SHOOTING AT ROOSEVELT

Taranaki Daily News, 17 February 1933, Page 7

SHOOTING AT ROOSEVELT

ESCAPE OF THE PRESIDENT-ELECT MAYOR OF CHICAGO GRAVELY HURT FOUR OTHERS SUFFER INJURIES By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received 8 p.m. . Miami, February .. AN attempt to assassinate Mr. Franklin D. Roosevelt, Presi-dent-elect, was made at Miami to-day. Mr. Roosevelt escaped unharmed, but Mr. Anton Cermak, Mayor of Chicago, was shot and dangerously wounded and four other persons were injured by the six shots fired. The wounded include George Broadnax, a Secret Service man, Russell baldwell, a resident of Miami, and Mrs. Gill, wife of the president of the Florida Power and Light Company. _ , — + The shooting occurred at a public reception m Bay Park, Biscayne Bay. Mr. Roosevelt had just returned from a vacation on his yacht in the Bahamas. Mr. Cermak was standing on the running-board of Mr. Roosevelt’s when the shooting occurred. The assailant, who was arrested, identified himself as Guiseppe Zingara, a brick mason of New York who had been resident at Miami for two months. He uttered an excited, incoherent statement to the police, self opposed to all rich men, that he had planned the attemp oh the life of the King of Italy, and that he had no personal animus against Mr. Roosevelt but wanted to killall‘ P f® sl<^ nts and officers of the Government. A woman, said to be his wife, was arrested later.

CAPONE GANG SUSPECTED

' ZINGARA’S CON FESS SONS HOOVER INTENDED VICTIM HATRED OF ALL RICH MEN i. ■" " “ By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. Rec. 8.45 pan. Miami, Feb. 15. “I am sorry I did not kill him; I want to kill all Presidents.” Zingara said in a statement to the officials. Zingara was jostled by the crowd that swarmed after him. He -was housed for safety in the Dade county gaoL z Mr. Cejynak, who was spending a vacation here, was standing on the running board ’of Mr. Roosevelt’s automobile when the shots were fired. He with Mrs. Gill was placed by the members of the President-elect’s party in the tonneau of the car and taken to hospital. Mr. Roosevelt’s trip north has been temporarily cancelled to enable him to remain near Mr. Cermak. Secret service men leaped from Mr. Roosevelt’s car, where they had been acting as the usual guard, to grapple with the assailant. They were aided by local citizens in capturing Zingara. Eye-witnesses said the shooter did not aim at Mr. Roosevelt but at Mr. Cermak. The would-be killer waited until Mr. Roosevelt had passed and had taken his seat. Mr. Roosevelt looked back and waved his arm, indicating to the people that he was not hurt. Six shots altogether were fired, the last shot going wild through the gripping of the shooter’s wrist by Mrs. Cross of Miami. The assailant fired from a distance of huh

15 to 20 feet to the rear and right of Mr. Roosevelt’s car. Federal representative-elect Wilcox, Miami, said: “The shooter did pot aim at Mr. Roosevelt He was shooting at Mr. Cermak; there was no doubt of that” It is known that since taking office in Chicago Mr. Cermak has been pushing a relentless drive to wipe out the remnants of Al. Capone’s gang. A special policeman from his office recently shot and wounded Frank Nitti, one of Capone’s lieutenants. The Mayor’s offensive against gangsterdom is inspired by the desire to rid the city of its worst menace before the opening of the World’s Fair. It is known that many of Chicago’s “public enemies” have been wintering in Florida. When Mrs. Roosevelt at New York was acquainted with her husband’s escape she said, “I am thankful.” The physician who performed an emergency - operation on Mr. Cermak at midnight states that he has a chance of living. Mr. Cermak was shot through the chest.

Chief-Detective William Schoemaker when informed at Chicago of the shooting of Mr. Cermak immediately asked the Florida officials to take into custody 18 Chicagoans who are reported to be at Miami. Twelve of those named are reputed to be associates of Capone gangleaders.

Mr. Roosevelt said he was entirely unharmed. He was deeply moved by the serious injuries inflicted upon his friends. He is remaining at Miami to learn in the morning their condition.

Questioning of Zingara brought the information that he purchased a pistol three days ago with the original idea of assassinating President Hoover. He said he had read in a newspaper that Mr. Roosevelt was coming to Miami and changed his mind and decided to go after Mr. Roosevelt. He insisted that no one encouraged or prompted him. He had not discussed his plans with anyone. He said he had lost more than 200 dollars at the race tracks.