Indianapolis Times, Volume 43, Number 259, Indianapolis, Marion County, 8 March 1932 — Page 2
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DEATH CLAIMS MRS. STEIN SR., CITY RESIDENT Funeral Rites to Be Held Wednesday at 2 for Pioneer Woman. Mrs. Theodore Stein Sr., 70. of 432 East Fall Creek boulevard, lifelong city resident, died Monday at her home after a week’s illness. Fyneral services will be held in the Flanncr &; Buchanan mortuary, 25 West Fall Creek boulevard, at 2 Wednesday, with burial in Crown Hill. Survivors are a daughter, Miss Pauline Stein; a son, Theodore Stein Jr.; a granddaughter, Mary Helen Stein; two sisters, Mrs. Lena Mummenhoff and Mrs. Oscar D. Bohlcn, and two brothers, William F. Kuhn of Indianapolis and Charles J. Kuhn of San Francisco, Cal. Funeral services for Walter Carlton Young, 56, were to be held at 1 this afternoon at his home,. 35 South Bradley street. Mr. Young died Monday. Mr. Young was born in Illinois, and came to Indianapolis when a boy. The widow, Mrs. Lillian May Young, survives him. Burial will be in Kansas City, Mo. Traction Employe Dies David H. Griffin, 52. a resident of Indianapolis all his life, and for t.hirty-two years a motorman for the Indianapolis Street Railway Company, died Monday at his home, 1133 Dawson street. Funeral services will be held at 2 Thursday in the J. C. Wilson funeral home, 1230 Prospect street. Burial will be in Crown Hill cemetery. P’uneral services were to be held nt 2 this afternoon for Mrs. Elizabeth Meyers, 84, who died Saturday at her home, 948 West Thirtieth street. The Rev. Aubrey H. Moore, pastor of the Seventh Christian church, will officiate. She had been ill two years. Mrs. Meyers was bprn on a farm northwest of the city. She had lived in Marion county all her life. Burial will be in Crown Hill cemetery. Former Merchant Succumbs John S. Wilson, 64, of 2419 Central avenue, died Monday at St. Vincent's hospital. Born in Clarksburg, he entered the furniture business in Greensburg when he was 21, and came to Indianapolis five years ago. He was a member of the Odd Fellows lodge. Funeral and burial will be held Wednesday in Greensburg. Apoplexy caused the death Monday of Mrs. Ida Harding, 67, at her home, 2511 East Washington street. Mrs. Harding had lived in Indianapolis twenty years. She was born in Trimble county, Kentucky. Funeral services will be held at 2 Wednesday in the East Park M. E. church, of which she was a member. Burial will be in Memorial Park.
SLAYING IS MYSTERY Five Held for Questioning in Negro Woman’s Death. Five Negroes were arrested on vagrancy counts in connection with the slaying early today of Mrs. Anna M. Watts. 42. Negro, of 1010 North Senate avenue. The woman’s body was found in an alley in the rear of 930 Superior street, home of the five persons, two men and three women, who are under arrest. Police were without clews of the manner of death, and investigation was launched by Dr. A. J. King, deputy coroner. The woman's husband, Isaac Watts, told Sergeant Harry Schley and members of a police emergency squad that his wife left home late Monday afternoon to mail a letter. Mrs. Gertrude Johnson of 930 Superior street, said she gave Mrs. Watts a chunk of meat later in the evening. Police said the meat was found on a table at the home of the five persons held as suspects. CITES SELF HELP NEED Psychologist Asserts Most of Human Troubles Lie Within. ‘•Eighty-seven per cent of the people who come to me for help,” asserted David Sea bury, psychologist and w r riter, in a lecture at Caleb Mills hall Monday night, "believe their troubles are caused by something outside of themselves. It is their wives, husbands, mothers-in-law, children, business, neighbors, and a hundred other things, but never themselves. "Their problem is not one of environment, but of the relation of the individual to the environment. His first problem is to correct the condition in himself.” Dies in Hotel Room GcoVge F. Freeman, 56, who registered Monday at a downtown hotel, died in his room early today of heart disease. A shipment from an express office at Louisville, addressed to him, arrived shortly after he registered. He carried membership cards in the K. of P. lodge and local No. 22 of the iron workers union.
