We all love to hear stories of outlaws and bank robbers and the mob and all things that we may never do. Like Bonnie and Clyde and Jesse James. Remember B. D. Cooper and all the money he most likely got away with.
The 1920's were a roaring age, prohibition flapper dresses and men wore Fedora hats, the era of the Great Gatsby.
Ragtime music like the "The Charleston" was being played at the speakeasy. And Louis Armstrong playing in New Orleans at the time. The talkies were just coming out, (Talking Pictures). It must of been like us when cell phones came out.
Here's a crazy story about a man and his three goons. Thomas "The Owl" Griffin and Leo Brennan Aka Brannon Williams and "Buck or "Red" O'Brien and how they robbed a bank of $30,000 never recovered and escaped from Folsom Prison.
Thomas Griffin was born in 1888 in California and all though he was a criminal icon in his own right in San Francisco, there is very little family information known. There isn't even a Family Tree on Ancestry, so I made one.
He was married once to Sarah McCarley 1887-1925
On 5 Feb 1924 he and "Lone Wolf" (Felix Sloper) robbed the Clovis Bank in Clovis, CA. It was a daring feet as these things didn't happen often and wouldn't for another decade.
"The Owl" asked the clerk for change and gave him a $20 bill, while he waited for his change "Lone Wolf" slipped into the rear door and crept up behind the teller (Thomas Howison). He ordered him to stick'em up" The robbers tied his hands up behind his back and shoved him into the vault. They quickly took the loot of $30,000 in gold, currancy and securities. They were surprised by the bank manger as they were leaving and jumped in the get away car, they had previous stolen. Which was blue and they painted it black, an chandler. They made a fast break for it.
They met up with their accomplice and Felix Sloper's 25 year old girlfriend Catherine "The Moll: Ryan and ditched the get away car.
The leading detective was Sheriff Bill Jones and deputy sheriff O. J. King who found a key to who the bank robbers were a laundry tag with Catherine Ryan's name and address on it, The staked out her place and that lead them to Griffin who was arrested by gunpoint. They were taken back to Clovis and Catherine was let go for lack of evidence. It turned out Griffin was a well known figure in San Francisco underworld, having served 2 terms in prison for two other bank robberies and payroll heists. A $100,000 bail bond was set on him and he object, telling reporters authorities were trying to cast him as a "2nd Jesse James."
Meanwhile "Lone Wolf" had gunned downed a police officer during a San Francisco heist in 1925 and was hung at Folsom in 1926. Before he died he admitted to his involvement in the Clovis bank heist.
Here's his Supreme Court case I found:
Thomas Griffin gets sentenced to Folsom Prison and received on 1 Mar 1925 as Inmate# 13482, Term 5-life for Robbery in the first degree.
One might think that would be the end of that, well it's not, the story goes on. Griffin escapes from prison with two old buddies of his. Leo Brannon aka Brannon Williams and "Buck" O'Brien, aka "Red" O'Brien in 1926.
FOR FELONS Surviving Companions of Owl' Who Died in Escape Are Sought in Capital; Griffin Buried 1 Nov. 20. Convinced that Leo Brennan and William William O'Brien, escaped Folsom convicts, are In this city, police and guards from the prison have doubled their vigilance here, and very criminal "dive" known to them is under strict surveillance today. The two are believed to have (flared the danger of coming here for refuge , to escape sharing the (that of their comrade, Thomas Griffin, Griffin, "The Owl" who was found dead from starvation and exposure ten miles north of here yesterday, plan to break through to the north would have to be abandoned "With the cold rains and lack of food sources in the country, police" Bay. Hence it Is believed the hunted men have followed the example. Joe Tanko are hiding here in some underworld haunt.
"OWL" IS BURIED AT PRISON GATES. The "Owl" was burled today In the prison yard, just outside Folsom Prison walls. There were no funeral services.
He died of exposure from swimming across freezing cold water on 19 Nov 1926, and was buried in the Folsom Prison Cemetery. His FAG 151304843.
