Crime & Punishment
His connections with the Chicago Crime World are numerous. He had connections with Dillinger of course and
he was also with a group of professional kidnappers, most likely the leader, who were called "The College Kidnappers" their specialty was kidnapping family members of other criminals.
I have to wonder if this group wasn't formed while he was still in college, hence the name they gave themselves.
In Chicago in 1933 the “Handsome Jack Klutas” case raised a new question of the possibility of changing finger prints and facial contours so as to defeat the arms of justice by making identification difficult and we soon learn that Jack was one of
the first to try this procedure. His life was short - he lived just 34 years, when he was gunned down in a
Cook County gun battle with the Bellwood Police Department. His family must have claimed his body for he is buried in the Lyndon Twp. Cemetery, Whiteside county Illinois next to his mother
Ida E. (May) Klutas.
An inquiry from Eric Rotondo, asking me to verify the burial place of "Handsome Jack", started me on this challenge of digging up some facts and stories about John Klutas.
Below are the few items of interest I was able to find.
From the 1900 - 1930 Census of Lyndon Twp. Whiteside Co IL, we find that John Klutas was the son of William and Ida E. Klutas. His father William was born in Germany in July 1856 and his mother was born in Iowa in 1862. William and Ida must have married in Iowa - their first child Fred, was born there, then the rest were all born in IL. The children, with birth years, listed in the home were - Fred L. 1883; Edith 1885; Ethel 1889; Alice 1891; James H. 1893; Harriet Effie 1897; John (Jack) 1900 and Ida Lucille 1904. An apparent separation occurs between the parent by 1930.. The father, William is found to be living in the home of his daughter Ethel Coats, while the mother Ida is found to be living in the home of another daughter Edith Vaughn as is the younger sister Ida Lucille. By this time brother Fred is living in Iowa and brother James has moved to Buffalo NY.
13 Nov 1933 - Fitchburg Sentinel - Fitchburg Mass.
13 November 1933 - Edwardsville Intelligencer
13 November 1933 - Helena Independent - Helena Montana
16 November 1933 -- Edwardsville Intelligencer
21 November 1933 - Helena Independent -
24 Nov 1933 Edwardsville Intelligencer
21 Dec 1933 Edwardsville Intelligencer 7 Jan 1934 Helena Independent
Inside police found a quantity of tear gas bombs, weapons and other materials. The shooting occurred across the street from the home of Police Chief Henry Eggebrecht of Bellwood. Klutas, to explain his sudden comings and goings had told his landlord that he was a government secret service agent. Two of those arrested at the place were identified as Adolphe Anzone wanted in WI for bank robbery and Paul Stroud. Police were uncertain as to their connection or those of the others with the slain gangster. The slaying of Klutas climaxed a seven year search for the former University of Illinois student. who left the campus to head the notorious "collegiate band" named in nearly a dozen kidnappings. Klutas was described as one of the smartest gangsters in the nation. Three members of the gang previously apprehended are due to appear in court next week for their participation in the abduction of James Hackett, Blue Island Gangster. Another associate Russel Hughes was was slain two months ago in Peoria, Klutas original home. Two other members of the gang Eddie Wagner and Eddie LaRue were scheduled to go on trial Monday for the Hackett kidnapping. They have not been captured. A quiet campaign by police resulted in the apprehension of Frank Soudere, Benton IL, Julian Jones of St. Charles and Gale Swolley of Peoria some months ago. They were held in private imprisonment and one finally "talked". He described several many operations of the gang including that of William Urban the gangs first kidnapping in Peoria on through the abduction of James Ward, of Hackett their # 3, and revealed that the brother - in - law of a nationally known politician also was on their roster. Jones had pleaded guilty to the 2nd kidnapping of Hackett for which the gang was paid $1500 and will receive a separate trial from his confederates. For others they would ask the death penalty. H acketts first kidnapping in May 1931 brought, according to reports, a command from the then acknowledged overlord of Chicago's underworld, Al Capone, that the abductors release him. But the Klutas gang ignored the command until the ransom of $75,000 was paid. After his associates arrest, Klutas fled, leaving no apparant trail until a few days ago.
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There are only a handful of references to "Handsome Jack" Klutas on the internet.
He was portrayed by Terry Leonard, in the movie "Dillinger" back in the '70s.
In real life he is said to have been "large in stature" and very handsome. He came from
a very respectable, midwestern family, who tried to give him a college education.
The University of Illinois in Champaign verifies that John Edward Klutas was a student in 1923, but he never received a degree in anything.
His education was cut short and rendered useless by his chosen life of crime.
