Walter Krone

by Roberta McGee

Walter Krone was born 19/12/1923 in Wysoka, Federal Republic of Germany. He was a soldier with the Polish Forces and lived in Hut No. 229 Pennylands from 1949-1951.

 Pennylands Occupants History (cumnockhistorygroup.org)

According to the United States Social Security Applications Walter's parents were Paul Krone and Veronica Matuzek:

Walter Krone born 19/2/1923 Wysoka, Krs. R. Federal Republic of Germany, Father Paul Krone Mother Veronica Matuzek.

Walter married Joanna Conn Bunten in 1948 in Auchinleck, Ayrshire and in 1955 he is recorded as being a shop proprietor in Main Street, Auchinleck. His shop was at the bottom of Auchinleck Main Street and was locally referred to as 'The Pole's". He sold shoes.

He was friendly with another Polish soldier named Zenon Garn, a jeweller who lived in Blackpool. After he had visited Walter's house in Auchinleck late in 1955 £950 was found to be missing. Walter suspected that Garn had stolen the money and he reported it to the police. However the police could find no evidence that Garn was the thief.  Walter was convinced that Garn was guilty because he had heard stories about Garn freely spending lots of cash, so, accompanied by two other local men, went to Blackpool, bundled Garn into their car and brought him back to Auchinleck. They took what money they could find on Garn and handed it over to the local police. 

 Garn made a complaint against the three men who were then charged with false imprisonment by detaining him forcibly against his will and with causing him grievous bodily harm. The men pleaded not guilty at a trial at Lancaster Assizes in January 1956 and were subsequently acquitted. 

                                                            Daily Herald 8/12/1955

                                                                        Transcription

A 32 year-old jeweller was kidnapped, beaten up and held prisoner for nine and a half hours on a nightmare car ride to Scotland, a court was told yesterday. The kidnapping was carried out by three men, one of whom believed that the jeweller had stolen from him, the prosecution alleged at Blackpool. THE ACCUSED, all from Ayrshire, are Walter Krone, 32 year old German shop-owner, of Main Street, Auchinleck; Alexander Stewart, 47, a telephonist, of Mill Square, Catrine; and David Bunten, 30, a miner, of Lamont Crescent, Cumnock.

                                                                      Resentment

THE JEWELLER, Zenon Garn, a Pole, of Woodstock Gardens, Blackpool, had been suspected of stealing £960 from the Krone home while he was on holiday there, said Mr. A.H. Bryant, prosecuting. Garn was cleared, but Krone was not satisfied. "He apparently took the view that the police had not done their duty, and this case is the result of his resentment against Garn". One of Krone's companions called for Garn in Blackpool and told him; "I am from the police. I want to ask you a few questions." The jeweller was persuaded to get into a car. Then Krone, who had been hiding in the front seat, showed himself.  Said Garn: "When I realised I was not going to the police station I opened the car door and shouted for help. Krone put his hand over my mouth". Near the Blackpool boundary he again opened the door and shouted to an oncoming car. "I was held half in and half out of the car and beaten up. The three rained blows on my mouth and my head and chopped blows on the back of my neck. I saw Bunten holding a hammer in his hand, and he said: 'See that, it's a hammer, and if you try anything I'll hit you with it'. 

                                                                        Searched

The car stopped in a side street, Krone leaned forward, put his hand in my pocket and took my wallet. He took out the money and counted it. Bunten searched me and took money from my trousers pocket. He counted it and found there was £119. Krone accused me of taking his money. I denied it and said: 'You might as well kill me and I will still deny it'. He then asked me to sign a statement that the £119 was part of his money. The car was restarted. I asked them what they intended to do with me. One said: 'Maybe we will kill you'. The car was driven off."

                                                                         Injuries

When they got to Auchinleck Garn asked to be taken to the police and Krone replied "The Blackpool police will not do anything but my police will". Garn was taken to the police station and later went to hospital, it was said. He was still being treated for his injuries. The three men denied at the police station that they took Garn to Scotland against his will. They were sent for trial accused of unlawfully imprisoning Garn and harming him.

                                                              Yorkshire Post 8/12/1955

                                                                  

Transcription

Pole Kidnapped at Blackpool - ALLEGATION     from our Blackpool Correspondent

                                                                December 8 1955

A man was kidnapped in a Blackpool street, it was alleged at Blackpool Magistrates' Court yesterday, when three men from Scotland were sent for trial at Lancaster Assizes. They were allowed bail. The men were Walter Krone (32), shop proprietor, of Main Street, Auchinleck, Ayrshire, Andrew Whitelaw Stewart (47), telephonist, of Mill Square, Catrine, and David Conn Bunten (30), miner, of Lamont Crescent, Netherthird, Cumnock. The charge was that, on November 11 at Blackpool, they assaulted Zenon Garn and injuriously imprisoned him for nine and a half hours. Garn, a jeweller, lives at Woodstock Gardens, South Shore. Mr A.H. Bryant, prosecuting, said the alleged offence was formerly commonly known as kidnapping which, in common law, was also known as unlawful imprisonment. Garn was a Pole living at Blackpool, Krone was a German living in Auchinleck and the other two were friends of Krone. Krone was known to Garn, who went to stay at his house in August, said Mr. Bryant. In October it was alleged by Krone that £960, which had been concealed in a bedroom in his house, was missing. He reported it to the police and among the suspects were people who had stayed there in August. Police inquiries revealed no evidence against Garn. The prosecution said that Krone went to Blackpool with the other two accused as his companions. They went to a house asking for Garn. When he came to the door Garn was told "I am from the police. I want to ask you some questions". Garn was taken to a waiting motor car, added Mr Bryant, and was induced to get in.

According to the Lancaster Evening Post dated 28/1/1956 the jury was out for an hour and the three men were acquitted. Their lawyer Mr. C.Q. Henriques submitted there was not the slightest evidence they kidnapped Garn and that Krone had always held a genuine belief that Garn knew something about the missing money which included the life savings of his widowed mother-in-law. Summing up, Mr. Justice Gorman said the case had somewhat unusual features in that a criminal charge had been made against civilians for the alleged false imprisonment of another civilian against his will. He said that Krone and Garn were both former Polish soldiers, known to each other when serving with the Polish Forces in this country, where they both married and settled down.

Walter and Joanna had a daughter Margot Ann Krone who was born and died in 1960 in Auchinleck. They also had a son Paul who was born in 1963 at Ayr. The family moved to Florida possibly in the 1970s.

Walter died 23/4/1999 at Port St. Luce, Florida.

US Newspapers Obituary - Ancestry

The Palm Beach Post 25/4/1999

Walter Krone age 76yrs born about 1923 Germany. Residence Port St. Luce, Florida, died about 1999. Spouse: Joanna    Child:  Paul

Cumnock Connections - Family Tree (tribalpages.com)

Joanna is probably the sister of David Conn Bunten mentioned in the Yorkshire Post article above but I cannot verify this.