CRIME: Rumors of War

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Last week portions of two hemispheres were stirred by rumors of a big U. S. gangland war. Prospective war zone: the operative territory of famed Racketeer Jack ("Legs") Diamond. This territory begins in Brooklyn, N. Y., where henchmen of Diamond and Charles ("Vannie") Higgins are blamed for periodic battles with gangs reputed to be led by Angelo ("Little Augie") Pisano, heir to the eminence of the late Frankie Yale (TIME, July 9, 1928). Far out on the westward highways, however, speed Diamond's trucks, delivering beer to roadhouse customers. The leader has many activities, was arrested and released for a killing last year in the Hotsy-Totsy night club, Manhattan. He is out on bail pending Federal trial for a narcotic law violation. Since his last arrest he has dwelt secluded in a mountain retreat at Acra, N. Y., where his ten-room house was guarded (until police raids) by machine-guns, is still guarded by flood lights which sweep every approach.

Bloody Car. Among Diamond's acquaintances is one Harry ("Skunky") Klein, 26. Last week detectives found him drunk in a Brooklyn garage once owned by "Vannie" Higgins. They arrested Klein because a Buick car in the garage had blood-splattered upholstery, contained a discharged pistol cartridge and blocks for running it over a harbor stringpiece into oblivion. Tipsy and garrulous, Klein said he was living at the Acra estate, had been wakened by strangers the previous morning at 4 a. m., told to drive the Buick to Brooklyn and find one Fred Witcher who would help him dispose of it. They were to split $50 for the job. After obtaining the blocks, he had spent his $25 on drink. Police traced the car to its owner, Proprietor Harry Western (sometimes called Weston) of the Chateau roadhouse on Lake Katrine, near Kingston, N. Y. and found Western had been missing from the establishment since two nights before.

Arsenal. Klein babbled about Fred Witcher, who lived nearby. In Witcher's apartment, the detectives encountered James Dalton, Diamond's chauffeur, come to take Mrs. Witcher to visit in Acra. The visit was postponed .and all present were arrested, because under a Witcher bed was discovered a terrifying gangland armory, including bullet-proof vests, "pineapple" hand-grenades, tear gas bombs, revolver ammunition, several calibres of "fountain-pen" pistols, dynamite.