BANDITRY IN U.S.A.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 53, 13 February 1934, Page 4

BANDITRY IN U.S.A.

TEN DEATHS IN WEEK-END. Ten persons were killed in battles between bandits and the police in various parts of the United States during a recent week-end. 'Most spectacular was the kidnapping of Richard Gershol, a leading merchant of Duluth, who was abducted by two men as he''was taking his store receipts to a bank. They forced him into another motor-car and sped away into the country before the police could interfere. At Sapulpa, Oklahoma, Poffee Chief Tom Brumley and Patrolman Lloyd were killed in a battle with three desperadoes, all of whom were later slain by a posse. At Chetsea, another Oklahoma town, the Sheriff, Earl Powell, captured Ed. Clanton, a noted bad man, but Clanton’s companions ambushed them and, in an ensuing fight, Powell, Clanton and one unnamed desperado were killed. In Los Angeles, glamorous Mae West, the film star, went to court every day for a week carefully guarded against threats of death should she testify against Edward Friedman, a Chicago gangster, whom, she declared, robbed her of 12,000 dollars in cash and jewels in a personal hold-up. “ Wou will bo killed. We will throw acid in your face,’’ said the notes addressed to Miss West before she gave testimony. But, unperturbed, she identified Friedman, who was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. “Am I doing all right, boys?’’ she asked the newspaper reporters in the courtroom. as she powdered her nose after a sharp cross-examination by Friedman’s boisterous counsel.