Dr. Santiago Claret
Political Refugee
1934 Kidnaping
[REFERENCE: (Prosecution file, Florida State Attorney, Dade County, Florida)
#467 Garelick, Samuel, ET ALS
(Kidnaping Dr. Santiago Claret)]
[To see a full size photo, right click and VIEW IMAGE]
Photo of Claret as a hostage .. possibly a reenactment
Miami Police Department
Detective Bureau
December 10th, 1934
Our file
OFC-C-1061
Report of investigation of the kidnaping of Dr. Santiago Claret:
About 9.20 AM today, Sgt. Gene Bryant, of the Miami Beach Police Dept.
called Sgt. Melchen, who answered the phone, Sgt. Bryant informed
Melchen that a Doctor had just come into their office and informed him
that he was kidnaped between 12.00 and 12.30AM this date, and was taken
to an empty apartment in Miami Beach, bound and gagged, and forced to
sign a check for $16,000.00 and also write a note, both of which he
presented to his chauffeur with instructions to go to the First
National Bank of Miami and collect and give the money to the kidnapers
as they would direct. The chauffeur having been kidnaped with the
doctor and the doctors car taken also. Bryant informed Melchen
that the kidnapers had already been to the bank for the money and were
to return. Bryant was unable to give Melchen any description
whatsoever of the chauffeur or the kidnapers. Melchen proceeded
to the Bank accompanied by Roy Hancock and J H Williams. Williams
remaining in the car near the Bank, Melchen and Hancock going upstairs
to the third floor to Mr. J. Northrup, who advised Melchen that a man
with chauffeurs cap had come to him with a check for $16,000.00 signed
by Dr. Claret, and a note by Dr. Claret, requesting that the money be
delivered to the Chauffeur. The bank delayed delivery to check up
on the check and note, and also to await clearing of this amount of
money which Dr. Claret was to receive from the First National Bank of a
draft which he had deposited. The man stated that he was Dr.
Claret's chauffeur. He was advised to return at 12.00 Noon.
Detective Barker arrived at this time, and was placed on a spot on the
third floor of the bank. Hancock was placed at the Elevators and
Ingle at the entrance to the bank. Melchen called Bryant at Miami
Beach, and asked for the description and license number of the doctors
car, also description of the men and the chauffeur. Bryant
advised Melchen that the car was a Packard Touring car painted
Grey. A later call to the Beach brought the information from
Bryant that the license number of the car was W 12362, Fla. And
that the Chauffeurs name was Roy Gray, and that he lives at 837 NW 1st
St. Melchen called people living in this immediate
neighborhood whom he knew, and found that the Packard car had left that
address about 8.00AM, with the chauffeur who had always been seen
driving it. Melchen then detailed Hancock Wilkinson and Kendall
to watch that address for the return of the Packard and to arrest if
the car appeared with three or more men in it. If less than three
men, to follow it, in an effort to locate the other men.
Detective Chambers appeared at the First National Bank and was then
stationed in front of the Bank while Ingle was then stationed with
Barker on the third floor. Melchen then contacted Radio Sgt.
Crews and had him broadcast for all cars to call him and he instructed
each and every car to watch for the above Packard and not to touch it
unless there were three or more men in it, at which time they should
arrest every one in it. If less than three men in it, to call the
Detective Bureau and notify them where the car was. Melchen then
returned to the Bank, and arriving at the Bank, was met by Mr. Harry
Retalick who advised Melchen that the chauffeur had returned to the
main floor of the bank with the check and the note, and that he,
Retalick, had the check and note which he gave to Sgt. Melchen.
The chauffeur was then pointed out to Sgt Melchen, this being about
11.50AM. On getting a good look at the Chauffeur who was in the
northwest corner of the bank, Melchen then signaled for Chambers and
Ingle who were also shown the chauffeur and Barker returned from the
third floor and was shown the chauffeur. Melchen then called
Bryant at Miami Beach and advised him that the chauffeur was then at
the bank. He was given a description of the chauffeur who was
about 5'4", 25 to 27, 150#, wearing glasses and a full chauffeurs
uniform. Bryant replied, "Wait a minute and I'll ask the Doctor
if that's the Chauffeur". Bryant then stated that the chauffeur
was a tall man with light blonde hair, and did not wear glasses, and
requested that the man in the bank be arrested. At this time,
there were no idle people in the bank, all customers being either at
windows withdrawing or depositing or transacting some business.
