In In January of 1933, when Stevens was 12, Ernest Stevens (center) along with his father (to his right) and his brother, Raymond (to his left), were indicted on charges that they embezzled money from Illinois Life to make bond payments on the Stevens hotel. However, while Raymond and James were named co-conspirators, only Ernest was tried. Two weeks after Ernest was released on bail, four armed men broke into the Stevens home and forced the family to open a safe. Ernest suspected the men were not robbers, but state’s attorney agents looking for evidence without a warrant.
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