Gangster Volney Davis’s Great Illinois Escape;

Yorkville to Wheaton in a Ford V-8

By John Emmering

More research, this time for the year 1935, has uncovered another true account of a depression era gangster who utilized an early Ford V-8 automobile.  What follows is a story that unfolded right here in our Northern Illinois Region.

 Indicted kidnapper Volney Davis knew that in the next few moments he would make his move to escape the custody of Federal Agents Garrity and Trainor that night of Wednesday February 6, 1935 as he stood at the bar of the Hotel Nading in Yorkville, Illinois.  Davis, a member of the Barker-Karpis gang had been arrested early that morning in Saint Louis, Missouri for the charge of kidnaping millionaire banker Edward Bremer.  A ransom of $200,000 had been netted by the gang.  Since the crime had occurred in Saint Paul, Minnesota the government chartered a plane and assigned Agents Garrity and Trainor to accompany Davis on the flight to the Federal Court in that city.

Unable to find the Chicago Municipal Airport (renamed Midway in 1949) for refueling due to fog, pilot Joseph Jacobson continued flying west, putting the plane down in farmer Eugene Matlock’s field outside Yorkville, IL.  Coincidentally Davis was now only a few miles from Aurora, where he had lived with his girlfriend Edna “Rabbits” Murray and where he had hid John Dillinger and the mortally wounded Red Hamilton a year earlier.  When Bill Ford, a neighbor, saw the plane land he stopped his car at the scene and offered the occupants a ride into town.  Agent Garrity had first removed Davis’s leg irons and finally his handcuffs so as not to create a public stir as they waited in the bar area of the Hotel Nading in Yorkville where Bill Ford had dropped them off.

While Agent Trainor used the pay phone to call the Chicago headquarters, Agent Garrity ordered two beers, one for himself and one for Davis.  As Garrity took a sip of beer Davis swung his fist landing a blow that knocked him backward off of his bar stool.  Davis in an unexpected move dove through a closed glass window, landing on the side walk.  Brushing the glass off of his clothing Davis rolled onto his feet and sprinted away ignoring bullets fired through the window by his former captor.

Crossing the street Davis spied a new 1935 Ford Deluxe Tudor V-8 momentarily left running by grocer Harlan Bretthauer in front of his store.  Jumping into the V-8 Ford Davis took off toward Aurora, leaving Yorkville and the agents behind.  The V-8 Ford, plate  #104 140 was recovered the next day by the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office, abandoned in rural Milton Township east of Wheaton.  The adventure bought Volney Davis only four months of freedom as he was re-captured in Chicago by G-man Melvin Purvis in June 1935.  I am sure he thought of his exciting escape in the Ford V-8 often during his long stay in Alcatraz prison which lasted until the late 1950’s.