DIAMOND’S GANG

Hokitika Guardian, 30 April 1931, Page 2

DIAMOND’S GANG

BIG BATTLE WITH POLICE

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.)

NEW YORK, April 28

Today’s activites of .Jack Diamond’s gangsters have reached sensational proportions. While their leader’s Diamond’s physicians had expressed their doubts as to whether he would live, despite his present survival of in bis liver, lung, head and throat,' a group of bis ruffians, presumably wishing to make up _ for Jack’s indictment as cabled oil April 27th., for burning a man in an effort to make him reveal the details of bis cider trade, seized the latter. They then gave him a second serious beating. Shortly afterwards others dragged the victim’s son from an automobile and they hanged him to a tree, from which, however, lie escaped, and then spread the alarm.

Governor Roosevelt, of New York State has given orders to the police and State Troopers to the effect for “a complete clean up of the gang.” The residents in the neighbourhood of Diamond’s Catsgill Mountain strong, hold have formed a Viglants group in an attempt, to drive the criminals from the area.

The latter, liowever ) seem to intend tfr> give considerable battle before drop,, ping their profitable “Apple Jack” looting "business, They are organised in what is ironically called the “driest” portion of New York State. The police, however, have appro, handed five alleged members of Din* rnond’s group. Thy have also found the automobile from which Diamond wns shot. This contained an arsenal of two "shotguns, revolvers, and daggers made from needle point joe picks.

An earlier cable stated:— .Tack Diamond, known as “Legs,” the gangster. lias again been critically wounded. Ho was hit by mliot-gun slugs in an area (New York) road house. “Legs” was seated with companions at a meal when he suddenly rose and went to the door. The guests heard shots, and they found him on the floor. A parsing farmer took him and/ a companion to the Albanv Hospital. He was shot before in October, 1927, and again, last August, from wounds which he recently recovered.