MIAMI SHOOTING

Hokitika Guardian, 17 February 1933, Page 6

MIAMI SHOOTING

ANXIETY HELD

FOR THE RECOVERY OF MR ;. . . CEREMAK,

Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copy right;

(Received Feb-, If 'at 9 a.m.) ‘ <VI lOAuO; February 1G

Shocked;hv the news, that its antigang 'Mayor had been shot, Chicago awaited the outcome of M't' Ccrmak s wounds with anxiety and hope. .The police continued the anti-gang dii\e ordered by the. nuavor some in.-c ««<», and. squads wcie sent into the underworld haunts in acarcli of suspicious

persons. Mr Ceremak is aged 59, and he rose from tire position of unmigrant Ineuuieibpy in an lUinos coal mine to the mayoudib. He went to Florida last week to recuperate from a cold, and to confer with Mr .Roosevelt and associates on political and ocher matters. He is a Democratic National Committeman of Illinois. Ever since luis elevation to Major fncire havt'i 'own uuyeViUed Unit lie was the recipient, of death, threats,’ but officials did not believe; t],at .there was .any possibility -that, they could have imy connection with' file Miami shooting.

j/ft. Cermak defeated Mr William Thompson (Republican) m 1931. Thompson' was noted for his slogan of: “Keep King George out of Chicago.”

MR, CERMAK HAS 50-50 CHANCE. MRS GILL IN CRITICAL STATE. (Received FelV. 1’ at- 9.5 a.m.) AIJAMI, February Hi. Physicians to-day -said tha* Mr Cermak has a fifty-fifty chance of recovery. Hjs conditpg is regarded dangerous, twit not immediately critical! The ‘ bullet evidently-, traversedthe diaphragm and lodged in the body in the eleventh dorsal vertebrae. Surgical intervention was deemed unwise unless I/|S condition Ij.Gco.nißs-• •xvojso. Lying in hospital Mr Cermak said to Mr Roosevelt: “I am mighty glad that it was me : instead of you. 1 wish you 'would be,"careful. The country needs you.” : ‘ • ' *' s ~

A deep expression. of agony showed .in the suu-taained face: of Air Roosevelt as he bent over the" bed,.' ’replying: “Me need you, and men like you.” Mr Roosevelt held the Mayor in...bis lap en route to the hospital in Roosevelt’s car. The condition- of Mrs Joseph Gill/ who was allot in tlie. abdomen, took.-tt turn for the. worse, and she is describe, ed as the most critical of the three others injured, but; js believed fo be.put of danger.' ." A newspaper clipping- told the story of the assassination. of : President. Ale-, Kinley. It was a woman,. Airs F. W. Cross, eanaaaaaaaa

of Miami, who grabbed nt the<,arm *>f the assassin a;? Air Cermak sunk' to the pavement. It was the bystanders who did the shouting ancl screaming®' Airs Cross o-ave the following ac>Js. count; “AVhen the President-elect stood up to speak, .there were so many in front of mo that I could not sec, so 1 stood unou a bench. This man stood up with me, and tlie bench al-. moat"folded up, so T looked round and then saw that lie had a. pistol, and lie began shooting toward the Presi-dent-elect. I grabbed the hand which held the pistol, and pushed it into the air. Air Tom Armour also grabbed his hand, and we held it up. By that time some men were choking him.” The police are convinced that the attempt war, a one-man job. The penalty for attempted assassination in Florida is .life imprisonment, and for assassination death.

PRESIDENT HOOVER IS SHOCKED

SOLICITOUS INQUIRIES AIADE

(Received this day at 10.15 WASHINGTON, February loG*

President Hoover is shocked by .the attempt upon Air Roosevelt, and found doubly-alert good secret service agents watching over his safety to-day. “’I am deeply shocked at the news. It was a dastardly act,” he. said,, and telegraphed to All* Roosevelt; “.Together with every citizen I rejoic,, that you have not been injured. ■ I shall be grateful to you far news of Mr Cei’mak's condition. - ’ He inquired also for the others. The wounded secret service guard was posted not far from -th f > President’s bedroom door throughout the night. HOUSE FAVOURS MEASURE. (Received this day at 10.25 a.m.) WASHINGTON, February 16. Reversing its previous action foil awing the attempt against Mr Roosevelt, the House Judiciary Committee to-day .favourably reported on the EsJek Bill for heavy penalties on those who advocate th e overthrow of the Government by force or resistance to ledeial •State officials.

CAPONE GANGAIEN SUSPECTED

CHICAGO. February 15

Chief-Detective William Shoemaker, when informed of the shooting: of Mayor Cermak in Alia,mi, immediately asked the Florida officials to take into custody eighteen Chicagoans, who are reported to he there. Twelve of those named are reputed to he associates the Al Capone gang leaders.