The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1919-05-29
BLOODSHED
ENDS DINNER
Of MACH|N|STS
Attempted Rescue of Dancers
and Attack On Officers
Cause of Shooting.

Death was an unwelcome star
actor at a West Hammond stag
banquet early this morning. He
brought with him his usual props
unbridled license, guns, drink and
defiance of law and order. When
he finished his act there was no en-
core; the banquet hall was a
shambles; men couldn't see one
another for acrid gun smoke; the
dance floor was slippery with
blood and ambulances busy.
One man was killed, another
seriously wounded; riot calls sent
to both the Hammond and West
Hammond police stations. Thes
West Hammond police station was
filled with hootchie dancers and
revelers, arrested as witnesses.
The coroner's inquest was a sensa-
tional affair this afternoon.
Is is usual there is wide divergenca
in opinion as to the Justification of the
N.tst Hammond police who claim that
thg were in danger of their lives
Members Of tho banquetting guests call
the shooting pisin murder
The victims are:
MICHAEL HEMPHILL. Sc. High
lands. Ind. Married and the
father of five children. Killed
Instantly
". g BENTLEY. Engiowood ave.
and Ninth St, West Gary; knee
shattered
HOW AFFAIR WAS CONCEIVED
Hammond Machinists' Local 209 had
arranged to have a stag banquet at
Columbia Hall in West Hammond sc
cording TO members of the committee fsi
charge this was to be Il big affair as
July would rob these stays Of much Of
their popularity among the men The
entertainment committee through a
vaudeville booking agency in Chicago
had hired four girls. "Salome Dancers"
they were called. to add TO the merri-
ment. Word reached the police station
at about midnight that the dance was
getting pretty raw so Officers Spenser
and Kosmala were sent to the hall 70
investigate. Kosmala says he tried 20
gain admission at the front entrance
but was refused He explained that he
was an officer and was supposed to
watch in on public meetings of this sort
in order to see that no rough stuff was
pulled off"
~
Failing to get in at the front he
went through the Lietzan saloon and
entered the hall through a connecting
door. One of the dancing girls was put
ting on an especially vulgar exhibition.
he says. - he commanded her TO stop
In spite of the expressions of disap-
proval from the crowd of perhaps 200
banquetters he made the girls go into
the dressing room to don sufficien,
clothes in order to be taken to the Pc
lice station.
TWO GIRL ESCAPE.
Two OF the girls embraced the opror-
tunity to escape by a window leading
from the dressing room while the 9th
ers. May Smitt. % z. Ohio state. Chi
cago. and Awanna Treveaur Bangor
Hotel. Chicago. announced their readi-
ness to accompany the officers. The
policemen entered the dressing room to
bring out the girls which was a signal
for the disorder which followed. Beer
bottles rained against the door and
shattered above the heads of the men.
CROWD ARMED WITH BOTTLES.
The crowd surged forward armed
with more bottles and Kosmala says II
was impossible to move forward with
the girls.
AS the crowd closed in shouting. Gel
them. Get them." Kosmala was seized
by Hemphin who was a powerful man
much larger than the officer. Spencer.
trying to force his way through the
crowd saw the struggle start and re-
turned TO help kosmala. AS he neared
the side of his partner he says Bentley
raised a bottle to strike Kosmala from
behind Spencer fred, hitting Bently in
the knee.
DREW GUN TO SAVE HNsELT.
Kosmala in his struggle with Hemp
hill was forced to his knees whereupon
the crowd began yelling. Kick him un-
der the chin" He says they 1ammed
about him trying to get at him with
feet and fists and finally to save him
self he drew his gun and fired. The
bullet entered HemphilI's left shoulder
Just back OF the arMpit ana apparently
was DETECTED BY the shoulder blade to
the heart one of the large arteries.
for the man staggered and fell dead
SEVEN ARRESTED AS WITNESSES.
Immediately following the shooting
there was hush then the crowd once
more pressed forward but the officers
held them Off until reserves arrived
from the police station and cleared the
hall. Seven men were picked up
for the inquest and taken to
the station with the two girls.
The hall was Uttered with broken
bottles. overturned tables and chairs
and blood smeared the noor and furpi-
L..