COLL KILLED FOR £l0,000

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17740, 29 March 1932, Page 10

COLL KILLED FOR £lo,ooo

BETRAYED BY OWN GUARD

THE DRINK “TSARS’ ” REVENGE

NEW YORK, Feb. 10

The police investigation into the murder of Vincent Coll, the gangster leader, points to the conclusion that lie was betrayed by*n member of his own gang fora hrihe of £IO,OOO. The actual murderer is believed to have been imported from Chicago's underworld by aeroplane.

Tin* police are confident that "Queen Lottie,” Coil's hriile of a few weeks, can identify her husband’s assailant. But 25 hours' of third-degree ■ questioning has failed to overcome her fear of gangster vengeance if she "squeals." In their intensive search for clues the police learned that Coll was shot because lie challenged the ruthless power and tremendous wealth of the overlords of drink and vice by exacting ransoms exceeding ,€50,000 from Iho "Tsars” themselves. Coil’s reputation as a "mad dog” type of killer was earned after lie had been acquitted of being concerned in the "baby massacre.”

lie ttien launched his desperate plan of preying upon the drink barons by kidnapping their chief lieutenants and holding them to ransom. Coil’s fearlessness, demonstrated in a career of crime since lie was a hoy of 12, was his chief asset.

Coll died almost penniless, according to his widow. She is making a collection for funds to defray the cost of a simple funeral.