Aerial: This photo came from the special collections of the Kansas City Public Library. On June 14th, 1928, while Kansas City was hosting the Republican Convention that nominated Herbert Hoover, 5 or 6 bandits robbed the Home Trust company bank at 1119 Walnut. The vice president of the bank was in the basement and heard the disturbance (the bandits came in firing revolvers in the air) and seized a tear bomb pistol, mounted the steps and fired. The bandits split with a little over $19,000, and left more than $50,000 "within easy reach." On their way out, from their getaway car, they shot traffic cop Happy Smith, at his intersection at 11th and Walnut, in the chest at point blank range. Several other people were injured in the shoot-out, including another cop, and another bystander died of a heart attack from the excitement. Happy was a very popular guy, and of course the cops made arrests rather quickly, and many believe hastily. Five men were arrested- one who owned the car. He went to jail for life but was eventually granted a new trial and released. Another went to jail for life but was transferred later to an insane asylum, where he later died. Another, Sam Stein, was never captured, and three men, all from the North End (Columbus Park), were tried and convicted and hung from gallows at the same time in the City Market (outside the jail) on July 25th, 1930. This photo was taken during their funeral procession on the following Monday, July 28th, 1930. The same plane that shot this photo released several white doves. The three "Home Trust Bandits" who were hanged were: 1) John Messino, 564 Holmes, driver of the bandit car. The day before the hanging, he made a statement to a reporter that Maurice Nagle (the owner of the car, who was like his brother) had no knowledge of the crime when he loaned him the car, 2) Tony ("Lollypop") Mangiaracina, 524 Forest Ave., a jokester and kind of the spokesperson for the condemned men, and 3) Carl Nasello, 1048 East 5th Street It was reported that the doomed men died gallantly. "Lollypop urged his pals to smile on Death March" and Ira Roney Smith, Happy's father, came to witness the execution with two of his other sons (Happy's brothers), and was quoted as saying, "Justice has been done. They went out game." back to history