The Ypsilanti Daily Press

Driver Stripped of Clothes Near Ypsilanti

The trail of two Benton Harbor factory employees, who, according to their own confession, held up and kidnapped two Benton Harbor people, attempted robbery in Ypsilanti, and committed several other crimes in 12 wild hours, ended when Officer Thomas Goodrich, Milan, captured them in that village about 2 o'clock this morning.

The prisoners are George Rose, 29, the Bronx, and Edmund Reaves, 19, Benton Harbor.

After questioning at county jail today they admitted having robbed Mr. and Mrs. Earl Dannifiel of $175, and of having forced them to ride from Benton Harbor to Colonna at the point of their own gun Saturday afternoon.

The Dannifiels operate a gas station in the heart of Benton Harbor adjacent to a factory in which Rose and Reaves were employed, and the bandits knew where Mr. Dannifiel kept his revolver.

About 2 p.m. Sunday they stole the gun, held up the Dannifiels, and forced them, after robbing the cash register, to get into a grocery truck standing nearby.

They then drove the 15 miles to Colonna where they ordered the Dannifiels out, and drove the truck about two miles further where they abandoned it, they told officers.

Here they paid a boy $5 to drive them to Paw Paw, and there gave a fruit truck driver another $5 to take them to Detroit, passing through Ypsilanti.

Stop Here

In Detroit they bought a taxi driver drinks until he was inebriated, and stole his cab, driving it to Plymouth where they abandoned it and held up Richard Stevenson, 23, 5650 Wayne Rd., forcing him to drive them to Ypsilanti.

They arrived at a gas station operated by William L. McClure at 420 W. Michigan Ave. about 11:30 p.m.

Troopers Jess Ralph and Jack Ebli of the local post later found the abandoned cab.

Here they said to fill the tank, which held only 50 cents worth of gas, a fact which made Mr. McClure suspicious and led him to take down the license number and notify state police.

Troopers William F. Filter and Wallace R. Teddy of the Ypsilanti post phoned Officer Goodrich of Milan of the incident, a fact which led to the ultimate capture of the bandits.

Take Clothes

They drove west of Ypsilanti after leaving the station and ordered Mr. Stevenson to get out of the car and strip.

Reaves then put on their victim's clothes and they left him there.

Mr. Stevenson later borrowed a woman's skirt from a farmhouse, and was found by state police walking toward Ypsilanti on W. Michigan Rd. about 2:30 a.m.

Reaves and Rose returned to Ypsilanti where they entered Mott's lunchroom, 500 W. Michigan Ave., and asked who owned a car parked outside.

Charles F. Gean, 209 W. Michigan Ave., who was in the room, said it was his, and they ordered him into it.

Mr. Gean told them the keys were in the car and for them to take it.

There were no keys in the car, however, and in front of the restaurant the pair accosted Mr. McClure who was coming in for midnight lunch.

He told them to put the gun away before they hurt someone, and they did, driving west on W. Michigan Ave. in Mr. Stevenson's car.

Their trail was lost from there until they were apprehended by Officer Goodrich, who ordered them to come out of the car with their hands up, which they did.

It is believed they spent the time just preceding their entrance to Milan, drinking beer in the stolen auto for several bottles were found and Officer Goodrich said they appeared quite intoxicated.

Taken to St. Joseph

After questioning by Prosecutor George Meader this morning, the pair was released to Sgt.-Detective Robert Murray of the Paw Paw state police post and to Sheriff William Hastings of St. Joseph County where they are to face charges of robbery armed, kidnapping, and larceny of an automobile.