Lester Almstadt
By Cindy Sue Donahue
Lester Almstadt was born in Warren on September 3, 1911 to Louis and Rose
Kollmorgen Almstadt. His brothers were Elton, Norman, Raymond and Ervin. The
family moved from 13 and Schoenherr to Sterling Heights when Les was one year
old, where they resided until 1929. When Lester was a senior in High School, the
family moved to Romeo, where he walked two miles to school every day.
Almstadt became a special deputy for the Macomb County Sheriff Department on his
21st birthday in 1932, working primarily in the many parks then in Macomb
County. As a special deputy, he performed raids on the many bars in Mt. Clemens,
one of the most memorable being at the Broadway Bar at the end of Terry Street
where he and John Donahue, Sr. busted up all the illegal booze barrels with
their trusty axes.
He worked under Sheriffs Robert Havel, George Smith, Wylie Wilkinson, Jake Theut,
and Harley Ensign, and worked with William Hackel. He also worked at the Mt.
Clemens Pottery from 1931 through 1934, and boarded with Louie Guiette's mother
on Eastman St. for many years. Almstadt did not work under Republican Sheriff
Francis Scott Burke in 1947 and 1948; he was then employed by Texco Tool of
Warren as a production manager, which was owned by Jake Theut, Mr. Reinhardt,
and John E. Donahue. He also worked as a book keeper for Leo Theut, who managed
a co-op. Les started full time at the Sheriff Department under Sheriff Jake
Theut in 1941.
His most famous criminal case was that of "Baby Face Noth," who had murdered a
man, raped his wife, and then stole his car. Noth was apprehended in Ohio for
making an illegal left hand turn, whereupon Almstadt was dispatched to retrieve
him.
Almstadt implemented many changes in the Sheriff's office, including changing
the badges from a shield to a star, and bringing in brown uniforms around 1971.
The only time he personally wore a uniform was during the tornado of 1964.
During Almstadt's term, he received $1800 per year from the county towards his
personal vehicle and insurance, which was, for many years, a black '53 Chevy.
There were only two lawsuits filed against the Sheriff Department under
Almstadt's term, one when a prisoner died in jail, and a second arresting a man
on a lean machine in Fraser.
As president of the Sheriff's Association in 1972 and 1973, Almstadt received a
special gold shield from the Sheriff's Association, and also a special watch of
which there are only 15.
Almstadt served as Sheriff Harley Ensign's under sheriff, and helped implement
the new County Jail at its current site on Elizabeth Road in Mt. Clemens in
1958. A living room, bedroom, and kitchen were set aside for the Sheriff in the
jail proper, which were used until Sheriff William Hackel took office. Almstadt
and his wife, Margaret, had twins Marvin and Marlene who resided in the home
that Les built on Wellington Cresent in Mt. Clemens.
Upon the untimely death of Sheriff Harley Ensign on November 24, 1960, Almstadt
became the 42nd Sheriff of Macomb County, and appointed Louis Guiette as his
under sheriff. In January of '61 he promoted Frank Coluzzi from detective to
Lieutenant and Conrad Koltys from detective to inspector. He also hired Larry
Duda, Sr.
Deciding not to seek re-election, Almstadt retired in 1977, receiving $800 per
month from the old retirement system.