ELECTION VIOLENCE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 152, 9 April 1930, Page 5

ELECTION VIOLENCE

CHICACO LAWLESSNESS. SHOOTING AND BOMBING. attempted kidnapping. (United Press-Association —Copyright.) (Received This Day, 12.15 p.m.) NEW YORK, Apj.il 8. The penchant of the city of Chicago for violence in elections was given full play to-day, when between 2,000,000 and 3,000,000 voters of Illinois went to the polls in the Republican primary election to choose the party’s nominee for the Federal Senate. The choice lies between Mrs Ruth McCormick (whose father and husband have been United States Senators, and who herself is now a member of Congress) and Senator Charles Deneen, who defeated Mrs McCormick’s husband six years ago for the same nomination. The campaign, which was extremely bitter, culminated in Chicago to-day with an attempt to kidnap an Alderman, one case of shooting, and one bombing. Reports of gangster raids and other instances of lawlessness have also been received.

Seven men, brandishing pistols, crowded the Alderman’s motor-ear against the herb, but the police, interfering, saved the officials and captured three of his assailants.

The State Attorney (Mr Swanson) threatened that indictments would follow if the police under the control of Mr Bill Thompson showed partiality in enforcing election laws. Charges were made that 50,000 fraudulent names had.been registered for voting, and reports all day long from the “bad land” wards of Chicago indicated that strong arm methods were playing their usual part.