Joe Richetti

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="02c285a1erlcgo.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>Sustik and Richetti Family History</B></FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sustik and Richetti Family History"><B>home</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bartolomeo Elisabetta Richetti">Bartolomeo & Elisabetta Richetti</A>   |   <B>Joe Richetti</B>   |   <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Clemantine Richetti">Clemantine Richetti</A>   |   <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dave Richetti">Dave Richetti</A>   |   <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Minnie Richetti">Minnie Richetti</A>   |   <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Adam C. Richetti">Adam C. Richetti</A>   |   <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Eva Richetti">Eva Richetti</A>   |   <A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Fred H. Sustik">Fred H. Sustik</A>   |   <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Charles Pretty Boy Floyd">Charles "Pretty Boy" Floyd</A>   |   <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Verne and Vi Mathis">Verne and Vi Mathis</A>   |   <A HREF="id137.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Rose and Beulah Baird">Rose and Beulah Baird</A>   |   <A HREF="id173.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="John Lazia">John Lazia</A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="02ad2c00dkelyh.png"> <div> <IMG SRC="074b6640.jpg" border=0 width="182" height="100" ALT="Joe Ricchetti" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <A HREF="id127.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="FBI Aug 15, 1934">FBI Aug 15, 1934</A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="13f2acc3.jpg"> <div> <I>Joe Richetti</I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>JOE</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>RICHETTI</B></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Joe Richetti </B></I><B>was born on 22 Mar 1899, in Freemont County, Orckville, Colorado. He was the oldest of 6 Richetti children. Little is known about Joe's young life other than he grew up with the 3 older DeMatte children by his mother's first marriage. Joe moved from Pennsylvania in 1925 after a mining accident that caused him to lose his left leg. He eventually settled in Bolivar MO, using his talents for tinkering with engines to help earn extra money until he eventually found full-time employment as a mechanic at the Bitzer Chevrolet garage in Bolivar, Missouri. He married Betty who was a school teacher in Springfield, Mo., and had two children, Warren, and Betty. Joe's life had been painfully impacted by his younger brother Adam. Joe died in Oct. 1978, Shelby, IL</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Joe had been involved with his youngest brother </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id24_adam_richetti.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Adam C. Richetti"><B>Adam</B></A></FONT><B> on more than one occasion, most often not by choice. On one occasion Adam and some of his partners had robbed a bank near Springfield, Missouri. They eventually ended up at Joe's place in Bolivar.</B></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>The most noted involvement in the small town of Bolivar, Mo., came on June 16, 1933. Joe's brother Adam and his partner Charles "Pretty Boy" Floyd had stolen a car on June 8th from the Excelsior school district, four miles north of Cromwell, Oklahoma. By the time they arrived in Bolivar at the Bitzer Garage where Joe worked the</B></FONT><B> </B><A HREF="#1933_coupe" TITLE="Joe Richetti"><B>1933 Pontiac Coupe</B></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B> was in tow and in need of repair. </B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>After Adam and Charles greeted Joe and talking for a while to Mr. Bitzer, Joe began to work on the car. </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id165.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bolivar Herald 3/8/2000"><B>Sheriff Killingsworth</B></A></FONT><B> had parked his car about a half a block from the Bitzer garage that morning leaving his weapons behind. Between 7:10 and 7:15 he had entered the garage with the intent of having some work done on his car. As he walked into the garage he saw the manager Mr. Bitzer talking to an individual that the Sheriff didn't know at the time but was to later identify as Charles Floyd. Adam familiar with the sheriff from previous visits to Bolivar became alarmed when he spotted </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id165_jack_killingsworth.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bolivar Herald 3/8/2000"><B>Jack Killingsworth</B></A></FONT><B> giving Floyd the once over, Adam reached into the Pontiac and brought out a handy submachine gun that had been hidden beneath a blanket on the back seat. "That's the law", Adam shouted to Charles Floyd. Adam then waved the weapon at the sheriff and the others. "Line up against that wall. If you try to get away, we will kill you." Adam herded the three mechanics and three salesmen into a corner.</B></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>  <A NAME="bitzer_employees"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><IMG SRC="174e8850.jpg" border=0 width="488" height="389" ALT="Bitzer's Garage, Bolivar Missouri, held up by Pretty Boy Floyd and Adam Ricchetti" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Bitzer's Garage Mechanics</div> <bR> <bR> <div>  <A NAME="1933_coupe"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A><IMG SRC="17625f30.jpg" border=0 width="549" height="243" ALT="Bitzer's Garage, Floyd and Ricchetti's car they abandoned for Joe Ricchetti's car" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Left:  Stolen Car Floyd and Adam left behind.  Right Scene at Bitzer's Garage.