On Sept. 1, 1936, George Parker and Dorothea Simonson were arraigned in federal court in Sacramento for the break-in and robbery of the federal post office in Auburn. The couple, from New Jersey, were on their way to be married in Massachusetts when Parker’s car broke down. Instead of trying to fix it, he stole a car.
According to Simonson’s statement in the Sept. 3, 1936, Auburn Journal: “We became panic stricken in Massachusetts after he stole the car. We rushed from the state without having the marriage ceremony performed. We were soon without funds and stole gasoline all of the way across the country.”
On the evening of Aug. 27, Auburn Deputy Police Chief Frank Chase noticed that the lights were out inside the post office and called for other officers. Once the building was surrounded, he went inside and caught Parker with several envelopes of mail. Officers noticed a woman fleeing the scene from outside and arrested Simonson. She was Parker’s lookout.
George Parker was sentenced to three years in federal prison at McNeil’s Island in Washington state. Judge Michael J. Roche offered probation to Dorothea Simonson, but only under the condition she sever all ties to Parker. After a couple weeks of heartfelt contemplation, the 22-year-old agreed. She was sent back to her mother in New Jersey to serve out her probation.
Photo: Dorothea Simonson and George Parker, Aug. 28, 1936, Sacramento Bee photograph detail.
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