Ironwood Daily Globe Aug 20, 1930
Victim Fires During Search
Yalmar Heinonen, Known as Michigan Slim, Slain in Exchange of Shots
Wanted For Robbery?
One man was slain by an officer and eight others were arrested near Hurley
last night as a climax to a series of robberies that took place during the month
at the Hercules Powder Co. magazine on the old Hinkle road, three and a half
miles west of Hurley
Yalmar Heinonen of Eben Junction Alger County Mich. is the dead man. He was
instantly killed by Mino Bertoluzzo , Iron county traffic officer, ater he opened fire
on the officer while Bertoluzzo was engaged in searching him. With Heinonen when
the shooting took place was Emil Lindquist, Ironwood, whose automobile was stopped
when the officer started the search.
Bertoluzzo miraculously escaped death for Heinonen opened fire with the officer less
than six feet away from him. He fired wild, however and none of the shots struck the
officer.
Eight other are Held
Besides Lindquist, the men at the Iron county jail in Hurley are
John Korpi, Thomason, who was found in a hay barn near the magazine this morning, Edward Koskell, John Kyko and John Matala, Kimball township farmers, Charles Laurila and son,
and Matt Lehto of Saxon.
Heinonen was killed instantly by a bullet from Bertoluzzo's gun, which entered his left shoulder , p[enetrated the chest between the second and third ribs, pierced the left left lung and several
large blood vessels, struck the right arm and took a course downward. Anothe bullet fired by Bertouluzzo lodged in Heinonen's hip.
Heinonen opened fire at the officer after Bertoluzzo detected a sack of 45 calibre bulletts in Heinonen's pockets. After the sack was discovered, Bertoluzzo commanded Heinonen to give him his gun, Heinonen jerked away from the officer and immediantely opened fire upon Bertoluzzo, who was standing directly in the range of the lights of the Lindquist car when the exchange of shots took place. Heinonen is believed to have fired at least three shots at the Iron countynty officer.
Korpi makes Confession
John Korpi this afternoon confessed to Eve? H. Reid, district attorney at Hurley , that he accompanied Linquist and Heinonen to the powder magazine and their pupose was to rob it.
Lindquist was fully aware of their plans, he said, and Heinonen , known as Michigan Slim, was the leader of the gang. Korpi also said they had stolen considerable clothing and the the clothing he wore were given to him by Michigan Slim.
Korpi, Lindquist and Heinonen were near the powder magazine when the officers came out. They hurried away from the scene, but when they did so Korpi went in the wrong direction. Consequently he was not in the automobile when it was stopped by Officer Betoluzzo. He laid along the roadside and finally went into the hay mow where he was discovered by the district
attorney.
Officers were on Trail
Bertoluzzo accompanied E. J. Biggens and Frank Gibbons to the magazine at 10 o'clock last night after they informed Sheriff Archie Lucia and Undersheriff LeRoy Leichinam they had seen
a car cotaining three suspicious looking characters driving to the old Hinkle road from highway US-2.
In an attempt to apprehend the men the officers went out on highway US-2 while the other two men decided to driver over highway no.77 through Montreal. It was agreed that the two cars should meet at the LaValley corner, mile and a quarter south of the Calvi stor in Montreal.
The Iron county Lumber and Fule Co of which firm the two Gibbons brothers are members, represents the Hercules Powder Co. Because the magazine containing explosives was first robbed on Aug. 5 and again late Monday night or early Tuesday morning, the decided to vist the property last night in order to determine weather they could connect with the crime an old model car which was discovered near the magazine after the robbery Monday night.
Suspicious of the Trio
The saw nothing suspicious on their first vist to the magazine last night and they were returning to Hurley when they met the Lindquist car near the intersection of the Hinkle road and highway US-2. Because of the appearance of the men in the automoblike, they became suspicious and noted that the car had the Michigan license No. 1-128-207. The immediantely drove to the jail
at Hurley to inform the officers.
The officers left for the magazine on highway US-2 and while the two brothers were on their way back on Highway 77 they met Bertulluzzo who was patroling the road near Cary.
When the two brothers and Bertoluzzo reached the LaValley corner they found that the sheriff and undersheriff had not yet reached that point. Upon their arrival at the meeting place, Sheriff Lucia informed that the powder magazine had been entered and that he had left Undersheriff Lucia to stand guard.