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KIDNAP RING CENTERS ATTENTION ON MISSOURI
Large Ransoms Paid by St. Louis and Kansas City Victims
BY BRUCE CATTON NEA Service Writer NOWHERE has the menace of the well-organized racket of kidnaping been more evident in the last year than In Missouri’s two leading cities, St. Louis and Kansas City. Kansas City, "perhaps, has furnished the more spectacular cases of the two—and St. Louis generally is believed to have furnished the more dangerous kidnapers. The loose but effective organization by which little groups of desperadoes in widely separated cities have transformed kidnaping into a racket of national ramifications seems to have one of its most effective centers in St. Louis. A good many of the crimes that have stirred Kansas City during the last few months are believed to have been the work of St. Louis hoodlums. Kansas City police estimate that kidnapers have collected fully half a million dollars in that city within recent years. As has been the case elsewhere, the bulk of these cases are cases in which underworld characters have been the victims. Almost everywhere, the racketeers have started their operations cautiously, victimizing men who they knew would never complain to the police—gamblers, vice syndicate chiefs, booze dealers, and so on. u a u -p ECENTLY, in Kansas City, as in Detroit and Chicago, they have broadened their activities to include law-abidnig citizens, people of wealth and prominence. One of the mast startling cases in Kansas City was the kidnaping of Michael Katz, head of the city’s largest drug firm. Katz was driving alone to his office one morning when a large car overtook him and forced his roadster to the curb. Four men jumped out and hustled him into their machine. There they sealed his eyes with adhesive tape, hurried him far into the country and imprisoned him in a lonely house, while one of the gang telephoned to Louis Rose, a well-known “man about town,” ordering him to act as
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Mrs. Nell Quinlan Donnelly, shown above, head of a prosperous Kansas City garment manufacturing concern, was rcaleased by kidnapers without payment after they had at first demanded $75,000. go-between, and to get from Katz’s relatives, for the kidnapers, the sum of SIOO,OOO. Rose got in touch with Isaac Katz, the victim’s brother, who gave him the money. Rose went to a designated spot and paid it over; an hour later Michael Katz, unharmed, was released in a Kansas City park, with a warning that he would be killed if he ever helped prosecute his abductors. tt tt tt ISAAC KATZ had had the forethought to have the ransom bills marked, and a little later some of the money was traced to Jack Nigro and “Goggle-Eyed” Leonard of the notorious Egan's Rats gang of St. Louis. They were arrested. Michael Katz, however, at first refused even to go to the police station to try to identify them. When he was finally persuaded to do so he said that he "couldn’t be sure” they were members of the gang, and they were freed. It was considered an open secret that fear of reprisal kept Katz from testifying. More recent was the kidnaping of Mrs. Nell Quinlan Donnelly,
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Alex Berg
John Soy, reputedly a wealthy St. Louis gambler, fell into the hands of kidnapers and never has said what it cost him to escape. Berg’s family insist that nothing was paid for his release. fQunder and head of a prosperous garment manufacturing company. This case has one or two unusual and instructive angles. Mrs. Donnelly was kidnaped as she drove home from her office one night, and was locked up in a cabin fifteen miles out of Kansas City ifir forty-two hours while a note was sent to her husband and her lawyers demanding $75,000 and announcing that she would be killed if payment were not made. * n tt NOW Mrs. Donnelly was prominent in a political faction which was powerful in the Italian section of the city. And after a little while. Kansas City underworld leaders—who protested indignantly to the police that “gome rank outsiders pulled his jolr—let it be known that the underworld itself would go after
l M fir*- - Kl[\ ” lif\ f . s— j~~ i / / ii # 1 __,_7 / vMmyy-M / T'""/ r m w, F m \ f i V- —^ >m \ • / f f i \ JSr / \m \ / i ■ i m i B v pw yv (§■) 4* \ \ S j • i m fej m 7 7 do® \j —Tj7 — i iu ■ sf) c / |l || J))) .jrJ.r.d ”, \ V 1 ) Kidnaping reported. j HII Conviction.
With a record of 285 reported kidnaping cases in the last three years, as shown in the map above, the United States today is looking for some remedy to the situation.
