Frank Hackethal
Encyclopedia
Frank Hackethal was a prominent St. Louis
organized crime figure in the early 20th century. He was one of nine members of the Egan's Rats
to be convicted of mail robbery on November 15, 1924.
Frank T. Hackethal was born 13 Dec 1891 in Denver, Colorado. By 1893 his parents had returned to the Chouteau Township area of Madison County, Illinois. Frank served with the American forces during World War I. By 1921 he had turned to a life of crime.
A high-ranking member of the Egan gang, Hackethal owned a popular resort on Long Lake, about thirty miles from Staunton, Illinois
. This resort was a favorite hangout of the Rats, who used it as a base of operations while they were planning a mail robbery in Staunton.
Hackethal's resort was also the scene of a violent inter-gang dispute on May 24, 1923, when David "Chippy" Robinson, James "Sticky" Hennessey, and Joe Powderly showed up to do some drinking. The former two had lured Powderly to the joint for the express purpose of killing him. When this was accomplished, the two Egans dragged his body out of the joint and put it in their car. While Hennessey propped up Powderly's dead body, Chippy Robinson stuck a cigar in the corpse's mouth and cracked jokes about the man he just killed. The Weekend at Bernie's
-style antics continued until they reached the Mississippi River
, where they disposed of the body. Two days later, the Rats committed their Staunton mail robbery, netting $45,000.
Frank T. Hackethal, along with eight other Rats, would be convicted for taking part in the Staunton mail robbery in November 1924. He drew a 25-year sentence at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary. Within two years, Hackethal and several others were transferred to the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary. Frank finished his sentence in Springfield, IL, and was released in January 1941.
Frank died at home in Granite City on 13 Jul 1954. He was survived by six of his eight siblings.
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
organized crime figure in the early 20th century. He was one of nine members of the Egan's Rats
Egan's Rats
Egan's Rats was an American organized crime group that exercised considerable power in St. Louis, Missouri from 1890 to 1924. Its 35 years of criminal activity included bootlegging, labor slugging, voter intimidation, armed robbery, and murder...
to be convicted of mail robbery on November 15, 1924.
Frank T. Hackethal was born 13 Dec 1891 in Denver, Colorado. By 1893 his parents had returned to the Chouteau Township area of Madison County, Illinois. Frank served with the American forces during World War I. By 1921 he had turned to a life of crime.
A high-ranking member of the Egan gang, Hackethal owned a popular resort on Long Lake, about thirty miles from Staunton, Illinois
Staunton, Illinois
Staunton is a city in Macoupin County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,030 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Staunton is located at ....
. This resort was a favorite hangout of the Rats, who used it as a base of operations while they were planning a mail robbery in Staunton.
Hackethal's resort was also the scene of a violent inter-gang dispute on May 24, 1923, when David "Chippy" Robinson, James "Sticky" Hennessey, and Joe Powderly showed up to do some drinking. The former two had lured Powderly to the joint for the express purpose of killing him. When this was accomplished, the two Egans dragged his body out of the joint and put it in their car. While Hennessey propped up Powderly's dead body, Chippy Robinson stuck a cigar in the corpse's mouth and cracked jokes about the man he just killed. The Weekend at Bernie's
Weekend at Bernie's
Weekend at Bernie's is a 1989 American comedy film directed by Ted Kotcheff. A comedy starring Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman features the two as a couple of young insurance agency employees who discover their boss is deceased...
-style antics continued until they reached the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, where they disposed of the body. Two days later, the Rats committed their Staunton mail robbery, netting $45,000.
Frank T. Hackethal, along with eight other Rats, would be convicted for taking part in the Staunton mail robbery in November 1924. He drew a 25-year sentence at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary. Within two years, Hackethal and several others were transferred to the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary. Frank finished his sentence in Springfield, IL, and was released in January 1941.
Frank died at home in Granite City on 13 Jul 1954. He was survived by six of his eight siblings.