but the 67 county sheriffs still issue them for out of state reciprocal purposes. It helps when I go back to Pennsylvania or in Indiana, for example. 

Every state should be constitutional carry ! Do away with the permits !!! In state of PA I had go sheriffs office to have back ground check for license to carry …. I often wonder what do they do with that money afterwards ? Shove it in their pockets ? What’s that money go towards ? Democratic Party slush fundings ? 

[VKurtB]

On 3/26/2024 at 11:21 AM, RWB said:

False legend. Guns were carried out of necessity, and only then almost entirely by rural and farm workers.

Each mint had a small armory containing several rifles, shotguns and pistols plus ammunition. This was locked and required 2 keys to open. Only guards/watchmen were authorized to have weapons or to access the armory. The guns were procured from the Army who retained ownership. They were uniformly old, used and outdated. At the time of the robbery is was common practice to put men who were too old, disabled or feeble to do mint work, on guard duty.

One of my CoinWeek columns will deal with the robbery.

Seems like overkill in order to protect modern coins. Ooh, but wait! There was that truckload of dimes a few years back.

[VKurtB]

On 3/26/2024 at 11:22 AM, Jason Abshier said:

Every state should be constitutional carry ! Do away with the permits !!! In state of PA I had go sheriffs office to have back ground check for license to carry …. I often wonder what do they do with that money afterwards ? Shove it in their pockets ? What’s that money go towards ? Democratic Party slush fundings ? 

If you are in an eastern PA county, other than Berks, I understand your misgivings.

In Alabama, the loss of revenue from gun permits has caused many other fees to be PILED ON, due to revenue losses for sheriffs, For example, my car license tags now have so many fees on them that my latest renewal was almost $300. One year. That’s over half as much as my home’s property taxes. But this is Alabama, where having ONLY ONE DUI in the last three years puts you in the prime insurance pool. Contrast that with Germany, where ANY alcohol in your bloodstream while driving  results in a lifetime driving ban, no questions asked. Drinking while driving is almost a REQUIREMENT during college football season in Alabama, while going home from a Bayern Leverkusen match in accomplished with trains. 

Edited March 26 by VKurtB

[Jason Abshier]

@VKurtB have you ever carried concealed to coin show ? I’ve been to gun show once was carrying they had me take it out police officer unloaded it out of chamber , and handed me back my magazine and live round he put draw tie in chamber to keep it open said I could still carry just not loaded until after I leave building …. I heard once a dealer lady at coin show bought her concealed weapon which I don’t blame her she had go out on parking lot to get coins into the building to table …. They told her leave the gun in her car ! She wasn’t too happy about it …. That’s what I heard I wasn’t there to see it go down I seen police there at front doors all time 

[VKurtB]

On 3/26/2024 at 11:38 AM, Jason Abshier said:

@VKurtB have you ever carried concealed to coin show ? I’ve been to gun show once was carrying they had me take it out police officer unloaded it out of chamber , and handed me back my magazine and live round he put draw tie in chamber to keep it open said I could still carry just not loaded until after I leave building …. I heard once a dealer lady at coin show bought her concealed weapon which I don’t blame her she had go out on parking lot to get coins into the building to table …. They told her leave the gun in her car ! She wasn’t too happy about it …. That’s what I heard I wasn’t there to see it go down I seen police there at front doors all time 

I have not, but I have OBSERVED ANA Chief Judge Joe Boling carrying concealed in Pittsburgh, Phoenix, and Colorado Springs. He admits “feeling naked” in Chicagoland, Rosemont actually, due to the prohibitions there. He’s an Indiana dude. 

Edited March 26 by VKurtB

[Jason Abshier]

On 3/26/2024 at 12:41 PM, VKurtB said:

I have not, but I have OBSERVED ANA Chief Judge Joe Boling carrying concealed in Pittsburgh, Phoenix, and Colorado Springs. He admits “feeling naked” in Chicagoland, Rosemont actually, due to the prohibitions there. He’s an Indiana dude. 

