G-MEN’S CLEVER WORK

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 135, 18 January 1939, Page 4

G-MEN’S CLEVER WORK

KIDNAP GANG- TAKEN TEX MONTHS’ SEARCH NEW YORK, Nov. 2—One of the finest pieces of detective work ever done by the Federal Bureau of Investigation has resulted! in the solution of three kidnappings, the alleged murder of one of the victims, and three armed robberies. Mr. Edgar Hoover, Director of the Bureau, asserts that four prisoners, Joseph Secoda, now in Sing Sing prison. Demetrius Gula, William Jacknis, and John Virga, formed one of the niost vicious crime syndicates ever found iu New (York. The man they are accused of having murdered, Arthur Fried, a contractor, was forced..from his motor-car in December, and when the family failed' to pay a ransom of £40,000, was shot through the head in cold blood. Another man who was kidnapped in July by the same gang and was released after paying £2,000, provided Gmen with their sole clues. Check on Broadcasts. While being driven by his abductors to a hiding place in the basement of a public hall on the East Side of New York, ho heard a radio in a passing-motor-car which stuck in his memory. When G-men subsequently checked all wireless programmes broadcast on the night of the kidnapping, they were able to establish the precise hour at which it occurred.

During his captivity the man hoard church bells and a faint clicking of billiard balls. B[y visiting 200 churches and 700 billiard halls, G-men found the hall where he had been held prisoner and, armed with this information, finally brought to a conclusion the search which had lasted 10 months.