Hamm Kidnapping was a Success
To prepare for the Hamm kidnapping, the group observed Hamm so long Alvin Karpis says, “We got to know so much about the guy that I was sick of him long before the kidnapping.” Each day, Hamm would walk from the brewery to his nearby mansion for lunch. On June 15, 1933, Karpis sat in an idling car wearing a chauffer’s cap so Hamm wouldn’t be suspicious. At 12:45 pm, Hamm strolled to his mansion for lunch.
The “greeter,” Charlie Fitzgerald had a dignified look to him that raised no alarm. He walked up to Hamm, extending his hand for a handshake. Gripping Hamm’s elbow with his other hand, Fitzgerald asked, “You are Mr. Hamm, are you not?” Hamm affirmed his identify. Fitzgerald tightened his grip, Karpis moved the car forward, and an associate blocked Hamm. They put a pillowcase over his head and moved Hamm into the vehicle.
