Herman was a gardener who worked for Mrs. Van Hoosen. When Mrs. Van Hoosen ordered Herman to cut down the bag that Breathless Mahoney had hidden in the branches a willow tree and get rid of it, he discovered the money hidden there. Breathless observed Herman retrieving the money and tried to get it from him. When he refused, she stabbed him with a pair of pruning shears and escaped with the money. Herman's body was soon discovered by Dick Tracy, Pat Patton and Mrs. Van Hoosen.