Week 51: The Great Chandler Crime Spree of 1935

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During the Great Depression financial crisis hit many families; banks foreclose on family farms and homes, seemingly without a care for the consequences of the owners. Even Dr. Alexander J. Chandler lost control of his beloved San Marcos Hotel due to an unpaid debt.  In these challenging times a new anti-hero was born, the bank robber. Tales of Bonnie and Clyde, Baby Face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd, and John Dillinger shocked and enthralled the nation with illicit and daring exploits. Popular media at times portrayed these violent criminals as modern day Robin Hoods, striking back at a monetary system that had failed the people. In 1935 Chandler witnessed its own crime spree. The realities of crime were all too real, and had deadly consequences.

Late at night on January 27, 1935, unknown assailants broke into the O.S. Stapley hardware store at 63 E. Boston St., in downtown Chandler. They entered into the business via a skylight in the roof. Once inside they stole 9 shotguns, ammunition, a tent, and a dozen 12 inch metal files. They left through the backdoor of the store, after removing the padlock with one of their newly acquired files. The thieves then proceeded down South Arizona Ave. to Brown Chevrolet, where they removed the padlock to the used car lot, and stole a 1930 Chevy sedan. These brazen thefts shocked Chandler. In response, 25 of the city merchants banded together to hire a night watchman, Everett Hall.

The burglars stuck again a month later on February 25, 1935. The victim this time was the Arrow Pharmacy at the southwest corner of Boston St. and Arizona Ave. Again, the perpetrators entered through the roof, cutting a hole and lowering themselves into the store. The thieves only took between $25 and $30 dollars. Authorities believed that the intruders may have been scared away prematurely because valuable merchandise like jewelry remained undisturbed in its cases.

On June 30, 1935, the burglars returned and broke into the Bashas’ General Store on East Boston Street. Night watchman, Everett Hall, had entered the store at 4:30am to extinguish a night light and reported that all was clear. Sometime after, the thieves opened the store by spreading the front door frame with a crow bar. Once inside the intruders took $1,500 from the safe and registers.

The brazen thefts continued two days later when the Chandler Grocery Store on South Arizona Ave. was robbed. The store’s owner, James Tang, left the store for 30 minutes to run an errand. During that short time, burglars broke in the back door of the store and stole $163 that was concealed in a lockbox.

The O.S. Stapley Store was a victim again on July 4, 1935. For a third time burglars entered the building by removing the skylight and descending into the store via a wire. This time Night watchman Hall, heard strange noises coming from the store and frightened the burglars away. A thorough check of the store proved only three things missing valued at less than $25.

The Chandler crime spree finally came to a conclusion on July 9, 1935 when Frank Duarte and Ralph Romandio were arrested at the local Southern Pacific rail yards in Chandler as they were waiting to “skip” town on a freight train. City Marshall W. A. McGaughey and Night watchman Hall captured the two men, and they soon confessed to the rash of downtown Chandler burglaries. They also confessed to a Casa Grande grocery store robbery that ended with the murder of the store owner, G. W. Johnson. 

These men went to trial in October 1935.  Frank Duarte was found guilty and sentenced to death for the murder of Johnson in Casa Grande. Ralph Romandio, was sentenced to life in prison.