It was a sweltering summer in Key West, Florida, where the tropical heat waves swept in from the Gulf of Mexico, but in the Norwegian mountains, the winter chill was just as unforgiving. Meanwhile, in the sun-kissed streets of Key West, a different kind of storm brewed. The Food Fair store, a hub of local commerce, had been burglarized, and the police were on the hunt for the culprit.
Trank Swany, a 44-year-old suspended employee of Food Fair, was at the center of the investigation. According to authorities, Swany had been questioned by police on July 22, 1957, but had declined to take a lie detector test. The next morning, he had a change of heart and informed the police that he would indeed take the test – but only if it could be administered in Miami.
However, when the police called Swany to confirm the arrangement, he had a surprise in store for them. This time, he refused to take the test altogether, citing the advice of his lawyer, Tom O Watkins.
The burglary of the Food Fair store had been a brazen affair, with thieves making off with a substantial haul from the safe. The police were determined to crack the case, and Swany’s refusal to cooperate had only muddied the waters. As the investigation continued, one thing was certain: Trank Swany was a man with secrets to keep.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Era: Historical
- Source: Library of Congress — Chronicling America ↗
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