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Then he turned the gun toward the sheriff, but Joe jumped in front of Jack Killingsworth. "If you're going to shoot the sheriff, you'll have to shoot me first," Joe told his brother. Adam had been drinking early that morning and at this time told Joe to let the Sheriff leave. As Killingsworth was about to step out the door, Floyd yelled, "Take one more step and I'll kill you." Angry and confused Adam cursed and threatened the terrified men until Charles Floyd quieted him down. It had taken them about 30 minutes to figure out what they were going to do and at 7:45 with Charles Floyd standing guard, Adam wanting to getaway quickly, was about to steal the Sheriff's car when he noticed his brother's new 1933, cream colored, Chevrolet, 4 door sedan just across the street. Adam decided the newer car would make a better escape vehicle. After filling the tank at the dealership, Floyd forced the Sheriff into the front seat at the point of a machine gun, and got in the back on the passenger side. Once inside the car Adam began to drive and had asked the Sheriff, "You know the road out of here, get us out of here." the Sheriff had then asked, "Where do you want to go?", Floyd and Adam had told him Kansas City, and then the Sheriff told them, "Turn north."</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Shortly thereafter other law enforcement personnel interviewed Joe Richetti, and he confirmed that his brother Adam and his partner Charles Floyd had kidnapped the Sheriff and stolen his car. He was torn by mixed emotion, and regret that his brother had been involved in such a ruthless affair, and fear that his brother would be killed. He had also urged everyone else in the garage not to talk to freely as he was fearful that Adam and his partner would come back.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Eventually when the press found out about this they wanted to interview Joe, and he refused to mention a word about this. Later on when the press had gathered to take a </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="#bitzer_employees" TITLE="Joe Richetti"><B>picture of everyone involved in the Bitzer </B></A></FONT><B>garage that day, Joe also refused to be a part of that picture. He told the members of the press that even if they laid a $1,000 bill on the table for him, he still would not do it.</B></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id165.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bolivar Herald 3/8/2000"><B>The town of Bolivar was in an uproar</B></A><B>.</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B> Over 300, many local law enforcement officers gathered a large posse and chased after the men that had kidnapped their sheriff. Jack Killingsworth's wife was in a panic, and awaiting any news. She lived by the telephone. Joe Richetti remained silent, and alone. He was fearful of his brothers actions, and ashamed for what his brother had done. Sheriff Curtis telephoned the municipal airport and enlisted C.R. Downing and George Prescott of the Ozark Airways in an air search. Detectives Oren Brown and Tom Persell accompanied them in their plane in a search that took them to Seldalia. </B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Meanwhile back at the Bitzer Garage, the sleek 1933 Pontiac coupe which the pair had left behind was spattered with mud, as if it had traveled through back roads at high speed and a front fender was dented. The coupe bore Oklahoma license plates no. 154-637, and in a baggage compartment officers found hidden another pair of plates, Oklahoma, no. 106-637. Rewards totaling approximately $6000 have been posted in Oklahoma, Missouri and Ohio for Floyds's and Richetti's capture, dead or alive.</B></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>During the next couple of years Joe continued to keep his family focused on their normal daily routine despite the notoriety and distraction his brother had created.  Joe had tried to help his younger sister Eva during her time of need also.  He had been in touch with his brother's and sister's in Oklahoma and Ohio trying to keep tabs on Adam and his exploits.  He had been aware that the FBI had placed </B></FONT><A HREF="id127.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="FBI Aug 15, 1934"><B>surveillance</B></A><B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>on him in order to find his brother's whereabouts.</B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Once Adam had been captured and sentenced to prison Joe visited him from time to time throughout those few brief years.  On October 5th 1938, Joe and his brother</B></FONT><B> </B><A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Dave Richetti"><B>Dave</B></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B> had visited Adam for the last time.  The next day he was scheduled to be executed  During </B></FONT><A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Adam Richettis Life in Prison"><B>Adam's execution</B></A><B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#111111" FACE="Arial" ><B>Joe and Dave spent the night in town.    They did not attend nor witness the execution as Adam had requested that they not be present.</B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <B>Joe and Dave claimed Adam's body which was returned to Bolivar, Missouri, under the supervision of the Polk County Sheriff, Harry D. Butler, and the funeral director of the Butler Funeral Home, Mr. Willard B. Erwin. There in the Butler Funeral Home services were held with Joe Richetti presiding. Adam Richetti was buried at the Greenwood Cemetery in Bolivar, Missouri on October 10, 1938. The funeral was attended by over three thousand people. His small,</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B><A HREF="id44_adam_s_grave_stone.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Adam Richettis Life in Prison"><B>nondescript tombstone</B></A></FONT><B>, rests alone, the adjoining plots remain empty to this day. Joe Richetti listed Adam's occupation as a mechanic on the</B><A HREF="id93.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Funeral Record"><B> </B></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id93.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Funeral Record"><B>funeral record</B></A></FONT><B>. </B></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>