Early on New Year’s Day, 1921, Insull estate night watchman Samuel Van Derney surprised three youths who were attempting to break into the estate. They shot Van Derney in the chest and then put him in their car, which they drove to Chicago. They abandoned their vehicle and Mr. Van Derney when the car wrecked at North Kedzie and Fullerton avenues. Mr. Van Derney was found by a pedestrian and taken to St. Elizabeth’s hospital. Mr. Insull hired Pinkerton detectives to find the robbers, although nothing was taken from the house or the grounds.
Libertyville Independent 1/6/1921
The body of an unidentified man was found 6 miles south of Libertyville in July, 1921. The man had been shot 4 times and his skull was crushed. Further investigations found him to be “Big Steve” Wiesniewsky of the west side of Chicago. Frank Lake and Terry Drugan, members of Chicago’s “valley gang,” were charged with Wiesniewsky’s murder in 1925.
Joseph Sobeck was murdered by his roommate Dominik Enrico on November 9, 1924. The two apparently had a disagreement over payment of a jug of wine (both had been drinking). Sobeck was employed at St. Mary’s of the Lake Seminary, Dominik Enrico worked at Foulds Macaroni Factory and Thomas Olechna, another roommate, worked at the American Wire Fence company. The three shared a home at 717 Broadway in Libertyville. Enrico was sentenced to Joliet state prison in 1925 and was deported to Italy in 1929.
Libertyville Independent 12/29/1921
