Police hunt for Purse Grabbers

Urbana Courier-Herald July 3, 1911

Three Women Robbed on the Streets Saturday Night

Drunk Steals Rig and Has Smash-up - Bunk McCormick Creates Disturbances and Increases His Debt

The Urbana police department has had a hard work-out since Saturday afternoon, cases demanding their attention including the robbery of three women by purse snatchers, a runaway in which a drunk and a stolen rig figured, a late call to the home of Bunk McCormick to suppress said Bunk, and a plain drunk.

At 9:30 o'clock, Saturday night, Mrs. Mitchell, residing at 508 West Oregon street, reported that two young men had snatched her purse at the corner of North and Illinois streets, and a few minutes later Misses Bessie Egy and Effie Dunlap reported a similar experience at the corner of Mathews avenue and Oregon street. Mrs. Mitchell does not know the amount of her loss, which was small. The purse carried by Miss Dunlap contained $5. When held up Mrs. Mitchell was accompanied by her daughter and misses Nettie Lovey and Tina Roberts.

Stolen Rig Is Wrecked
Frank Mitchell and George Seely, the former intoxicated, "borrowed" a horse and buggy belonging to Elmer Johnson, which had been left in front of the Oldham building on North Race street, at 11 o'clock Saturday night. They had proceeded but a short, distance when the horse ran away and collided with a rig belonging to a Mr. Flatt, wrecking both buggies. Mitchell was arrested on a charge of intoxication, and this morning was fined $3 and costs, which amount he paid. The young men agreed to stand the damages and this morning took both buggies to Champaign to have them repaired.

Bunk's Debt Grows
Mrs. "Bunk" McCormick of North Lincoln avenue called up police headquarters at 3 o'clock Sunday morning and said that "Bunk" was acting "something scandalous." The latter, already in debt $14.60 fine money, was brought to headquarters by Officers Creiger and McClark, and was booked on a charge of intoxication. This morning he declared that he was not drunk, but that he would plead guilty as the easiest way out of his trouble. "Bunk" nearly dropped dead when Magistrate Snyder fined him the minimum - $3 and costs. He has paid about $500 in fines for intoxication in Urbana and Champaign within, the past year, and his bank account is beginning to feel the strain.

Black Cannot Pay
Robert Black, arrested at 4 o'clock Saturday afternoon by Officer Lindstrum, pleaded guilty to a charge of intoxication. He had no money with which to liquidate a fine of $3 and costs and was locked up.

Sixteen Arrests in June.
Chief of Police Jeffers' report for June shows sixteen arrests, with $32 assessed in fines and $22 paid, an excellent record when compared with those the past few years.