About 12.05 PM Melchen walked over the Barker and told him that he
would take the man in custody, and to stand by. A signal was
given to Ingle and Chambers also, and Melchen accosted the chauffeur in
the north west corner of the bank, main floor, and recognized him as a
former Miamian, and said to him, "I am a Police Officer, You're under
arrest, don't move, or create any scene as we have the bank and outside
thoroughly covered, and I have the check and note which you
presented to the Bank." The Chauffeur replied "I won't move, you
got me, the jigs up, I was a damn fool, go and get Mr. Green, he
arranged the whole affair. I ought to have known I wouldn't get
away with it".
Page 2
Melchen then asked the chauffeur if there were any other members of the
kidnaping gang in the bank, or anywhere else nearby. He stated
that there were not. Melchen then asked him where the car was,
and he said "Down on E. Flagler St. near McCrory's 5 & 10".
About this time, there were many less people in the bank than there
were at the time the chauffeur was accosted by Melchen and Barker, so
Melchen and Barker frisked him quickly and ordered him to walk to the
car as if nothing would happen, or had happened. The chauffeur
stated that he was supposed to be met by these men but did not state
when or where. He was asked for the keys and handed same over to
Melchen. We started out of the Bank, the chauffeur in the lead,
with Melchen on his right, a step behind, and Barker on the left, and
as we neared the bank door, he again stated "I won't run, I know
I"m caught", and we proceeded out of the bank and instructed
Chambers to go to the Granada Apts, and get Mr. Green and take him to
the Station. The chauffeur arrived at the car, stepped inside,
and sat down behind the wheel and was watched by Barker, Melchen and
Ingle for fifteen minutes, after which, the chauffeur motioned to
Melchen to come over, and he said "The men won't meet me here, you
might just as well take me to the station and get it over with".
Not noticing any suspicious persons around, Barker Ingle and Melchen
proceeded to the Station with the chauffeur in the car. At the
Station in the presence of Chief Scarboro and others, the chauffeur
stated that his name was John Roy Gray, that he was 27 yrs old, resided
at 837 NW 1st St. and that he was employed by Dr. Claret as chauffeur
for about two months, he stated that about 12.01 and 12.30 AM this
morning, he took Dr. Claret down in the 900 block on SW 2nd St. taking
home a lady guest with the Dr. He stated that after the doctor
left the car with the lady, a man came up to him (the chauffeur), and
told him to stand there and to make no noise, and immediately after, a
second man came, stood on the other side of the door, which Gray had
opened awaiting the doctors return. Immediately thereafter, the
doctor came out, and as he reached the car, these two men drew guns on
the doctor and ordered the doctor to go into the car and make no
outcry, threatening to kill him if he did. At this time, a third
man came up and covered the chauffeur with a gun. This third man
then sat on the front seat and ordered Gray to drive west on SW 2nd St
to 10th Ave, and then north and east to 9th Ave. north on 9th Ave to
3rd St NW, where he was ordered to stop the car and the man in the
front seat got out and he claimed he never saw this man again.
The two men in the back instructed him to drive north to the river,
west to 12th Ave, across the bridge to 11th St, east on 11th St, to 7th
Ave, and up NW 7th Ave to 79th St, east over 79th St causeway, to a
place on Normandy Isle, to an unfinished apartment building, and as he
neared the apartment building, a car behind him flashed on his bright
lights and then its dim lights. He was then ordered to stop at
the apartment building, and he was held in the car while the doctor and
the other two men in the back seat went inside the building. He
then stated that the men who held him, made him go upstairs and there
he was instructed by the doctor to take the note and check and go to
the bank at 9.00 this morning and get the money and do just as he was
told to do by the kidnapers. That he was then taken downstairs by
the kidnapers, forced to get into the doctors car, at which time he was
told to keep driving around, go to the bank at 9.00AM get the money and
keep driving around the city over the "Usual" route. Whence they
would meet him and get the money, and not to report it to the
Police. He stated that he went directly to his home, arriving
there about 4.00AM and went to sleep in a little camp car in which he
sleeps directly behind his home. That he arose at about 7.30 AM
had his breakfast about 8.00AM drove around the city and did not see
any of the kidnapers anywhere and that a few minutes past nine, he
appeared at the bank and went to the third floor to Mr. Northrup to get
this money and was there advised that he would have to return at
12.00Noon as the money had not arrived. He then stated that he
left the bank and rode around the city until 11.30 AM and then parked
his car on Flagler St near McCrory's. That he leisurely walked to
the bank and arrived there about 11.45AM and presented the check, and
after waiting about 15 minutes was arrested.
He was then questioned again, and almost repeated the same story.
