Decades before the $17 million Loomis Fargo Heist in 1997, Charlotte was the scene of another infamous heist, when a group of gangsters invaded the Queen City to “raise” money for legal fees. On November 15, 1933, four men in a brand-new vehicle cut off and robbed a mail truck on 3rd Street. One of the men removed a machine gun from a violin case, holding the driver up, while the other men cut the locks, leaving the scene with more than $100,000 in Federal Reserve notes.
The crime was orchestrated by gangster Roger “The Terrible” Touhy, who was feuding with Al Capone at the time. Touhy was in desperate need of money for an upcoming kidnapping trial in Chicago.
Acting on a tip from a landlord on 10th Street, who had rented an apartment to two of the men, one of whom carried a violin case, who had left in a hurry. Detective Frank Littlejohn found the getaway car and the group’s second hideout. It was there that he saw a torn rent receipt. Using fingerprints and witness statements led to the arrests of Basil “The Owl” Banghart, Ludwig “Dutch” Schmidt, Isaac A. Costner, and Charles “Ice” Connors.
Written By John G. Clark Jr.