Aug. 23, 2025: 92 YEARS AGO...Bandit Suspects, Aided By Friends, Flee Ozark County Jail

Orval Hosea and Jack Dillon, Two of the Four Hammond Bank Robber Suspects, Now Sought By Ozark County Sheriff

Reprinted from the July 27, 1933 edition of the Ozark County Times - A jail delivery here was discovered Friday morning as Sheriff Daniel went to the jail to feed the prisoners. The prisoners missing were Orval Hosea, alias “Blackie” Williams, 30 years old, Springfield crook, and Jack Dillon, 43, of Cushing, Okla. held for the $431 Hammond Bank robbery at Hammond May 10, 1933. 

They had been freed from the jail about 2 o’clock that morning by confederates on the outside, who removed two heavy bars from the jail door. 

A third suspect in the robbery, Ray Miller, 23 years old, of St. Joseph, Mo., who was in the jail with Hosea and Dillon, refused to accompany them. He noted the time of the escape about 2 o’clock, and that only about 30 minutes time was consumed in removing the bars and getting the prisoners out through the small opening. He also told that there were two or more confederates. It is supposed the prisoners and confederates made their get-away in a car parked in the alley, just south of the telephone office. 

Hosea and Dillon admitted their participation in the bank robbery, following their capture 48 hours after the robbery, near Gamaliel, Ark., where they were trailed by bloodhounds and forced to surrender. Approximately $127 was taken from them, which they admitted was their “cut” in the robbery. 

A few weeks ago, Walter Hartley, of Mountain Grove was arrested... Hartley was identified as the driver of the bandit car by Oreon Wallace and his son, Louie, and other Hammond citizens.