Melchen accompanied by Medina and Dr. Claret, went to Gray's home, 837
NW 1st St, where a search was made with permission of his mother for a
tie or adhesive tape such as used in binding up the doctor. This
tape and piece of tie were brought over by Sgt. Bryant of Miami
Beach. It was then ascertained from Mr. Gray that J Roy Gray
arrived home sometime in the early hours of the morning, had his
breakfast about 7.30 and left the house at 8.00AM, but that her son
Fred had not been home all night. A roll of 1" adhesive tape,
similar to that used to bind up the Doctor, was found in the dining
room, which was used as sleeping quarters, on the dresser. Mrs
Gray was asked if she knew whether or not Fred or J Roy had taken any
of the adhesive tape out of the house in the past day or two, and she
replied that she could not tell. Melchen and Medina and the
Doctor returned to Police Headquarters and ascertained from J Roy Gray
that his brother
Page 3
Fred was employed as a jitney driver between Miami and Miami
Beach. When asked if he had seen his brother Sunday, he said "No
I haven't seen him since Saturday". Melchen then called Sgt.
Bryant at Miami Beach, and requested Sgt. Bryant to pick up Fred Gray
and bring him to Miami., which he did. On being in Miami Police
Station, Fred Gray stated that he resided at 837 NW 1st St. and that he
was 30 yrs old. On being questioned by all concerned, he stated
that he had not seen his brother Roy to talk to, since Saturday, but
later changed and said he had seen his brother at the jitney stand on
SE 1st near Burdines. On being questioned as to his movements
between 6.00PM Sunday night, Dec. 9th, and 7.00 AM Dec. 10th he stated
that he worked until about 6.30 PM and he arrived in Miami about 7.00
PM Sunday night, and that he went to the Biscayne Hotel to visit
another jitney driver named Sam, where they had several drinks of
liquor in Sam's room and that he left Sam about 9.30PM, and went out to
W Flagler St, and 17th Ave, where he played poker up to about midnight,
and that he caught the last trolley to town to Miami Ave & Flagler
St, and that he took a jitney to Miami Beach and went to Liggetts Drug
store and met a miss Wheeler who was employed there and remained with
her until 6.30AM at an apartment house on Meridian Ave. He could
not remember the address, and that he went to work at 7.00AM, and had
not seen his brother up to this time, Sgt. Melchen then called Sgt.
Bryant at Miami Beach and asked him to bring Miss Wheeler over, which
he did immediately, and Miss Wheeler stated that Liggetts closed their
store at 10.00PM and that the assistant manager Mr. Babbitt or Bobbitt
drove her home in Miami immediately after closing the store, and that
she remained home all night. Fred Gray was then confronted by
her, and asked if this was the Miss Wheeler he referred to, which he
replied "I'm awful sorry I brought her name into this, I did not meet
her at all last night. "Miss Wheeler was then permitted to return
to her work. On repeated questioning, Fred Gray refused to state
where he was between 12.00midnight and 7.00AM. Since the name of
Sam was mentioned, Sgt. Melchen sent Detective Jenkins after Sam at the
Biscayne Hotel, Miami, who according to Fred Gray, was supposed to
occupy room #6. He was not in, however, later was located and
brought in, and he stated that his name was Sam Geller, of Bayonne N.J.
that Geller was not his real name, but Sam Garelick was his real
name. When asked if Fred had been to his room, any time between
6.00PM Sunday night, and 7.00AM today, he stated "Absolutely
not". When questioned as to his moves between these hours, he
stated that he arrived home at 6 to 6.30PM from Miami Beach, went to
his room in the Biscayne Hotel, and about 11.00 or 11.30PM went across
the street on Miami Ave to a restaurant and he immediately retired to
his room. That he went over to Miami Beach about 7.00AM
today. Fred Gray was then confronted with Sam Geller and Gray
again repeated that he was in Sam's room #6 at the Biscayne Hotel, from
9.00 until 6.00AM this morning, and that they both drank several drinks
of liquor, and that he, Fred, arose about 6.30AM, and proceeded to
Miami Beach, to work, leaving Sam in the room. Fred Gray's
attention was then called to the variation in his statements as to
time, and he stated that he was wrong, and did not get to Sam's room
until about midnight, and remained until 6.30AM. Sam absolutely
denied this. Fred was then remanded to the jail and Sam was
questioned again, and stuck to his original story. About this
time Sgt. Bryant called from Miami Beach and said that he had found a
piece of shoe-string in the room where the doctor had been bound and
tied, and the shoes of J Roy Gray were checked and laces found to be
O.K. and Fred in the meantime was being brought back for further
questioning, and it was found that his shoe string on the right shoe
had been broken off. Gene Bryant was requested to bring this
piece of shoe string over, and Fred was again questioned by Melchen
Bryant and Medina, and when asked why he could not account for his time
between 6.00PM Sunday night, and 7.00AM Monday morning, and informed
that he had apparently lied on two instances to this question, he
replied "I don't want to tell where I was". It was then that he
was informed that his brother was under arrest, charged with the
kidnaping and that he was a suspected accomplice and was again informed
as was his brother and Sam Geller before they were questioned, that
anything he might say could be used either for or against him. He
stated that he had nothing more to say. He was then ordered
placed back in the jail, and as he was being taken over, by Potterton
and Medina, he asked Mr. Medina if he could talk to him and Melchen
alone. Mr. Medina returned him to the Detective office, Mr.