the kidnapers if she were not returned unharmed. That night she was released on a country road near the city. Three men and a woman were arrested in this case. One man was tried and the jury disagreed: the others await trial. Harry Rothman operated a profitable booze-running line in and about Kansas City. Kidnapers took him and tried to force him to pay tribute. He refused. One day his bulletriddled body was found in the woods in a Kansas City suburb. The police said they believed his death was meant chiefly as a warning to other underworld figures that the kidnaping ring meant business. Freddie Strauss, former gambler, made a fortune by speculation in Oklahoma oil lands. He was seized as he walked down a Kansas City street and taken to a . house on the edge of town where the gangsters tourtured him
URGES CAUTION ON APPRAISALS Wedeking Says Levies Must Be Cut With Assessments. By Times Special NEW HARMONY, Ind.. March 8. —Warning against reductions in land assessments for taxation purposes, without slashing governmental expenditures, was sounded by Albert J. Wedeking, chairman of the state highway commission, in an address at the annual banquet of the Chamber of Commerce. Wedeking pointed out the gasoline tax as the most equitable form of | levy and that utilities are receiving | undue favors under the present setI up. "One of the factors that make the gasoline tax so popular is that every person pays in proportion to the amount he uses the roads, and when he pays, he has a feeling every other person using gasoline also is paying,” he said. "Contrast this situation where the gas taxpayer is satisfied that he receives proper returns in roads built for his convenience and the furtherance of his business, to the farmer who pays taxes on a farm which did not produce enough last year to pay expenses. "Then compare his situation with a prosperous utility which, under the law, is guaranteed a certain return on his investment, but which is not taxed on the basis of fair value. "Solution of the problems can be expedited by making each tax dollar collected do more wprk than it now docs. "Reappraisal of land and real estate on a lower assessed valuation will result only for increasing the tax rate if local government expenditures are not held to a minimum consistent with needful operation.” BAND TO HONOR SOUSA Marines Will Escort Late Leader to His Grave Thursday. By United Press WASHINGTON. March B.—The famous band he once conducted will escort John Philip Sousa on his last march. The United States marine band, the President's own, arranged today to follow the body cf the famous musician at his funeral Thursday. A naval firing squad, a company of sailors and one of marines will be detailed for the procession. ORDERS BANK PROBE Gibson Judge Takes Cognizance of Owensville Case. By Times Special PRINCETON, Ind.. March B. Probe of the closing of the Owensville State bank Dec. 20. was ordered today by Judge Claude A. Smith of the Gibson circuit court. Smith informed members of the local grand jury that deposits were accepted by the institution when, he said, someone “must have known the bank “was hopelessly insolvent.’*
John Soy
THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES
by tearing off bits of his flesh with pliers. When he was unable to stand this any longer, he consented to telephone and arrange for the payment of $50,000, after which he was released. tt v tt UY GIVENS, an influential underworld figure, had to pay the kidnapers heavily. He was captured by a gang that came down from Chicago, and before he was turned loose he not only had to turn over a good deal of money, but also had to agree to let the Chicagoans share in the profits of some of his enterprises. Those are samples of the things that have happened in Kansas City. Irf St. Louis there have been fourteen spectacular kidnapings lately. Those kidnaped included a capitalist, an extremely wealthy physician, a 13-year-old boy who is heir to millions, four rich mer-
180 DAYS AND FINE, JOLT FOR LEGGER
Liquor Spilled Down Cop’s Sleeve ‘Dried Up,’ but It Didn’t Matter. Magicians can get away with pulling cards and other objects from their sleeves, but when a policeman pours liquor from the sleeve of his coat it spells trouble, Jake Christoff, 712 North Ketcham street, learned Monday when a criminal court jury convicted him of liquor possession and operating a nuisance. He was fined S2OO and sentenced to 180 days at the penal farm. Motion for anew trial was filed and Christoff was released on SI,OOO bond. Christoff's restaurant at 901 North Illinois street was raided in November by Sergeant Wayne Bear and squad, including patrolman Ed Moore. It- was alleged that, as the officers entered, Christoff seized a glass containing liquor and. in the struggle with Moore, its contents spilled in his coat sleeve. He drained the sleeve, obtaining about a thimbleful of what was alleged to be liquor. Tried before S. C. Bodner, municipal judge pro tern, Christoff was convicted and a fine SIOO larger than assessed by the criminal court
c A SEBVKEIHSTITUTIOK*
THE INDIANA TRUST CO. PAYS Interest on Savings wnpu:? $2,000,000
Police Chief Joseph A. Gerk of St. Louis, shown at left, after wrestling with the kings of the kidnaping racket in his area, was one of the many law enforcement officials
! chants and seven wealthy gamblers. Ransoms totaling $563,000 were demanded in these fourteen cases. How much, if any, of this actually was paid is not known. n tt 11 MOST spectacular of these cases was that of Dr. Isaac Kelley, who was enticed from his home late at night by a fake phone call and who was held prisoner for eight days, while $150,000 was demanded as ransom. Dr. Kelley finally was relealed to a newspaper reporter. The physician and members of his family stoutly deny that any money was paid. The boy who was kidnaped was young Adolphus Busch Orthwein, grandson of August A. Busch, of the Anheuser-Busch brewing concern. He was abducted by a Negro who seems to have been playing a lone hand. A newspaper reporter also brought about his release, and the Negro was caught and sentenced to ten years in prison.
jury and with the same number of days, was fixed as the penalty. Christoff appealed. No liquor was offered in evidence in criminal court and it was said it had "dried up.”
