I wrote a while back about my mom's family the Rollett's. I was in search of more information in order to compile a family medical history for my mother. I had finally found memorials for them in Find-A-Grave. I new I needed to send off for their death certificates, but at the time couldn't afford it. Then I had a lovely, generous lady, her name was also Amy, write me an email and tell me about Missouri's Digital Heritage that had online death certificates. I had heard about it when it first opened, but it was still difficult to search and didn't yield much to my research back then. You tend to forget about sites if you don't use them often, so thank you Amy for reminding me. As a result of going to Missouri Digital Archives I was able to find nearly two generations of Rollett and the extend the family by one more generation on the mother's Clark side.
I'm still compiling all the details in order to write a follow up story to the Rollett saga. However, I am stopping to write a story asking for a little help. I currently can't not afford any of my subscriptions to online databases. I really need someone willing to do a look up for a newspaper article if there is one. This story could be interesting.
I am looking now for information on Leonard P Rollett. I did find his death certificate on Missouri Digital Heritage. He died 31 July 1929 in Kansas City, MO. Here is where the death certificate got interesting. He was only 21 years old. The cause of death was Homicide, fire arm, additional note states: shot by officer. His family lived for many many years in Buchanan County, MO usually around St Joseph. So why is they young man, occupation: Truck driver, in Kansas City where he is shot by an officer?
I can only speculate. But let's consider for a moment that this is the hay day of the Prohibition which began in 1920 and continued until 1933 with the passing of the Volstead Act. Was Leonard rum running? He was my mother's great uncle, though of she never new of him until I discovered him.
I'd be grateful if anyone can find information on him, especially a newspaper article or if anyone knows how to get copies of police reports from those days.
3 comments:
BANDIT DIES OF WOUNDS
KANSAS CITY. July 31. (AP)-.
Leonard Rollett, 21, wounded the
night of July 25 when he attempted
to hold up C. E. Healey. superintendent
of the Bankers' Protective Patrol,
died here early today.
Moberly Monitor-Index | Moberly, Missouri | Wednesday, July 31, 1929 | Page 1
K a n s a s City, July 2 7 . — ( J ) -
P l e a d i n g guilty to t h r e e charges of
highway robbery, Cecil Fluty, 17, I n dependence,
Mo., today was sentenced
to five years in prison on
each count, the sentences to r un
concurrently, by Judge Ralph S
L a t s h aw In t h e c i r c u i t c o u rt
F l u t y admitted participation in
15 holdups here In t h e p a s t month,
ho was a r r e s t e d yesterday after he
h a d taken his wounded companion
Leonard Rollett, 22, to a n Independ
ence hospital. Rollet was shot
twice by C. E . Heley, s u p e r i n t e n d e nt
of tho b a n k e r s patrol, when he a n d
F l u t y attempted to force tho pat
r o l m a n ' s motor car Into the curb
T h u r s d a y night.
F l u t y ' s identify was revealed to
police by Rollet while In t h e ' h o s p
i t a l and police arrived a t Fluty's
home heard h im t a l k i n g about the
a t t e m p t e d holdup of Healey and t h e
shooting of R o l l e t Later he was
alleged by police to h a v e made full
confession of t h e affair a n d admitt
i n g two other holdups Thursday
n i g h t
Hutchinson News | Hutchinson, Kansas | Saturday, July 27, 1929 | Page 1
Young Bandit Talks in Sleep
Just When Policemen Arrive
K a n s a s City, July 2 0 . - ( . T )—
Alleged participation in a holdup
last night put Cecil H. Fluty, 17, in
Jail, but t a l k i n g in his sleep m a y
help to keep h im t h e r e.
F l u t y a n d Leonard Rollett, 21,
both of Independence, Mo., were
said by police to have held up t h r ee
m o t o r i s t s last night and robbed
t h em of small s u m s of money. Then
t h e y met C. E. Heoley, superintendent
of the Bankers Patrol.
Police said the y o u t h s a t t e m p t e d to
force Healey'a motor car to the
curb. Healy opened fire with his
revolver and R o l l e t was wounded
twice in the b a c k.
