Gustave H. Romsa, Former Sheriff, Dies in Hospital
Cheyenne Wyo.
Gustave Henry (Gus) Romsa, 61, widely known former Laramie county peace officer, died early Tuesday morning at Memorial hospital after a short illness.
Former sheriff of Laramie county, one time member of the Cheyenne police force and a Union Pacific special agent, Romsa was best known for his work in the spectacular Vernon train robbery case.
Romsa had been in the hospital since Dec. 8 after he became ill at this home here.
Romsa died of blood poisoning as a result of an infection in his hand. The infection was caused by a scratch from a rusty nail.
Romsa was born Nov. 4, 1877, at Slater, Iowa, and came to Wyo-Burns where he and a brother established a hardware business.
Later he became a special agent for the Union Pacific.
In 1923 he was appointed a deputy sheriff and was promoted to the post of undersheriff in 1924. He was elected sheriff in 1928, serving during 1929 and 1930. He was a Republican.
Defeated for reelection, Romsa was named a member of the Cheyenne police force. Later he was custodian at the courthouse.
Recently he has been employed by Disbow & Co. Prior to that he was house detective at the Plains hotel.
He is survived by his wife, Edna O. Romsa, who lives in Cheyenne, his father, Albert Romsa Sr., of Cheyenne; and the following children: Mrs. Gertrude Campbell of Chicago, Hogan Romas of Albin, Albert Romsa of Leadville, Colo., Arnold Romsa, of Chicago, and Ellen, George, Geraldine, Clarence and Benny Romsa of Cheyenne.
Six brothers also survive. They are James A. and Sebert Romsa of Burns, Albert, George and Martin Romsa of Albin, and Joseph C. Romsa of Lusk.
Funeral services will be held Friday at 1:30 at the Presbyterian church with the Rev. P. E. Burtt officiating. Burial will be in Lakeview. The six brothers will serve as pallbearers.
The body will lie in state at the Hobbs and Finkbiner Chapel from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday.
Among the more famous cases Romsa worked on while serving Laramie county as sheriff was the spectacular train robbery which occurred near here Nov. 26, 1929.
On the night of the 26th, small Tom Vernon, a 43-year-old former rodeo performer derailed the Union Pacific's Portland Limited as it neared Cheyenne. Working along, the weazened bandit held up all the passengers on the train and made his escape over a lonely prairie.
Wanted also in California for wrecking and robbing a Southern California train, Vernon was returned there after his arrest in Oklahoma had been brought about through the brilliant detective work of Romsa.
Romsa also identified himself with enforcing the prohibition law during the dry period in the state. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, December 29, 1938)
Cheyenne Wyo.
Gustave Henry (Gus) Romsa, 61, widely known former Laramie county peace officer, died early Tuesday morning at Memorial hospital after a short illness.
Former sheriff of Laramie county, one time member of the Cheyenne police force and a Union Pacific special agent, Romsa was best known for his work in the spectacular Vernon train robbery case.
Romsa had been in the hospital since Dec. 8 after he became ill at this home here.
Romsa died of blood poisoning as a result of an infection in his hand. The infection was caused by a scratch from a rusty nail.
Romsa was born Nov. 4, 1877, at Slater, Iowa, and came to Wyo-Burns where he and a brother established a hardware business.
Later he became a special agent for the Union Pacific.
In 1923 he was appointed a deputy sheriff and was promoted to the post of undersheriff in 1924. He was elected sheriff in 1928, serving during 1929 and 1930. He was a Republican.
Defeated for reelection, Romsa was named a member of the Cheyenne police force. Later he was custodian at the courthouse.
Recently he has been employed by Disbow & Co. Prior to that he was house detective at the Plains hotel.
He is survived by his wife, Edna O. Romsa, who lives in Cheyenne, his father, Albert Romsa Sr., of Cheyenne; and the following children: Mrs. Gertrude Campbell of Chicago, Hogan Romas of Albin, Albert Romsa of Leadville, Colo., Arnold Romsa, of Chicago, and Ellen, George, Geraldine, Clarence and Benny Romsa of Cheyenne.
Six brothers also survive. They are James A. and Sebert Romsa of Burns, Albert, George and Martin Romsa of Albin, and Joseph C. Romsa of Lusk.
Funeral services will be held Friday at 1:30 at the Presbyterian church with the Rev. P. E. Burtt officiating. Burial will be in Lakeview. The six brothers will serve as pallbearers.
The body will lie in state at the Hobbs and Finkbiner Chapel from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday.
Among the more famous cases Romsa worked on while serving Laramie county as sheriff was the spectacular train robbery which occurred near here Nov. 26, 1929.
On the night of the 26th, small Tom Vernon, a 43-year-old former rodeo performer derailed the Union Pacific's Portland Limited as it neared Cheyenne. Working along, the weazened bandit held up all the passengers on the train and made his escape over a lonely prairie.
Wanted also in California for wrecking and robbing a Southern California train, Vernon was returned there after his arrest in Oklahoma had been brought about through the brilliant detective work of Romsa.
