Atlanta's "Bad Man" Is Gone
The town of Atlanta Illinois feels safer now that "Honky Is gone. This is the comment of Atlanta citizens on the killing of John ("Honky") Nicodemus, 34, bandit and gunman, In a battle with police at Canton last Sunday. For fifteen years he had been the nightmare of Atlanta, his fellow townsmen say
"Honky" was the logical product of his early life, old neighbors of the Nlcodemus -.family, explain .When he cooly pulled two German automatics from his pockets at Canton, after being Informed he was under arrest, and killed David O'Brien, assistant chief of police, and seriously wounded .William H. Roy, chief, he was merely making good on the boasts of his youth, they say. From earliest boyhood he had been a thief, Atlanta residents state. Firearms had been his constant companions. Police made no impression on him. He was brave to the point of recklessness. Even a term at the Joliet penitentiary failed to sober him
''For fifteen years he had terrorized Atlanta," observed Mrs. J. T. Holabam today. ' She had known Nicodemus since his birth, "We knew he would meet his death from bullets." "He was not raised like other children. Honky, as he was known because of his desire to blow auto horns, was raised in the streets.
"As a child he had a craze for an air rifle and it was a familiar sight to see him, a lad of 10, shooting birds with his rifle. As he grew older, he purchased a real rifle and became an expert shot. "A civic organization, pitying him, sought to educate him, but he just
scoffed at their well intended activities. At the age of 15 he had broken Into a hardware store to steal ammunition for his rifle.
"Honky would go for days without appearing at the home of his father. who had separated from his mother. ; He was fed by the citizens of the town. He did odd jobs for '.he neigh- bors but they always kept a close watch for fear he would steal. He had a record as a burglar and carried two revolvers continually.
"He broke into stores continually but because of the fear with which he was held, and his threats, no action was taken. "Finally Indignation became too strong after a robbery of a hardware store. A town hunt was organized and he was traced to a hiding place In. the cupalo of a church
"Seeing he was caught, he Jumped 20 feet to the ground with two revolvers in his hands and beat a retreat to nearby woods. When cornered In the woods, Honky began firing and the posse beat a retreat. -
"Another time he dared a Lincoln sheriff to shoot him when he refused to hold up his hands in a pool hall. "After terrorizing the town for fifteen years, he was finally sentenced to Joliet, for breaking Into a hardware store. During his stay at Joliet, he wrote to the very merchants he had robbed, asking them to use their Influence to get him released. They heeded his pleas and he was released."
The town of Atlanta Illinois feels safer now that "Honky Is gone. This is the comment of Atlanta citizens on the killing of John ("Honky") Nicodemus, 34, bandit and gunman, In a battle with police at Canton last Sunday. For fifteen years he had been the nightmare of Atlanta, his fellow townsmen say
"Honky" was the logical product of his early life, old neighbors of the Nlcodemus -.family, explain .When he cooly pulled two German automatics from his pockets at Canton, after being Informed he was under arrest, and killed David O'Brien, assistant chief of police, and seriously wounded .William H. Roy, chief, he was merely making good on the boasts of his youth, they say. From earliest boyhood he had been a thief, Atlanta residents state. Firearms had been his constant companions. Police made no impression on him. He was brave to the point of recklessness. Even a term at the Joliet penitentiary failed to sober him
''For fifteen years he had terrorized Atlanta," observed Mrs. J. T. Holabam today. ' She had known Nicodemus since his birth, "We knew he would meet his death from bullets." "He was not raised like other children. Honky, as he was known because of his desire to blow auto horns, was raised in the streets.
"As a child he had a craze for an air rifle and it was a familiar sight to see him, a lad of 10, shooting birds with his rifle. As he grew older, he purchased a real rifle and became an expert shot. "A civic organization, pitying him, sought to educate him, but he just
scoffed at their well intended activities. At the age of 15 he had broken Into a hardware store to steal ammunition for his rifle.
"Honky would go for days without appearing at the home of his father. who had separated from his mother. ; He was fed by the citizens of the town. He did odd jobs for '.he neigh- bors but they always kept a close watch for fear he would steal. He had a record as a burglar and carried two revolvers continually.
"He broke into stores continually but because of the fear with which he was held, and his threats, no action was taken. "Finally Indignation became too strong after a robbery of a hardware store. A town hunt was organized and he was traced to a hiding place In. the cupalo of a church
"Seeing he was caught, he Jumped 20 feet to the ground with two revolvers in his hands and beat a retreat to nearby woods. When cornered In the woods, Honky began firing and the posse beat a retreat. -
"Another time he dared a Lincoln sheriff to shoot him when he refused to hold up his hands in a pool hall. "After terrorizing the town for fifteen years, he was finally sentenced to Joliet, for breaking Into a hardware store. During his stay at Joliet, he wrote to the very merchants he had robbed, asking them to use their Influence to get him released. They heeded his pleas and he was released."
