Category Archives: Crime and vice

‘Diamond Special’ train hijacking, 1913

Posted on June 16, 2015 by editor

Two audacious robbers hijacked the Illinois Central Railroad’s “Diamond Special” train near Glenarm on June 18, 1913. The northbound train, which ran between St. Louis and Chicago, was due in Springfield from the south, bearing 150 passengers and an American … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and vice, Law enforcement, Railroads, Transportation | Leave a comment

Serial murderers

Posted on May 20, 2015 by editor

Central Illinois played brief, but important roles in the lives of two serial murderers in the last half of the 20th century: *John Wayne Gacy, executed in 1994 for murdering dozens of teenage boys and young men, was a shoe … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and vice, Law enforcement | 6 Comments

George P. Coutrakon, prosecutor

Posted on April 15, 2015 by editor

Prosecutor George P. Coutrakon (1906-99) was a strict constructionist when it came to cleaning up vice-ridden Sangamon County following World War II – even when that meant challenging the Catholic church. Nelson Howarth, who was an assistant to Coutrakon in … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and vice, Greeks, Local government, Prominent figures | Leave a comment

Nelson Howarth (Springfield mayor)

Posted on March 7, 2015 by editor

Nelson Howarth (1911-91) was the colorful, combative mayor of Springfield for three terms between 1955 and 1971. During his administrations, Springfield was named an All American city, city boundaries were greatly expanded, and the city initiated construction of a new … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Crime and vice, Law enforcement, Lincoln Home, Local government, Politics, Prominent figures, Springfield | 6 Comments

Buffalo’s bicycle-riding bank bandit

Posted on February 25, 2015 by editor

The sensational robbery of the Bank of Buffalo on May 14, 1896, became even more sensational when authorities learned the supposed stickup was an inside job perpetrated by two sons of one of Springfield’s most prominent German residents. The original … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and vice, Law enforcement, Prominent figures | 2 Comments

Vito Impastato (restaurateur, organized crime suspect)

Posted on December 14, 2014 by editor

Vito Impastato, though often suspected of crimes including kidnapping, bank robbery and murder, built an enduring career as a restaurant operator in Springfield. His restaurants began in the 1930s with the Club Holiday, MacArthur Boulevard and North Grand Avenue. Later, … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, Crime and vice, Law enforcement, Prominent figures, Restaurants, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Frank Zito and the Zito brothers (organized crime)

Posted on December 14, 2014 by editor

Frank Zito, usually characterized as “Springfield’s godfather,” remains a fabled figure in the history of Springfield organized crime decades after his death. He attended the notorious Apalachin, N.Y., conference of Mafia chieftains, seriocomically invoked the Fifth Amendment before a Congressional … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and vice, Law enforcement, Prominent figures | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 67 Comments

Police news, 1883

Posted on November 8, 2014 by editor

The following cases were all reported on Page 4 of the Oct. 7, 1883 Illinois State Journal. They give a sense of how both law enforcement and newspapers dealt with crime and court cases 130 years ago. NIGHT PROWLERS. A … Continue reading →

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Sharon Tyndale murder mystery, 1871

Posted on October 27, 2014 by editor

Sharon Tyndale, Illinois secretary of state from 1865 to 1869, was shot to death the morning of April 29, 1871, in what became Springfield’s most enduring murder mystery of the 19th century. Tyndale was walking on Adams Street to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and vice, Illinois capital, Law enforcement, Lincoln Tomb, Prominent figures | Leave a comment

‘Riverton riot’ of 1906

Posted on October 25, 2014 by editor

In the early years of the 20th century, local newspapers reported Lithuanian ethnicity in crimes of violence, much as media later in the century reported race. However, it’s easy to see why a “Lithuanian” brawl could have seemed relevant to … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and vice, Ethnic groups, Law enforcement, Lithuanians, Local government | Tagged | Leave a comment