ARTHUR S. CHERRINGTON

An accomplished musician who played the trumpet, easy going, likeable, noncombative, impulsive and easily lead by his own emotions and those with stronger personalities, while lacking a high school education Arthur was the quintessential faceless gang member of the 1930's. 

Arthur S. Cherrington was born in Ohio in 1903 to William Ira Cherrington, a school teacher, and Marzella Whitaker Cherrington.  At various times he represented himself as an only child to authorities and at other times the 6th child in a family of 9 children but in actuality was the 10th child of 12--9 of whom lived to adulthood.   Arthur was raised in his parent's home and reached High School at age 14 in about 1917.  

Here his story takes a divergent path.  One report was that he was at home until his father's death in 1933.  However, the facts tend to support the other story that he was sent to live with his Uncle Robert, a priest, who was quite strict even requiring that Arthur be in by 9:00 p.m. even though he was 16 at the time.  The facts do show that from 1917 to 1921 at the age of 11 to the age of 16, he was incarcerated in the Industrial Boys School in Lancaster, Ohio for Truancy, so it is quite possible that his father chose to send him, at the age of 16, to his uncle after his parole from that institution in 1921 for guidance.

His father died in 1933 at age 72 of causes unknown to Arthur.  Arthur reported his mother's death in various ways over the course of his incarceration.  One report was that she died at age 42 the year before his father's death of Tuberculosis.  The other way it was reported was that she died in 1914 at age 42 during childbirth.  The facts tend to support that she died in November of 1914 at age 42 about 1 month after giving birth to her last child, a daughter.  Since she would have been in her 60's if she had lived until a year before his father's death, this would tend to negate the first story, though she may have also had Tuberculosis at the time of her death in any case.

In 1917, Arthur had his first encounter with the law at the age of 11 when he was sent to the Ohio Industrial School in Mansfield, OH until he was paroled from that institution in 1921, when he was most likely sent to live with his uncle Robert, a priest with whom he reportedly studied for a brief period to become a priest.

After being out on Parole for only a few months, Arthur was incarcerated in 1923 at the Ohio Reformatory for Burglary and was paroled on August 1, 1924.

He held different jobs between incarcerations, but being a musician, he generally played trumpet with various orchestras of the time. He also admitted to having a slight alcohol habit during this time period.

On February 10, 1925, he again went afoul of the law for a holdup in Cleveland, OH and was sentenced to 1-20 years in Joliet Prison in Joliet, Illinois.

While in prison at Joliet, he met Welton Sparks.  After his parole from Joliet on December 7, 1931, he met his future wife, a vivacious, bright and creative dancer named Patricia Young who caught his eye and with whom he began to share living quarters at 1832 Belmont Ave. in Chicago, IL.  

He reportedly took on work as a cabby after being paroled, always feeling that he would have been able to go straight at this time if fate had not intervened when the cabbies went on strike in 1932 and he lost his income.  At this time he met up again with Welton Spark and Roy H. Little, his compatriots for his next and most daring crime which he claimed he committed to appease his former inmate at Joliet to whom he owed some money and was unable to pay.  He agreed to help in the robbery to obtain the money with which to repay the debt, feeling that this was a logical and sufficient reason for his part in the robbery.  

On May 31, 1932 the three began their spree when they held up Postal Station number 231 located in the drug store at 2156 Addison Street in Chicago, IL.

On June 3, 1932, they held up Postal Station Number 63 located in the drug store at 1351 East 71st Street in Chicago, IL.

On June 6, 1932, they held up Station number 32 located at 2148 North Damen Avenue in Chicago, IL as well as Station Number 215 located at 1151 Garfield Blvd. in Chicago, IL.

The trio were finally arrested on June 14, 1932 at Michigan City, Indiana, transported to Chicago and were given a preliminary hearing before United States Commissioner Walker on the same date, waiving examination and pleading guilty to the charges.  Patricia Young, his future wife, was also in Michigan City and was transported to Chicago, kept overnight for questioning and released the next day.  The trio were held for Grand Jury action on bonds of $20,000 each, which they were unable to pay and so were remanded to Cook County Jail at Chicago, IL to await the action of the Federal grand jury.  Arthur later stated that his only regret was getting caught in the commission of the crime while not blaming himself or his co-defendants.

On June 30, 1932, the Federal Grand Jury in Chicago, IL found reason to indict the trio and on July 2, 1932 bench warrants were served upon the three defendants.

On July 20, 1932, Arthur was arraigned before Federal Judge John P. Barnes at Chicago, Il and entered a plea of guilty after which he was sentenced to 3 counts of robbery to run concurrently so that he would serve a total of 15 years in the US penetentiary.

It was noted in a report on July 22, 1932 that Arthur was single, but that he was to be married to a young woman before he was to leave Chicago.  The judge granted Arthur a week's stay of sentence so that Arthur and Patricia could be married before he was taken to Leavenworth Prison to serve his sentence.  They were married on August 3, 1932 in Chicago, IL.

On August 13, 1932, Arthur was committed to USP Leavenworth, KS as Prisoner #42163-L for 15 years for violation of the Postal Laws.  He would be first eligible for parole on August 12, 1937 with his minimum term to expire September 7, 1942.

He was never particularly resentful over his conviction and was not one to worry about the future, always feeling that the next time, things would turn out better for him.

While in prison in 1934, Arthur underwent Tonsillectomy surgery.  There was noted at that time the absence of his left testicle due to a "traumatic cause".

Also in 1934, at the weight of 143 lbs. Arthur began to have Cholecyctitis (Gall Bladder attacks) for which he was hospitalized 19 days.

All reports indicated that he never used narcotics.

On September 4, 1934, he was transferred from Leavenworth, KS to USP Alcatraz, California as inmate #199-az.

Arthur by all accounts was orderly and willingly, if not always truthfully, spoke with the prison authorities.  He was found to be quite superficial and easily distracted while communicating but appeared quite friendly, while having a poor attention span and quite incapable of abstract thinking.  Arthur was a very emotional person, impulsive and edgy and easily lead by more forceful companions.  He was of normal intellect and was generally knowledgeable with an I.Q. of 98.  He was very poor with numbers.  His conduct was largely controlled by his emotional state and he attached little weight to considered judgment and consequences.  On May 31, 1938, at the age of 54, Romney Ritchey, Psychiatrist for Alcatraz, found him to have an "Inadequate Personality" during his interview upon arrival at Alcatraz prison. 

Also on May 31, 1938, Arthur was reporting tenderness over the gall bladder area and severe pain in the right side at times.

On April 28, 1942, Arthur was again transferred back to USP Leavenworth, KS in preparation for his upcoming release on June 1, 1942 for time served.