Shooting, Kidnapping, Intimidation

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6833, 14 April 1932, Page 7

Shooting, Kidnapping, Intimidation

Big Increase in Democratic Vole CHICAGO’S ELECTION METHODS United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. Received Wednesday, 7.30 p.m. CHICAGO, April 12. Tho Illinois primary elections were markod by the usual violence in Chicago to-day where 40,000 police and poll watchers concentrated to prevent fraud, organised terrorism and intimidation of voters. There was one serious shooting and at least one kidnapping. Innumerable brawls and fist lights resulted in over a hundred known gangsters ana hoodlums being arrested. Although tho electorate selected for tho full list of State and Congressional offices for both the Republican and Democratic ticket, principal interest centred in the local offices of Chicago, where factional favouritism resulted in violence.

Incomplete returns indicate that tho Republican incumbent, John Swanson, Stato Attorney for the Cook County in which Chicago is situated, will bo rc-nominated and his opponent at tho general elections will bo Thomas Courtney, tho Democratic nominee. A feature of the primaries was tho greatly increased Democratic vote which is regarded as another repudiation of the Hoover Administration. Tho “wets” apparently gained both parties. There was a shooting casualty when tho Republican precinct captain was caught in a cross fire of revolver shots between the Democratic precinct captain and live gangsters attacking him. Ho is not expected to live. Hour gangsters impersonating the police, kidnapped a Republican precinct captain, stole two thousand dollars of election campaign funds and threw him into a coal yard. Repeated reports of threatened kidnappings and intimidation of voters by gangsters brandishing revolvers kept the policy busy. They were also active in dispersing groups of floaters from various polling places.