Nuffing wrong with that ! I’d rather be surrounded by bunch law abiding concealed carry gun owners,  than to be in a show with only couple of security or cops walking around … shows are not Federal buildings 🤷‍♂️ which you should have right exercise your conceal carry rights … at the gun show while everyone handguns were being unloaded as per the police officer at the door , if you were to go into the bathroom look at garbage can full of cut off zip ties 😂 guys/gals just loaded them right back up and continued on at the gunshow 

[VKurtB]

I guess you noticed that the most brazen theft at a coin show ever happened in Illinois, during the pre-show “dealer day”. 

Edited March 26 by VKurtB

[VKurtB]

On 3/26/2024 at 11:49 AM, Jason Abshier said:

Nuffing wrong with that ! I’d rather be surrounded by bunch law abiding concealed carry gun owners,  than to be in a show with only couple of security or cops walking around … shows are not Federal buildings 🤷‍♂️ which you should have right exercise your conceal carry rights … at the gun show while everyone handguns were being unloaded as per the police officer at the door , if you were to go into the bathroom look at garbage can full of cut off zip ties 😂 guys/gals just loaded them right back up and continued on at the gunshow 

I was once at a Friends of the NRA dinner in Wyomissing, just west of Reading, attended by about 700 people, and just casually counting, I counted 50 or so doing open carry. 

[Jason Abshier]

On 3/26/2024 at 12:55 PM, VKurtB said:

, I counted 50 or so doing open carry

Open carry around here is allowed in state of PA but however it draws attention cops respond to calls they show up asking questions and stuff … why ? I have no idea why ! The cops should tell Karen over the phone that is within someone’s right to open carry …. Only problem where Open carry gets shady is getting in your car with a loaded handgun unless you have license to carry you’re fine … just too many Karens out there with 911 on speed dial 

[GoldFinger1969]

On 3/26/2024 at 12:51 PM, VKurtB said:

I guess you noticed that the most brazen theft at a coin show ever happened in Illinois, during the pre-show “dealer day”. 

Link ??  Story ??

[GoldFinger1969]

On 3/26/2024 at 1:00 PM, Jason Abshier said:

Open carry around here is allowed in state of PA but however it draws attention cops respond to calls they show up asking questions and stuff … why ? I have no idea why ! The cops should tell Karen over the phone that is within someone’s right to open carry …. Only problem where Open carry gets shady is getting in your car with a loaded handgun unless you have license to carry you’re fine … just too many Karens out there with 911 on speed dial 

NYPD cop got killed last night on traffic stop...perp had 21 priors.

Yeah, crime is down.

[VKurtB]

On 3/26/2024 at 12:45 PM, GoldFinger1969 said:

Link ??  Story ??

The big Dealer Day theft at Rosemont ANA in, I believe, 2022 or was it 2021? It led to incredibly expensive security updates at all major shows. And it may very well eventually spell the END of free admission shows. SOMEBODY needs to pay for all this security. 

[VKurtB]

On 3/26/2024 at 12:45 PM, GoldFinger1969 said:

NYPD cop got killed last night on traffic stop...perp had 21 priors.

Yeah, crime is down.

Was he a citizen? It’s New York, so he’s probably a registered voter, but I ask again, is he a citizen? Yes, I was a county Election Director for four years. I can’t TELL YOU how many non-citizens tried to register to vote because “they were allowed to” when they lived in Brooklyn or Philadelphia. 

[Henri Charriere]

To the OP: Begging your indulgence to allow me to proceed with posting the following intra-thread comment...

[ @VKurtB:  U.S. citizenship is generally not noted by the media in reporting crime. However, today, if the offender were a migrant, that likely would have been reported.

Voter registration is not typically a concern of recidivist criminals.  I know enough about elections to know while there may no longer be a poll tax or literacy requirement, there is a residency requirement and, as such, one must cast a ballot at his local polling place where the registration books are kept. Where one used to live, and whether they were allowed to vote there, is irrelevant. (Do you remember that Archie Bunker episode where he was denied the vote because he had not voted recently?)  When you move, where your current residence is, dictates whether you can vote in county, state or Federal elections. Too, whether you are registered in a party determines whether you can cast a ballot in a primary.  When I go vote, if my name is not in the book at the table maintained by election officials at my assigned polling place for the 55th Election-  and 68th Assembly-Districts in New York County, I cannot vote.]