Felix Sloper was born Dec 1897 in OR and died 25 Jun 1926 being executed by hanging in Folsom Prison.
I didn't find out any family information about Catherine Ryan, hopefully she married a good man and stayed out of trouble. Who knows she may have hung out with Pretty Boy Floyd.
Felix does have a Family Tree on Ancestry but they have not connected his prison records to him.
There are many newspaper article on the robbery and Griffin's escape so feel free to go to newspapers.com and read more of the story. I found no Google searches for Thomas Griffin or "The Owl" as an underworld gangster.
The Clovis Bank is now the town museum and every year they have a re-enactment of the robbery.
Hope you have enjoyed our trip to the 1920's
The 1920's were a roaring age, prohibition flapper dresses and men wore Fedora hats, the era of the Great Gatsby.
Ragtime music like the "The Charleston" was being played at the speakeasy. And Louis Armstrong playing in New Orleans at the time. The talkies were just coming out, (Talking Pictures). It must of been like us when cell phones came out.
Here's a crazy story about a man and his three goons. Thomas "The Owl" Griffin and Leo Brennan Aka Brannon Williams and "Buck or "Red" O'Brien and how they robbed a bank of $30,000 never recovered and escaped from Folsom Prison.
Thomas Griffin was born in 1888 in California and all though he was a criminal icon in his own right in San Francisco, there is very little family information known. There isn't even a Family Tree on Ancestry, so I made one.
He was married once to Sarah McCarley 1887-1925
On 5 Feb 1924 he and "Lone Wolf" (Felix Sloper) robbed the Clovis Bank in Clovis, CA. It was a daring feet as these things didn't happen often and wouldn't for another decade.
"The Owl" asked the clerk for change and gave him a $20 bill, while he waited for his change "Lone Wolf" slipped into the rear door and crept up behind the teller (Thomas Howison). He ordered him to stick'em up" The robbers tied his hands up behind his back and shoved him into the vault. They quickly took the loot of $30,000 in gold, currancy and securities. They were surprised by the bank manger as they were leaving and jumped in the get away car, they had previous stolen. Which was blue and they painted it black, an chandler. They made a fast break for it.
They met up with their accomplice and Felix Sloper's 25 year old girlfriend Catherine "The Moll: Ryan and ditched the get away car.
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| The kind of car they stole for the robbery a Chandler |
The leading detective was Sheriff Bill Jones and deputy sheriff O. J. King who found a key to who the bank robbers were a laundry tag with Catherine Ryan's name and address on it, The staked out her place and that lead them to Griffin who was arrested by gunpoint. They were taken back to Clovis and Catherine was let go for lack of evidence. It turned out Griffin was a well known figure in San Francisco underworld, having served 2 terms in prison for two other bank robberies and payroll heists. A $100,000 bail bond was set on him and he object, telling reporters authorities were trying to cast him as a "2nd Jesse James."
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| Sheriff Deputy O. J. King |
Meanwhile "Lone Wolf" had gunned downed a police officer during a San Francisco heist in 1925 and was hung at Folsom in 1926. Before he died he admitted to his involvement in the Clovis bank heist.
Here's his Supreme Court case I found:
People v. Sloper, 244 P. 362 (Cal. 1926)
California Supreme Court
The above newspaper clipping:
Thomas Griffin
Clovis Bank Robbery - T OF BANDITS Clovis Bank Note Given to Stage...
