1922 Morris Packing Company Robbery

On the morning of Saturday, April 22, 1922, a green Paige automobile pulled up in front of the Morris Packing Company at 3000 S. Broadway.  One man emerged, looked around and waived for his companion to exit the back seat.  After hesitating for a few seconds, the other man exited as the automobile crawled down the busy street.

The time was almost 10:30 am, when the two men entered the payroll office of the Morris Packing Company.  The robbers planned to steal the payroll.  However, the four employees in the office paid the Morris Packing Company employees at 10:00 am.

A man named Garden explained that the payroll was distributed a half-hour earlier.  The robbers did not believe him and began rummaging through the office.  One of the men found $80 left in the cash drawer but the safe was empty.  As the robbers began searching the men’s clothing, a shot rang out and the office window shattered.

Someone had seen the robbery through the glass door on the side of the plant and alerted Michael “Big Mike” O’Connor, a 230 pound St. Louis Police Officer assigned to the Wyoming Street Station.  O’Conner took a shot and the robbers, who quickly returned fire.

 Patrolman O’Connor got one shot more shot off before he was shot dead by the robbers.  Patrolman O’Connor died on the platform from gunshot wounds to the head and chest.  O’Connor was 44 years old and was born on August 26, 1877.  O’Connor was married and lived at 3420A Montana Avenue.

St. Louis Police Officers Bernard C. Mengel and Louis A. Held were across the street at the South Side Trust Company.  Held had escorted a messenger with a deposit for the Federal Reserve and was returning with him.  Mengel was preparing to escort another messenger to deliver a local company’s payroll, when both officers heard the shooting.

As Mengel and Held ran towards the Morris Packing Company, several bystanders told them about the robbery.  Mengel and Held observed the robbers exit the company and head for the green Paige automobile, which had circled the block and returned to the curbside.

Patrolman Mengel fired two shots at the robbers before he was felled by a volley from the desperadoes.  One of the robbers exhibited great marksmanship as he felled O’Connor and Mengel with surprisingly accurate shooting.  Patrolman Held was also struck.

After firing five shots from his own revolver, Held picked up O’Connor’s gun, which was laying next to O’Connor on the platform.  Held believed he hit one of the robbers, which would be subsequently proven.  Desperate to prevent their escape, Held emptied O’Connor’s gun into the fleeing automobile.

St. Louis Police rushed Bernard Mengel to the St. Louis City Hospital.  Mengel was shot three times.  The wound to his head would prove fatal.  52-year-old Mengel would pass away at 1 p.m.  Mengel was also married and lived at 511 Wilmington Avenue.

Fortunately, Officer Held would survive despite being wounded himself.  He would be a key witness for the state, if the St. Louis Police could find the robbers.  One of the robbers was going to make it easy for them.

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Sources: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, April 22, 1922 edition, p. 1 and April 23, 1922 edition, p. 1

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