Babb - Frank, convict - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Cville July 1 - Frank Babb, 19, of Attica, former convict, who has led the authorities a merry chase for several weeks, being wanted for a series of crimes, has found it easier to get into jail than out.  As a result of quick thinking by the wife of Sheriff Verner Bowers, Babb is again in custody being a prisoner at Covington facing prosecution for auto banditry.  He made the sorry mistake of selecting the local jail as a sleeping place, satisfied that nobody would recognize him as the much-wanted fugitive. Babb appeared at the jail for lodging shortly after the sheriff had returned from a search for him as a suspect in a hold-up and attack upon George E. Inge, storekeeper at Morton, Putnam County Friday afternoon the offender escaping in a stolen automobile.  Mrs. Bowers noticed Saturday morning when she took breakfast to Babb that he bore a marked resemblance to the man wanted for the crime. He also appeared to be injured which fit into the picture. So she notified her husband and Sheriff John Sutherlin of Putnam County was summoned. He came here with Inge, victim of the attack and the latter promptly identified his assailant who continued to insist, however his name was Jones and that he had no home. As the prisoner was being taken to Greencastle Deputy Sheriff Wayne Gentry conceived the idea the prisoner might be Babb.  He notified Sheriff Frank Youngblood of Fountain County who intercepted the Putnam sheriff and identified and took Babb into custody. Babb is charged with robbing the Rice Garage in Attica and numerous other stores there.  In the crime at Morton, Babb struck Inge over the head with a flashlight and escaped in a rain of bullets from Inge’s gun. The youth jumped into a car he had stolen from Walter Morris, Chrisman, Ill and wrecked it at a corner three miles west of Ladoga. He was slightly injured. That night he applied at the local jail for lodging. Babb was released last April from the state reformatory after serving two years for grand larceny.

Lafayette J-C 31 Oct 1935 Covington –

Frank Rabb, 20, of Attica, was sentenced to the state reformatory for a term of 12 years by Judge OB Ratcliff for auto banditry. The jury was out only 12 minutes. Babb was arrested for stealing a car from the Rice garage, Attica and then perpetrating several robberies.