Show article text (OCR)
T OF BANDITS Clovis Bank Note Given to Stage Driver; Arrested Men Not Robbers TAFT, Fell. 7.—Scouting tho first "hot" clue In Kern county early yesterday yesterday as to whereabouts of one of the two unmasked and captured bandits who tooted' the Clovis State bank of $25,000 in a noon robbery Tuesday, members of the sheriff's office last evening were closely watching the desert country ground Fellows and Taft to the coast. ' Tho man hunt shifted to the vicinity of Taft when a stage driver running between Wasco and Hills, asserted he had been paid by «. passenger with a, Twenty dollar note on the Clovis bank, The stage driver declared this man talked incessantly of officers and "that jungles" and appeared nervous and highly strung. Since sheriff's officers hero, one of the bandits was a drug addict, likely to act nervously, they Attribute more than usual significance significance to this clue. Description Tallies In every other detail of description, swarthy complexion, age about 30 to 115 years, slight and of medium height, this man, according to the stage driver, tallied with the meager descriptions of one of the Clovis bandits. Police Chief Charles of Taft, after scouring the country surrounding Taft without results, last evening evening caused the routes to Bakersfield and to Paso nobles on the coast to be watched in hope of apprehending tho passer of tho Clovis currency. Watch Coast Roads The route from Hills, where the suspect left the Wasco stage, leads out to the coast through Shandon and Paso. Officers along the coast at this point have been notified. The stage from Wust-o vims only to Iost Hills. .The only oilier stage from that point will hi: tho singe which leaves Taft this morning for Han Luis Oblspo. After a check of the losses at Clovis yesterday bunk officials reported to the ( .sheriff here that tho total amount taken in the robbery was $25,000. Currency In Loot Consisting of gold and currency, this lout consisted partly of new five dollar dollar bills, the sheriff's deputies learned. For this .reason the Kern county clue is given unusual significance, the sheriff said. In scouring Fresno yesterday police and sheriff's officers uncovered two supposed clues, both of which were reduced reduced to worthlessness by investigation. Cine of these was tile arrest of two vagrants, John Whltcheud and Albert Posey, who came to Fresno early on a freight. Neither was connected with the rubbery, the sheriff's men believe. Rope Theory Explodes The other exploded clue was furnished furnished by a clerk in the C. S. Merrlman .store at Clovis, who reported that he *had Bold a man u yard of white cotton rope. When trio sheriff's men compared compared this rope used to bind Assistant (cashier Thomas Homison, Jr., during the robbery, it was learned that the rope sold at Clovis was nearly twice as large as the piece left behind by the bandits. Sheriff W. F. is still seeking the store which Hold this rope, hoping for a detailed description of the buyer. That the men fled south is believed to have been firmly established, sheriff's oifficers said.
Motorist Saw Car and told the sheriff he saw a fast driven Hulek car just north of tho Ventcura highway, with which the Clovis highway connects east of Fresno. Hill another motorist reported a similar car on the same road, speeding southward, far south of Ventura avenue. While the scene of the hunt has shifted to Kern county, the sheriff la still directing a keen check of all roads and exits from the San Joaquin valley .
Clipped from The Bakersfield Californian, 07 Feb 1924, Thu, Page 9
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| Gun used in the Clovis Bank Heist |
One might think that would be the end of that, well it's not, the story goes on. Griffin escapes from prison with two old buddies of his. Leo Brannon aka Brannon Williams and "Buck" O'Brien, aka "Red" O'Brien in 1926.
"OWL" IS BURIED AT PRISON GATES. The "Owl" was burled today In the prison yard, just outside Folsom Prison walls. There were no funeral services.
He died of exposure from swimming across freezing cold water on 19 Nov 1926, and was buried in the Folsom Prison Cemetery. His FAG 151304843.
Felix Sloper was born Dec 1897 in OR and died 25 Jun 1926 being executed by hanging in Folsom Prison.
I didn't find out any family information about Catherine Ryan, hopefully she married a good man and stayed out of trouble. Who knows she may have hung out with Pretty Boy Floyd.
Felix does have a Family Tree on Ancestry but they have not connected his prison records to him.
There are many newspaper article on the robbery and Griffin's escape so feel free to go to newspapers.com and read more of the story. I found no Google searches for Thomas Griffin or "The Owl" as an underworld gangster.
The Clovis Bank is now the town museum and every year they have a re-enactment of the robbery.
Hope you have enjoyed our trip to the 1920's
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