F l u t y took him to an Independenco
hospital. after telling att
e n d a n t s there he h a d found Rollett
lying wounded o n o n e of t h e city's
boulevards, he w e n t home a n d to
bed. Police were called to the hospital.
Rollet told them who his
companion was a n d where he lived.
When police arrived at Fluty's
home they said windows were
opened a n d they heard Fluty app
a r e n t l y in a nightmareo, telling of
the shooting, blood und t h r e a t e n ed
vengeance.
At police headquarters, police
said Fluty awake, repeated the
same story they heard him t a l k i ng
about in his sleep.
Hutchinson News | Hutchinson, Kansas | Friday, July 26, 1929 | Page 1
BANDIT DIES OF WOUNDS
KANSAS CITY. July 31. (AP)-.
Leonard Rollett, 21, wounded the
night of July 25 when he attempted
to hold up C. E. Healey. superintendent
of the Bankers' Protective Patrol,
died here early today.
Moberly Monitor-Index | Moberly, Missouri | Wednesday, July 31, 1929 | Page 1
K a n s a s City, July 2 7 . — ( J ) -
P l e a d i n g guilty to t h r e e charges of
highway robbery, Cecil Fluty, 17, I n dependence,
Mo., today was sentenced
to five years in prison on
each count, the sentences to r un
concurrently, by Judge Ralph S
L a t s h aw In t h e c i r c u i t c o u rt
F l u t y admitted participation in
15 holdups here In t h e p a s t month,
ho was a r r e s t e d yesterday after he
h a d taken his wounded companion
Leonard Rollett, 22, to a n Independ
ence hospital. Rollet was shot
twice by C. E . Heley, s u p e r i n t e n d e nt
of tho b a n k e r s patrol, when he a n d
F l u t y attempted to force tho pat
r o l m a n ' s motor car Into the curb
T h u r s d a y night.
F l u t y ' s identify was revealed to
police by Rollet while In t h e ' h o s p
i t a l and police arrived a t Fluty's
home heard h im t a l k i n g about the
a t t e m p t e d holdup of Healey and t h e
shooting of R o l l e t Later he was
alleged by police to h a v e made full
confession of t h e affair a n d admitt
i n g two other holdups Thursday
n i g h t
Hutchinson News | Hutchinson, Kansas | Saturday, July 27, 1929 | Page 1
Young Bandit Talks in Sleep
Just When Policemen Arrive
K a n s a s City, July 2 0 . - ( . T )—
Alleged participation in a holdup
last night put Cecil H. Fluty, 17, in
Jail, but t a l k i n g in his sleep m a y
help to keep h im t h e r e.
F l u t y a n d Leonard Rollett, 21,
both of Independence, Mo., were
said by police to have held up t h r ee
m o t o r i s t s last night and robbed
t h em of small s u m s of money. Then
t h e y met C. E. Heoley, superintendent
of the Bankers Patrol.
Police said the y o u t h s a t t e m p t e d to
force Healey'a motor car to the
curb. Healy opened fire with his
revolver and R o l l e t was wounded
twice in the b a c k.
F l u t y took him to an Independenco
hospital. after telling att
e n d a n t s there he h a d found Rollett
lying wounded o n o n e of t h e city's
boulevards, he w e n t home a n d to
bed. Police were called to the hospital.
Rollet told them who his
companion was a n d where he lived.
When police arrived at Fluty's
home they said windows were
opened a n d they heard Fluty app
a r e n t l y in a nightmareo, telling of
the shooting, blood und t h r e a t e n ed
vengeance.
At police headquarters, police
said Fluty awake, repeated the
same story they heard him t a l k i ng
about in his sleep.
Hutchinson News | Hutchinson, Kansas | Friday, July 26, 1929 | Page 1
Thank you sooooooo much. It is dear people like you that make it possible for some of us to discover our family history.
I just knew there had to be a story behind his death. It now makes me wonder what kind of family they were. He's involved in a hold up and his sister (my great grandmother) up and leaves her husband and children behind. Wow.
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