VACANT THRONE

Hokitika Guardian, 15 July 1932, Page 2

VACANT THRONE

LEADER OF GANGSTERS. NO ANXIOUS ASPIRANT'S. nIeW. YORK, July 12. There is a vacant throne in Chicago and no. candidates for the kingdom. A* ’> Capone was ‘the uncrowned monarch of the city’s gangland, and he has faden. Nobody seems to want to take his place. A ' muscular, quick-witted young gangster named Murray 'Humphreys is nominal head of , the Capone syndicate. He began .directing operations when Capone was arrested. But he has never assumed the - power which aas his master’s. In fact, he wants to step out from under'. At least five other gunmen are “ta line” for the leadership. None want it. Each believes that i with Capone in prison, the gang’s defences have broken down. ' There is Frank Nitfci, “the Enforcer,” just back 'from serving 18 months; for, of all things, income tax evasion. Dapper, diminutive, and shrewd, Nitti has lannounced that he had “learned his lesson.” “I’m out of the gang,” 'he says. On the north side is Ted Newberry, aged about 25, a seasoned lieutenant in the Capone organisation. But he is worried about his own income tax. Johnny Pstton, aged 40, the “boy mayor,” of Burnham —a cluster of road houses where A 1 Capone established his first vice resorts—is 'another eligible. Then conies Frankie Rio, the bodyguard who served a year with Capone in the Philadelphia prison for carrying a concealed revolver. 'Rio, too, is dodgipg responsibility. m Marty Guilfoyle, the “arbitrator from K’.ondyke, O’Donnell’s territory on the . west side, has been mentioned for the- throne. But he prefers easy chairs. Now that Capone: i. s out of the way for seven years, the ‘authorities are trying to “clean-up” Cicero, a suburb of Chicago, where Capone secured control and established his vice houses. But an unusual obstacle has arisen to this praiseworthy .plan. Recently a Democratic administration was elected to .succeed the Republicans who had held office since. Cicero was named “A 1 Capone’s home town.” But only three'of the six town board members are . Democrats. A quoroum of four members .is necessary for business. So the three Republicans have refused to go to any meeting s . Hen c e no official town business has yet been done. Reform projects for revising, the government of Cicero have been held -up,