As a mover to stop any attempt by the robbers to escape, Sheriff Lucia's car was placed directly across the road at the corner. The members of the parry returned to the magazine in the Gibbons car.
Saw Car Leave Field
Bertuluzzo and Frank Gibbons stepped out of the car and E. J. Gibbons and Sheriff Lucia drove into the yard. A few moments after the Gibbons car had been driven into the powder magazine property, Frank Gibbons and Bertoluzzo saw a car being driven out ot a field across from the magazine. They were not able to stop it.
Believing that the men had succeeded in passing the Lucia car, and that they would make an attempt to enter highway US-2 near the Hinkle school, E. J. Gibbons and the sheriff started for that point.
Shortly after they had left, the members of the party who remained at the magazine saw a car approaching from the south. The car passed Leichtnam and it was then that Frank Gibbons noted that it was the same license as the car which he and his brother had met.
Opens Fire on Officers
He called out to Bertoluzzo to stop the car. When the automobile was stopped only two men were in the car. They told Bertoluzzo they had stopped in the field for the purpose of consuming a bottle of liquor. They said they had been in the field for two or three hours.
Bertoluzzo commanded Heinonen to step out of the automoblie and ordered Lindquist to drice it into the field. During this time Gibbons kept Heinonen covered with a gun.
It was while he was being searched that Heinonen opened fire upon the officer.
Nearly $1,000 worth of powder and fuse were stolen from the Hercules Powder Co storage house during the month, according to E.J. Gibbons. It was on Aug 5 that the first robbery took place. The thieves at that time cut steel rivets and removed sheet iron in order to gain access o the building. The stole the following articles:
20,000 No.6 blasting caps, valued at $350: 60,000 feet of Crescent fuse valued at $60: 11 boxes of 60 percent ammonia gelatine powder and nine boxes of No. 4 Hercomite Powder valued at $200.
While and employee of the company went to the storage house Tuesday morning, he found the place again had been entered. The robbers at the time took the following articles:
60,000 feet of Crescent fuse valued at $60: Ammonia Gelatins powere , 14 cases and two cases of No.4 hercomite valued at $240.
Two More Men Appear
Leaving Bertoluzzo and Frank Gibbbons, with the body of the dead man Leichtnam took Lindquist to the jail in Hurley. It was only a few moments after he had left that the two men saw another car approaching from Montrel.
John Kyko, Edward Koskell and John Matala were occupants of the machinge. They told the officers that the car which was parked in the field belonged to one of the members of their party and that they were coming to get it.
The three men denied and connection with the robbery and told the officers that they are residents of Kimball township.
Upon the return of Sheriff Lucia, District Attorney Everis H. Reid officers, Paul Barron and Thomas Philips of Hurley , a search was made for the third occupant of the Lindquist car.
Hearing a noise in the barn, District Attorney Reid crawled into the hay mow. It was while he was walking on the hay in the mow that he stepped on John Korpi. Korpi who showed sigs of drink , immediately surrendered to the district attorney.
Korpi has Record
Korpi has a criminal record in Iron county and a short time ago was arrested for carrying concealed weapons. He was arrested by Officer Charles Coxey.
Learning that Lindquist and Heinonen had paid visits to Saxon on the frequent occasions during the month, Leichinam this morning went there to search for evidence in connection with the case.
While at the Larila farm , mile south of Saxon, they found a box of No.4 Hercomite which corresponds to the powder stolen from the magazine.
Mr . Gibbons this morning said tht townshp mine in Ironwood is the only concern that has been using the powder and there would be no occasion for the Saxon residents to have it in their possession.
Lorella told the officers he obtained the powder from Heinonen whom he knew as " Michigan
Slim".
Known to Officers
Heinonen was know to the Ironwood officers and had been living at the boarding house here.
Letters found upon him which he had recieved from three of his sisters , who reside in Eben Junction , reveal that he had not been home for four years.
In addition to the letters, a watch, a key ring on which was fastened a key that is used to open a storage house on the Soo line, and an amount of money were found on the dead man. One of his pockets with a well known brand of cigars.
Volunteer