Medina then told Melchen that the boy wished to make a statement, which
he, Fred Gray, did, and which Mr. Medina took down on the typewriter,
and when the statement was completed, Fred Gray read it and signed it,
and it was witnessed by Medina and Melchen. Copy of this
statement is attached. In this statement, Fred stated that he,
his brother, John Roy Gray, Sam Geller, and
Page 4
Curly Millard, were implicated in this kidnaping. Detectives Papy
and Chambers were then ordered by Sgt. Melchen to go to Miami Beach
where Millard was a starter for the jitneys and have Millard picked up
and brought to Miami for questioning. Millard was picked up at
his home 145NW 30th St, and brought to the Station. In the
meantime Geller was again questioned by Medina, Melchen Chief McCreary,
etc, and he stuck to his original story. Before Millard arrived
at the Miami Police Station, J Roy Gray was brought over to be
questioned again, and after being warned again, he stated to Medina and
Melchen that he "just had to tell the truth" and he made the statement
copy of which is attached, in which he implicated his brother Fred, Sam
Geller, himself and Curly Millard as the four and only four persons
implicated in this kidnaping case. In the meantime, Fred Gray,
when show the piece of shoe string which was found in the apartment
building at Miami Beach stated that he realized when told at first
about the shoe string that it was his, and that his statement
implicating those mentioned was true, and that if his brother got the
money, they were to meet his brother later, and share the money
share and share alike. J Roy Gray in the meantime, had finished
his statement, which Medina typed, as he spoke, and after reading same,
signed it voluntarily and said, in the presence of Melchen and Medina,
that he was glad to get it off his chest. Geller was then
questioned again by Melchen, Medina, Mr. McCreary and he still stuck to
his original story. Geller and the two Gray boys were remanded to
the jail and Millard was brought in to be questioned in the presence of
Mr McCreary, Melchen and Dr. Claret, and McLendon, and he stated after
being warned properly, that he didn't know whether he had anything to
say or not, and wanted to know what it was about, and was informed by
Melchen about the kidnaping of Dr. Claret, and of the developments up
to this time, and then he said give me until tomorrow morning and I'll
tell you all about it". He was then remanded to the Jail and the
investigation closed for the time being.
Dictated by Melchen to Hanford
12/10/34 11.50PM to 12/11/34 1.50AM.
Notations:
Detectives Hancock and Williams have received an AVO to contact the
officials at the Granada Apts, and check the records of telephone calls
from the desk to the Biscayne Hotel, phone 29402, to see if the call
was made about 9.00PM 12/9/34 as stated by J Roy Gray.
Barker has received an AVO to photograph and make several copies of the
check and note in question and to turn the note, check and photographs
over to the Detective Bureau for evidence.
Officers in this case:
J. O. Barker, Supt of Identification, Detectives Roy Hancock, J. H.
Williams, Ed Chambers, C. M. Ingle, J, Medina, Det. Sgt. Melchen,
Clerks Hanford and Schwelm, Chief of Detectives L. O. Scarboro, and
Chief of Police, S D McCreary all of the Miami Police Department.
Also Detectives C W Potterton, B M Howard Joe Jenkins, J A McLendon,
and C C Papy.
Miami Beach officers, so far as known were Sgt. Gene Bryant, and Chief of Police R T Teaney, Detectives Wichman and Carpenter.
Evidence being held:
One pair of shoes with right shoe string broken, taken off Fred
Gray. One Piece of a blue tie. One piece of adhesive
tape. One piece of broken shoe string, the check and note
hereinbefore mentioned. One piece of sashcord.
End of Page
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