Atlanta's "Bad Man" Is Gone
The town of Atlanta Illinois feels safer now that "Honky Is gone. This is the comment of Atlanta citizens on the killing of John ("Honky") Nicodemus, 34, bandit and gunman, In a battle with police at Canton last Sunday. For fifteen years he had been the nightmare of Atlanta, his fellow townsmen say
"Honky" was the logical product of his early life, old neighbors of the Nlcodemus -.family, explain .When he cooly pulled two German automatics from his pockets at Canton, after being Informed he was under arrest, and killed David O'Brien, assistant chief of police, and seriously wounded .William H. Roy, chief, he was merely making good on the boasts of his youth, they say. From earliest boyhood he had been a thief, Atlanta residents state. Firearms had been his constant companions. Police made no impression on him. He was brave to the point of recklessness. Even a term at the Joliet penitentiary failed to sober him
''For fifteen years he had terrorized Atlanta," observed Mrs. J. T. Holabam today. ' She had known Nicodemus since his birth, "We knew he would meet his death from bullets." "He was not raised like other children. Honky, as he was known because of his desire to blow auto horns, was raised in the streets.
"As a child he had a craze for an air rifle and it was a familiar sight to see him, a lad of 10, shooting birds with his rifle. As he grew older, he purchased a real rifle and became an expert shot. "A civic organization, pitying him, sought to educate him, but he just
scoffed at their well intended activities. At the age of 15 he had broken Into a hardware store to steal ammunition for his rifle.
"Honky would go for days without appearing at the home of his father. who had separated from his mother. ; He was fed by the citizens of the town. He did odd jobs for '.he neigh- bors but they always kept a close watch for fear he would steal. He had a record as a burglar and carried two revolvers continually.
"He broke into stores continually but because of the fear with which he was held, and his threats, no action was taken. "Finally Indignation became too strong after a robbery of a hardware store. A town hunt was organized and he was traced to a hiding place In. the cupalo of a church
"Seeing he was caught, he Jumped 20 feet to the ground with two revolvers in his hands and beat a retreat to nearby woods. When cornered In the woods, Honky began firing and the posse beat a retreat. -
"Another time he dared a Lincoln sheriff to shoot him when he refused to hold up his hands in a pool hall. "After terrorizing the town for fifteen years, he was finally sentenced to Joliet, for breaking Into a hardware store. During his stay at Joliet, he wrote to the very merchants he had robbed, asking them to use their Influence to get him released. They heeded his pleas and he was released."
The town of Atlanta Illinois feels safer now that "Honky Is gone. This is the comment of Atlanta citizens on the killing of John ("Honky") Nicodemus, 34, bandit and gunman, In a battle with police at Canton last Sunday. For fifteen years he had been the nightmare of Atlanta, his fellow townsmen say
"Honky" was the logical product of his early life, old neighbors of the Nlcodemus -.family, explain .When he cooly pulled two German automatics from his pockets at Canton, after being Informed he was under arrest, and killed David O'Brien, assistant chief of police, and seriously wounded .William H. Roy, chief, he was merely making good on the boasts of his youth, they say. From earliest boyhood he had been a thief, Atlanta residents state. Firearms had been his constant companions. Police made no impression on him. He was brave to the point of recklessness. Even a term at the Joliet penitentiary failed to sober him
''For fifteen years he had terrorized Atlanta," observed Mrs. J. T. Holabam today. ' She had known Nicodemus since his birth, "We knew he would meet his death from bullets." "He was not raised like other children. Honky, as he was known because of his desire to blow auto horns, was raised in the streets.
"As a child he had a craze for an air rifle and it was a familiar sight to see him, a lad of 10, shooting birds with his rifle. As he grew older, he purchased a real rifle and became an expert shot. "A civic organization, pitying him, sought to educate him, but he just
scoffed at their well intended activities. At the age of 15 he had broken Into a hardware store to steal ammunition for his rifle.
"Honky would go for days without appearing at the home of his father. who had separated from his mother. ; He was fed by the citizens of the town. He did odd jobs for '.he neigh- bors but they always kept a close watch for fear he would steal. He had a record as a burglar and carried two revolvers continually.
"He broke into stores continually but because of the fear with which he was held, and his threats, no action was taken. "Finally Indignation became too strong after a robbery of a hardware store. A town hunt was organized and he was traced to a hiding place In. the cupalo of a church
"Seeing he was caught, he Jumped 20 feet to the ground with two revolvers in his hands and beat a retreat to nearby woods. When cornered In the woods, Honky began firing and the posse beat a retreat. -
"Another time he dared a Lincoln sheriff to shoot him when he refused to hold up his hands in a pool hall. "After terrorizing the town for fifteen years, he was finally sentenced to Joliet, for breaking Into a hardware store. During his stay at Joliet, he wrote to the very merchants he had robbed, asking them to use their Influence to get him released. They heeded his pleas and he was released."
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