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Capt Leroy Geach Allen Glass Die in Blaze Of GunfirePoint-blank gunfire m a Reno hotel room early tlm morning: killed two veteran city police officer* and their asserted murderer was in Washoe general hospital in fair” condition after being wounded by a third policeman.Dead are Capt. Leroy Joseph Geach and Sgt. Allen A. Glass. The wounded man, identified as David Black-well, 16, of Seattle, Wash., is under treatment for a bullet wound in his chest inflicted by Gene Cowan, detectivesergeant.Blackwell’s alleged accomplices in die shooting said two armed robberies here Friday afternoon and evening were being held today in two local jails.Chief of Police Clayton Phillips said that Blackwell, who had vowed he would never be taken alive,” had signed a confession that he killed the two policemen.Grant Bowen, assistant district attorney investigating the ease, said he would file murder charges against Blackwell and’ Chief Phillips indicated Blackwell's companions would be charged with armed robbery. They gave their names as Arnold Thomassen, 22, of Seattle, and James Blake, 21, of San Francisco. AH were said by authorities to have admitted participation in the Tobberies and Blackwell and Thomassen in the subsequent shootings.TRAILING ROBBERSThe murders of Capt, Geach and Sgt. Glass resulted during an investigation by them, along with Sgts. Cowan and Daryl Read, of the Friendship train on behalf of Charlie’s cocktail lounge at 325 South Virginia st. and the U. S. Highway 40 tavern at 640 East Fourth st. in which loot estimated at $3500 was taken.HELD FOR MURDERShown in his Washoe county hospital bed, where he is under treatment for a gunshot wound in his chest, I# s youth identifying himself as David Blackwell, 18, six feet, two inches and 180 pounds, charged with the murder early this morning of two Reno police officers.CAPT. ROT GEACHThe four police officers traced the suspects to the Carlton hotel at 218 Sierra st. and entered their second floor room to question them.Thomassen is said to have unlocked the room to the door to admit the officers and stood behind it as they entered. Sgts. Gowan and Read jammed the door back against Thomassen and after a brief struggle disarmed him of a .38 cahber pistol.Capt. Geacji and Sgt. Glass proceeded to where Blackwell was lying in bed in an adjoining room. As Capt. Geach threw the bed clothing back from Blackwell he was met with numerous blasts from the robbery suspect’s .38 caliber super special automatic He fell to the floor mortally wounded, and Sgt. Glass, standing behind him, was also hit several times and was killed outright.Capt. Geach succumbed In an ambulance while enroute to a hospital a short time later.Sgt. Cowan opened fire as Blackwell shot and as one' bullet struck the youth he dropped his gun and surrendered.UNABLE TO FIRENeither Capt. Geach nor Sgt. Glass had drawn their weapons on approaching Blackwell’s bed and had no opportunity to releasetheir guns from their holsters before the fusillade struck them.The visit to the hotel room followed a “tip to police officers concerning possible suspects in the robbery cases.The Charlie’s bar hold up occurred at approximately 3:30 p. m. Friday with Blackwell and Thomassen allegedly entering the establishment, placing themselves at opposite ends of the bar, ordering drinks and then producing pistes,CLUB HELD UP fThey reportedly rifled the cash register, two cash drawers and took cash and the keys to the establishment from Charles Frisch, proprietor. They locked the front door of the bar, told Mr. Frisch and several patrons to remain where they were and left, leaving the keys near the rear door.One of the men, Mr. Frisch said, was forced to use both arms to\l'\vo•»vi'* i;ilLnlYu^co»sSGT, ALLEN A. GLASScradle a heavy sack of silver taken in the robbery.While police were still checking leads on the cocktail lounge robbery, an armed hold-up of the U. S, 40 tavern was reported by Walter Poncino, bartender on duty there. Nearly the same tactics were employed, police were informed, and the two men escaped with approximately $1500 in cash. The large amount of money was on hand to use in cashing Friday payroll checks, the tavern owners said. Telephone communications at both bars were severed by the pair, either by snipping wires or tearing the instrument out, police said. ‘Blake, who was arrested in the i Carlton approximately an hour after the shootings, was said by police today to have admitted driving the ear used by the trio.Police said today that only several hundred dollars of the loot had been recovered.FLED REFORMATORYRay Ryan, superintendent of the Monroe, Wash., reformatory, today said that at least two of the men held here are escaped inmates of that institution and that the description given of the third tallied with that of a third trusty who had escaped from, there recently.He said all three had been given trusty ratings because of good conduct.He added that Blackwell (listed on records there as 22 years old) had been under sentence for second degree burglary in Tacoma, Wash., and had escaped from the' reformatory on Oct. 13 with 28 months of his sentence yet toserve.Thomassen reportedly was under sentence for armed robbery m Seattle and had escaped, along with Blake, by scaling a reformatory wail early Wednesday morning. Blake was serving a term for car theft, Supt. Ryan said.The trio allegedly arrived here in a Buick car which had been reported stolen in Tacoma last Sunday night. Motor and license numbers of the car impounded here early today checked with those on the Tacoma stolen ear report, local authorities said,Lt. Sherman Lyons of the Tacoma police force said Blackwell had been the object of an intense search in that city since David Wold, 17,former friend, of Blackwell’s, was shot three times on a downtown street comer last Sunday evening.TACOMA SHOOTINGLt. Lyons said Blackwell was sought on the basis of statements made by the Wold youth and by two policemen who were driving past the comer at the time and pursued the assailant into an alley, The police officer said Blackwell had blamed young Wold for his wrest and conviction of the; shoot-ALLEGED ROBBERSMen giving their names as Arnold Thomassen, 22, six feet, two inches and 207 pounds, of Seattle, Wash., (left), and James Blake, 21, six feet and 140 pounds, of San Francisco (right), were being held in local jails today as suspects in the armed robberies here Friday of two Reno ban.ing of Robert Schroeder, a Tacoma grocer, during an attempted robbery of his store last year. The groceryman recovered from his wounds and statements from Washington today listed the Wold youth as recovering from his injuries.LONG-TIME RESIDENTCapt. Geach, 56-year-old native of Butte, Mont., had lived in this state for many years. He was a former railroad engineer, and at one time was employed on the Tonopah Goldfield railroad. While living in Goldfield he took an active part in political affairs, and was elected to the legislature from Esmeralda county, serving in the regular session of 1927 and the special session of 1928.Leaving the railroad company, he was appointed a member of the Nevada state police, and later operated a private patrol service in Reno. He joined the Reno police department in July, 1935, served as a patrolman for several years, became a detective sergeant on Nov, 1, 1943, and was promoted to night police captain when that post was created on Aprii 1 of this year. He is' survived by his widow and two sons.WAR VETERANSgt. Glass was born in NewYork City 36 years ago. He came to Reno as manager of the shoe department of the National Dollar store. In October, 1942, he joined the Reno police department. The following May he enlisted in the navy, * and was honorably discharged in November, 1945, re-i turning to his post in the Reno department at that time.After serving as patrolman both before and after the war, he was promoted to detective sergeant on Feb. 10 of this year. He is survived by his widow.Funeral arrangements for both men are in charge of the Ross-Burke company, and will be announced later.
Newspaper Details
Reno Evening Gazette
Reno, Nevada, US
Sat, Nov 08, 1947
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Justin M.
NA, 02 Dec 2022
Other Publications Near Reno, Nevada
Nevada State Journal
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