GANGSTER MURDERS

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 5 March 1935, Page 5

GANGSTER MURDERS

THREE SHOT IN NEW YORK GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION ~ I ("United Press Association —Electric Telegraph Copyright). NEW YORK, March 2. On the eve of the grand jury investigation into vice, gambling and racketeering at New York city, gangsters murdered three men to-day and each case, the police believe, was an effort by underworld leaders to suppress evidence regarding their activities.

Two of the slain men were shot down in the streets from passing motor cars. They were identified as “salesmen” for the “police racket,” an illegal lottery which was said to enjoy an income which was almost 500,000,000 dollars annually. The third victim was a taxi chauffeur. He was without a criminal record and the police believe the intended victim was a woman passenger connected with white slave operations. The present anti-crime urive started with charges by clergymen and others interested in the suppression of vice and gambling that the police were protecting racketeers and, with political leaders', were receiving huge graft from these sources. The police claim that they have made over 300 arrests for policy operations in the past two months but ‘affmit that this type of gambling is still flourishing.