WOULD-BE ASSASSIN

Hokitika Guardian, 17 February 1933, Page 5

WOULD-BE ASSASSIN

ATTEMPT FAILS

SHOTS FIRED AT MR ROOSEVELT (United Press Association—By Electric j Telegraph-Copyright; MIAMI, Feb. 15. An unsuccessful attempt was made to assassinate Presidentelect Roosevelt. Five shots were fired at him, but he escaped injury. Mr Roosevelt escaped injury, but others were hit, cne being the Mayor of the City of Chicago, Mr Anton Cerfnak, who was grievously wounded. Another hit by a bullet was Mrs Gill, wife of the President of the Florida Light Company. It is said that the assailant has identified himself as Joe Zingara, of New York, who is quoted as saying: “I will kill all Presidents and all officers.” CHICAGO MAYOR WOUNDED. INJURIES PROVE SERIOUSMIAMI, February 1. The Mayor of Chicago, Mr Anton Cermak, was hit by onp bullet, but his injuries are not yet determined. Thera were shots* “ fired iht o Mrs 'Roosevelt’s party. Mr Genoa,k was standing twenty feet from .vlr Roosevelt on a street- in Miami, when the ishooting occurred. Mrs Joseph Gill, the wife of the President of the Florida Power and Light Company, was also wounded. Mayor Cermak is probably fatally wounded.

An emergency operation on Mr Cermak was undertaken at midnight. The physician who has performed an emergency operation on Mr Cermak states that he 'has a chance of living.

FIVE WOUNDED ALTOGETHER

WOULD-BE ASSASSIN ARRESTED

ADA MI, February 15. In all, five persons were wounded, including two women. The would-be assassin has been arrested.

A Secret Service man was also wounded.

The shooting occurred at a .public reception at th P Bay Front Park, Biscayne Boy. Mr Roosevelt had just returned from a vacation on a yacht in the Bahama Islands.

Georg e Broadnat, a Secret Service man, was struck on the head. A fifth psi won, Russell Caldwell, a resident of Miami, was also reported to hire been wounded, thus indicating that six shots altogether were fired, the last shot going wild, through the gripping of the shooter’s wrist by Mm Dross, of Miami. Eye-witnesses of the attack isaid that the shooter did not aim at Mr Roosevelt, but at Mayor Cermak, of Chicago. The won'cl-be killer waited until Mr Roosevelt had passed, and had taken his .seat.

The citizens captured the shooter

Mr Roosevelt looked buck, and waved his arm, indicating to the people that lie was not hurt.

A THEORY OF THE CRIME

CHICAGO GANGSTERS BLAMED

GERMAN'S DRIVE ON THEY!

MIAMI, February 15. Mayor Cermak, who has been spending a vacation here, was standing on the running board of Mr Roosevelt's aut'Omob'le when the shots were fired. He, with ‘Mrs Gill, w’s placed by members °f the President-Elect's party to the tonneau of the car, and was taken to the hospital. Mr Roosevelt's trip north ha,s temporarily been cancelled in order to enable him to remain near Mayor Cermak.

Secret Service men, who Raped from Mr Roosevelt's car, where they were aot : ng as his usual guard, to grapple with the assailant were aided iby local citi/ems in capturing t.h e shooter. /Pli, 2 latter is variously reported a s a Chicagoan and New Yorker. He was immediately gaoled.

It is reported that, whereas four' of ■fiv, e of the shots fired took effect, the fifth was deflected into the air by the act of an unidentified woman .standing nearby, who seized the shooters wrist. The assailant fired from a distance of fifteen or twenty feet to the rear and right of Mr Roosevelt’s car. Some of the including the Federal Representati v-e. Eicet (Air Wilcox) of Miami, said ; “The shooter did rot aim at Mr Roosevelt.”

Mr Wilcox said : “H,, w."s shooting at Mr Uermak. There is no doubt of that!”

It js known that, since taking office in Chicago, Mayor Cermak lias 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 Nitt-i, one of Al Capone's lieutenants.

The M yorV, offensive against gangsterdom is inspired by a desire to rid tli,. c’t-v of il,s verst rr.epar , before the open : ug of the World’s Fair. It i s known that, many of Chicago’s “public enemies” have been wintering in Florida.

ZINC. RA’S STATEMENT

WOULD KILL ALL PRESIDENTS.

Ail AMT, February 15. The assailant lia-a identified himself

as Guis'Sepoe Zingara, a brick mason, of New York, who lias , been resident of Alia mi for two months.. He uttered an excited, incoherent statement to the police, declaring himself to be opposed to all rich men. He declared that he had planned an attempt on the life of the King of Italy. He said that he had no personal animus against Mr Roosevelt, but he wanted to kill all officers of the Government,

A woman, said to be- his wife, was reported to have been arrested later. “I am sorry I did not kill him! I want to kill all Presidents!” That is what Joe Zingara said in a statement to the Countly officials after lie had attempted to shoot Mr' Roosevelt, the President-Elect, on AVednesday night. Zingara was jostled by a crowd that swarmed after him following on his attempt to kill. He was housed for'safety in the Dade County Gaol, twenty one floors above the street. The quesioning of Zingara brought the information that he purchased the rbtol three' days ago with the original idea cf assassinating President Hoover. He said lie read in a newspaper that Air Roosevelt was coming, here, and he chanced his mind, and decided to go after All Roosevelt. He insisted that no one had encouraged or prompted him. Fie had not discussed his plans with anyone. Flis said that ho lost more than two hundred dollars at the race tracks. AIR ROOSEVELT’S STATEMENT. MIAMI, February 15. In a statement on AVednesday night, MY Roosevelt said that he was entirely unharmed. He said lie was deerily moved by the serious injuries inflicted upon,'lris' p rionds. Ho is remaining in AH ami to learn in the morning of their condition. AVlicn Mrs Roosevelt was made acquainted with her husband s escape, sue said: “I am thankful!”