[GoldFinger1969]

On 3/26/2024 at 12:21 PM, RWB said:

One of my CoinWeek columns will deal with the robbery.

Well, don't finger me, I wasn't even born yet !!  

[GoldFinger1969]

On 3/26/2024 at 10:16 PM, VKurtB said:

SOMEBODY needs to pay for all this security. 

Security for a show like that should probably cost about $5,000 a day.  Spread over 200-400 dealers, it's not exorbitant.

[VKurtB]

On 3/28/2024 at 3:50 PM, Henri Charriere said:

Voter registration is not typically a concern of recidivist criminals.  I know enough about elections to know while there may no longer be a poll tax or literacy requirement, there is a residency requirement and, as such, one must cast a ballot at his local polling place where the registration books are kept.

That’s the way it used to be, no more. Activists get even reluctant people registered, have them apply for a mail-in ballot, stand over them while they vote it as the activist requires, and then the activist brings the ballot to a drop box. If the voter does NOT vote as requested, the ballot disappears. Welcome to elections in the 2020’s, blue state style. 

[RWB]

On 3/28/2024 at 4:50 PM, Henri Charriere said:

When you move, where your current residence is, dictates whether you can vote in county, state or Federal elections.

The Federal election rule is "vote where your legal residence is on election day." Many states allow those whose address has not been updated in the polling books to cast a "provisional ballot" which will be individually checked once the election day polls are closed, but before the final tally is certified. This cross checking always reveals 1 or 2 people who voted in the wrong place, and they have to appear in person at the Registrar's Office to verify by affidavit which is correct. Many states also permit same-day registration and voting with proper ID. In Virginia, where I am an Officer of Elections, everything is handled by closed systems - except paper ballots are used and counted by a scanner. There is no political party registration so voters in a dual party primary have to request a specific party ballot. Every electronic and paper system is verified by 2 or more officers before the polls open and this is repeated once they close. Nobody can leave until all numbers match, and no one has the ability to alter any electronic number. Once everything is completed, electronic and paper copies of the data are certified at each precinct, sealed with signed labels, and taken directly to the Clerk of the Circuit Court and held under seal.

The states have somewhat different rules, so what applies in Virginia might not be the same in Idaho.

Now, let's return to coins, medals, and other stuff.

[RWB]

An article will soon be in my bi-weekly Coin Week column.

[VKurtB]

On 3/29/2024 at 10:57 AM, RWB said:

The Federal election rule is "vote where your legal residence is on election day." Many states allow those whose address has not been updated in the polling books to cast a "provisional ballot" which will be individually checked once the election day polls are closed, but before the final tally is certified. This cross checking always reveals 1 or 2 people who voted in the wrong place, and they have to appear in person at the Registrar's Office to verify by affidavit which is correct. Many states also permit same-day registration and voting with proper ID. In Virginia, where I am an Officer of Elections, everything is handled by closed systems - except paper ballots are used and counted by a scanner. There is no political party registration so voters in a dual party primary have to request a specific party ballot. Every electronic and paper system is verified by 2 or more officers before the polls open and this is repeated once they close. Nobody can leave until all numbers match, and no one has the ability to alter any electronic number. Once everything is completed, electronic and paper copies of the data are certified at each precinct, sealed with signed labels, and taken directly to the Clerk of the Circuit Court and held under seal.

The states have somewhat different rules, so what applies in Virginia might not be the same in Idaho.

Now, let's return to coins, medals, and other stuff.

That’s polling place voting, which one major political party is attempting to abolish altogether. It is ALSO the same political party that REFUSES TO ALLOW precinct poll officials of the OTHER party to serve in Philadelphia, and has for many cycles DESPITE signed court orders. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is THE ULTIMATE LOCUS of election fraud. Look up, for just one example, “Marks v. Stinson”. No returns that EVER come from Philadelphia can be trusted, NONE! Thank you, Roger, for your precinct service. I did that also for a long time before I became the COUNTY DIRECTOR in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia is a complete cesspool of electoral fraud. 

Edited March 29 by VKurtB