The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1921-03-02

Af+cr a long drawn-out and bitterly
-o,+oz+ed trial taat lasted avcr week,
former west Hammond police officers
EozmaIa and Spencer were both ae-
ouitted Of the charge of murder IN
.r,des Gridley's court in Chicago yes
tsrdav The state was asking the eA,
.-emo penalty ana the jury was only
o,,t long enough 10 carry cut t'e
eorr,alities Of 4 FIRST verdict
Tbo case attracted widespread 70
tont{on because 0r the fact that ool"
me-, we're charged witF aurder whlie
AMY and recalled tho nature
dance" stag banquet given by Ham
,,o7s Maohinfsts' Local zoe tn Colum
ii. YIal1 in west Hammond a. when
7ftcbael Hsmphm OF Highland was
sbot and killed and W. c. Bently OF
,vost cary recsivod a shattered knee
from a bullet wound.
MANY SENSATIONS AT TRIAL
The trial was a sensational affair
and presented many unusual features
t7,.erv effort was made by the state
1i5t,ois with the members Of the
Nfacbinfsts Union as prosecuting Wit
,e,ses 70 convict Kosmala and Spen-
~ The union hired Frank Conner
eo-a 70 assist the state but Attys sam
,farkman and Ben Short proved them
sotvaa more than \ match for the bril-
4.r+ array the state had. The one
~ or sensational evidence brought
ont was given by LaBelle Lucille, the
Salorns dancer for whom the defense
,-osseuted a years search before they
~on1d get her on The stand. The wom-
~ uho was 10 have danced in the
nude at the party told a revolving
storv Of the evening orgy at Columbia
Bau and the state caught Tartar
when cross-examining her. Her story
vas unshaken however ana she was
nora than a match for tho brillians
states counsel, Many West Harmon q
ana Hammond men testified for the
policemen and Afteen OF the machin-
Ists local were called to the witness
stand. The stag took place May 2s'
1919.
HOW AFFAIR WAS CONCEIVED.
Hammond Machinists' Local 2os had
arranged 20 have a stag banquet at
Columbia Hall IN West Hammond. Ac-
oording to members Of the committee
IN charge this was to be a big affair
ss July l would rob these stays or
rnueh Of their popularity among the
mon. The entertainment committee
through a vaudeville booking agency
In Chicago had hired four girls "Sa-
lone Dancers they were called, TO
add TO the merriment- Word reached
the police station at about midnight
that the dance was getting pretty raw
80 Ofricers Spencer and Kosmala wore
nraia says he tried to gain admission
~ the front entrance but was refused
He explained that he was an officer
snd was supposed TO watch in on pub
lie meetings Of this sort in order to
see that no rough stuff was pulled
Off"
ENTERED HALL THROUGH SALOON
railing TO get in at the front he
vent through tho Ldetzan saloon and
entered the hall through a connecting
door. One OF the dancing girls was
putting on an especially vulgar exhibi-
tton. he says, so ne commanded her -
sto0. In spite II the expressions Of
dtsapproval from the crowd of perhapc
800 banquetters hc made the girls go
MO the dressing room to don sufric'
cnt clothes IN order TO be taken to the
police station.
TWO GIRLS ESCAPE.
Two Of 1he girls embraced the op-
portunity to escape by a window lead
ing from the dressing room while thc
others. May Smitt. % Z. Ohio street.
chicago. and Awauna Treveaur Bang
or Hotel, Chicago, announced their
readiness 10 accompany the officers.
The policemen entered the drcssins
room 10 bring out the girls which was
a signal for the disorder which fol-
lowed Beer bottles rained against
the door and shattered above the
heads Of the men.
CROWD ARMED WITH BOTTLES.
Thecrowd sureed forward armed
with more notifies and Kosmala says 3.
was Impossible - move forward wi5h
the girls.
9