Romsa also identified himself with enforcing the prohibition law during the dry period in the state. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, December 29, 1938)
Gustave H. Romsa, Former Sheriff, Dies in Hospital
Cheyenne Wyo.
Gustave Henry (Gus) Romsa, 61, widely known former Laramie county peace officer, died early Tuesday morning at Memorial hospital after a short illness.
Former sheriff of Laramie county, one time member of the Cheyenne police force and a Union Pacific special agent, Romsa was best known for his work in the spectacular Vernon train robbery case.
Romsa had been in the hospital since Dec. 8 after he became ill at this home here.
Romsa died of blood poisoning as a result of an infection in his hand. The infection was caused by a scratch from a rusty nail.
Romsa was born Nov. 4, 1877, at Slater, Iowa, and came to Wyo-Burns where he and a brother established a hardware business.
Later he became a special agent for the Union Pacific.
In 1923 he was appointed a deputy sheriff and was promoted to the post of undersheriff in 1924. He was elected sheriff in 1928, serving during 1929 and 1930. He was a Republican.
Defeated for reelection, Romsa was named a member of the Cheyenne police force. Later he was custodian at the courthouse.
Recently he has been employed by Disbow & Co. Prior to that he was house detective at the Plains hotel.
He is survived by his wife, Edna O. Romsa, who lives in Cheyenne, his father, Albert Romsa Sr., of Cheyenne; and the following children: Mrs. Gertrude Campbell of Chicago, Hogan Romas of Albin, Albert Romsa of Leadville, Colo., Arnold Romsa, of Chicago, and Ellen, George, Geraldine, Clarence and Benny Romsa of Cheyenne.
Six brothers also survive. They are James A. and Sebert Romsa of Burns, Albert, George and Martin Romsa of Albin, and Joseph C. Romsa of Lusk.
Funeral services will be held Friday at 1:30 at the Presbyterian church with the Rev. P. E. Burtt officiating. Burial will be in Lakeview. The six brothers will serve as pallbearers.
The body will lie in state at the Hobbs and Finkbiner Chapel from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday.
Among the more famous cases Romsa worked on while serving Laramie county as sheriff was the spectacular train robbery which occurred near here Nov. 26, 1929.
On the night of the 26th, small Tom Vernon, a 43-year-old former rodeo performer derailed the Union Pacific's Portland Limited as it neared Cheyenne. Working along, the weazened bandit held up all the passengers on the train and made his escape over a lonely prairie.
Wanted also in California for wrecking and robbing a Southern California train, Vernon was returned there after his arrest in Oklahoma had been brought about through the brilliant detective work of Romsa.
Romsa also identified himself with enforcing the prohibition law during the dry period in the state. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, December 29, 1938)
Cheyenne Wyo.
Gustave Henry (Gus) Romsa, 61, widely known former Laramie county peace officer, died early Tuesday morning at Memorial hospital after a short illness.
Former sheriff of Laramie county, one time member of the Cheyenne police force and a Union Pacific special agent, Romsa was best known for his work in the spectacular Vernon train robbery case.
Romsa had been in the hospital since Dec. 8 after he became ill at this home here.
Romsa died of blood poisoning as a result of an infection in his hand. The infection was caused by a scratch from a rusty nail.
Romsa was born Nov. 4, 1877, at Slater, Iowa, and came to Wyo-Burns where he and a brother established a hardware business.
Later he became a special agent for the Union Pacific.
In 1923 he was appointed a deputy sheriff and was promoted to the post of undersheriff in 1924. He was elected sheriff in 1928, serving during 1929 and 1930. He was a Republican.
Defeated for reelection, Romsa was named a member of the Cheyenne police force. Later he was custodian at the courthouse.
Recently he has been employed by Disbow & Co. Prior to that he was house detective at the Plains hotel.
He is survived by his wife, Edna O. Romsa, who lives in Cheyenne, his father, Albert Romsa Sr., of Cheyenne; and the following children: Mrs. Gertrude Campbell of Chicago, Hogan Romas of Albin, Albert Romsa of Leadville, Colo., Arnold Romsa, of Chicago, and Ellen, George, Geraldine, Clarence and Benny Romsa of Cheyenne.
Six brothers also survive. They are James A. and Sebert Romsa of Burns, Albert, George and Martin Romsa of Albin, and Joseph C. Romsa of Lusk.
Funeral services will be held Friday at 1:30 at the Presbyterian church with the Rev. P. E. Burtt officiating. Burial will be in Lakeview. The six brothers will serve as pallbearers.
The body will lie in state at the Hobbs and Finkbiner Chapel from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday.
Among the more famous cases Romsa worked on while serving Laramie county as sheriff was the spectacular train robbery which occurred near here Nov. 26, 1929.
On the night of the 26th, small Tom Vernon, a 43-year-old former rodeo performer derailed the Union Pacific's Portland Limited as it neared Cheyenne. Working along, the weazened bandit held up all the passengers on the train and made his escape over a lonely prairie.
Wanted also in California for wrecking and robbing a Southern California train, Vernon was returned there after his arrest in Oklahoma had been brought about through the brilliant detective work of Romsa.
Romsa also identified himself with enforcing the prohibition law during the dry period in the state. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, December 29, 1938)
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