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who went to Washington recently to urge a federal law, which w r ould control interstate traffic in kidnap victims and provide the death penalty for those captured and convicted.
I Alex Berg, rich St. Louis fur | merchant, was kidnaped while he was driving hie car along one of the most heavily-traveled streets of the city. He was held captive for five | days, while his captors, after fie- : manding $65,000 in ransom money, . scaled their price to a flat $50,000. ; He eventually was released, and his relatives insist no money was ' paid. a a SO menacing has the kidnaping racket grown that the St. Louis Chember of Commerce not long ago conducted a survey of it, and wound up by recommen ing strict federal laws to coyer the crime. The published findings of : their investigators begin with the following sentences: ‘•Kidnaping is the feature crime of today. Big business in the underworld has turned from bank robbery, train robbery, hijacking and the spectacular crimes of the past to kidnaping. "Kidnaping offers high returns
WHEAT GIFT APPROVED By United Press WASHINGTON. March B.—Forty million bushels of wheat lay in warehouses today awaiting technical arrangements to be ground into flcur for the unemployed. President Hoover late Monday signed a bill to turn over that amount of government-owned wheat to the Red Cross for distribution.
with little risk—escape and immunity from prosecution ere usually a matter of merely crossing a state boundary.” The survey covered a total of 285 kidnaping cases in cities all over the United States. In these cases, thirteen of the victims were murdered In fortysix cases the victims were transported across state enty cases the kidnapers were caught. The report asserts: “Kidnaping cases ordinarily involve a gang of eight to twelve men. Frequently the actual abduction is perpetrated by criminals brought from other cities, to render their identification difficult. “The victim then is transported to another state to delay and hamper the process of detection and capture, which permits the kidnapers to hold their victim safely and negotiate for ransom.” THE END.
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MARCH 8, 1932
LARRASEE WILL i FACE WET IN PRIMARY RACE Frank Borns Will Contest ; Congress Renomination: Others File. Ficht on prohibition will be taken into the Democratic congressional primary in the new Eleventh district, it was indicated today with filing for national representative by Frank Borns, former state representative from Marion ! county. Borns will battle the incumbent. ; Representative William H. Larrabee, who was elected to congress from the old Sixth district, but who, under the 1931 gerrymander, must make the campaign from the new Eleventh, which includes Madison, Hancock and the east part of Marion county. Voices Wet Plank In making his announcement., Borns who was a member of the j 1925-1927 legislatures, declared he j had no remedy that will cure all ills, | but that in his opinion modification ! o fthe Volstead act will rescue governmental expenditures and go a long way to the return of prosperity. Larrabee already has filed for renomination. Other congressional aspirants who registered their intnetions with Frank Mayr Jr., secretary of state, are: Vernon D. Boren of Hammond, seeking the j Democratic nomination from the ; First district, and Carl Thompson of Richmond, seeking the Republican nomination from the new
Tenth. Canfield to File Word was received from Washington today that Harry C. Canfield of Batesville, congressman from the old Fourth district, soon will file for the Democratic nomination from the new Ninth. Canfield is serving his fifth term. State Senator James J. Ncjdl of Whiting, veteran of many sessions, and leader of the fight in the upper house for the passage of the old age pension bill during the 1931 session, was one of a number filing for the state senator nomination. Eighty-six candidates, eightythree of which were seeking pre- | cinct committeman posts, filed at the courthouse here Monday. Those filing for major offices were: James E. Flaherty, 213 St. Joseph street. Democrat, sheriff; Benjamin F. Morgan, 2338 Central avenue, former superintendent of the Marion county hospital for the in- ; sane, Republican, county commissioner i Second district, and George O. Lehman. 4903 Winthrop avenue, Democrat, state j representative. VAN NUYS ON THE STUMP Senatorial Candidate Will Speak Here Thursday Night. Two speeches will be made this week in Marion county by Frederick Van Nuys, candidate for the Bemocartic nomination for United States senator. He will speak in Castleton Wednesday night and at the Riverside Democratic Club, at the Olympic clubrooms, East Riverside drive and Pruitt street, Thursday night.