Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1923-12-20
TWO AVIATGRS
MISTAKEN FOR
STOCK SWlNDLERS
Aranson And Myers Prove Innocence
After Spending Night in Jail; Re-
leased Friday Afternoon on
Advice From Chicago
WERE ON PLEASURE TRIP
Propeller Breaks While Taking Pigue
for Joy Ride; Men Forced to Re
turn to Chicago for New Plane

Leo. A. Koretz, the millionaire Chi
cago stock swindler, who was thought
to hA.e been in the party OF aviators
who N'ided here Thursday, Dec. IS,
at about 6 p. M, caused two innocent
aerial joy riders to be detained in the
local jail during Thursday night and
most of Friday, until their innocence
was entirely established to the salts
faction of the local police department.
The whole affair was mix-up,
bringing discomfort and embarras-
ment to two young men, on pleasure
bound to Cuba. w. w. Meyer. pilot,
and Waller Wolfe Aronson, manager
OF Chicago Drug Co., arrived here
via air route in a Larret Swallow
and landed mile south of the city
coming from Chicago en- route to
Cuba. The two young men registered
at the Lee Grant Hotel and retired
Tor the night after sending a message
to Chicago, instructing parties to for
ward money to Key West where they
expected to arrive Saturday.
About midnight long distance call
from Chicago inquired of the local
police if two men had arrived here in
an airplane and asked for their de-
tentiou. officer Pigue, accompanied
by John Gray and Officer Hutto
called at the Lee Grant Hotel and
aWoke sthe two suspects, who were
sleeping the sleep of the just" una
ware thd5 their presence in the city
had created such a stir.
The Chicago party requested to talk
to the pilot of the machine and re-
ceived from him a description of his
passenger, after which officer Pigue
received definite instructions to hold
both parties and keep them under
Surveillance, as they were alleged to
be implicated in a five million dollar
swindle, assuring local officers that
warrant and officer with requisition
papers would leave on the first train
for Fitzgerald after the alleged Grim
inals. Friday Chief Dixon wired and
phoned for more definite information
and was advised that the Chicago
authorities did not want the suspects
and that no one connected with the
Cook County GID Sheriff office had
authorized the arrest of Myer and
Aronson and requested that they be
released from custody.
State Attorney Robert z. Grove
and Sheriff Peter Hoffman concur
ring in the instructions in a joint tele-
gram addressed to Chief Dixon.
Aronson and Myers were released
at 4 p. m Friday. The two took their
detention Aphilosophicaliy and express
sed THEN appreciation for the court
este extended them by the officers and
citizens Of Fitzgerald--many Of whom
came to the city bastil!e during the
day to view the millionaire CD pri-
.soners, who had cheerful word for
all Corners.
s Officer Pigue and Editor Gelders
were promised flight in their aero
plane for courtesies extended TO the
two strangers whilst in Jail and Satur-
day morning, when the plane was put
to order Editor Gelders and Pilot
Myers were preparing to ascend
when broken bolt on the engine was
discovered and the flight arrested.
Boley Watson expert machinist was
called to the scene and after working
about four hours on the engine, the
plane was declared ready for its flight
In the absence of Editor Ge1ders, Of
ficer Pigue was given the first op-
.portunity to view the countryside from
the heavens, but the plane hadn't ris-
en- more than. fifty feet when the pro-
pe1ler broke and the machine came to
terra firna in hurry.
Though no one was injured the
plane was wrecked propeller and
wings being entirely destroyed. Myers
and Aronson the two venturesome
tourists took the accident phi1osophi-
cally and had the wrecked plane load
ed on a freight car of the A. B. & A.
and shipped to Chicago, to which city
the two took passage Saturday night,
promising to return in a new plane
within ten days, when the postponed
flights are TO be taken.
Pigue refuses to say whether he'll
fill IS engagement and the writer is
himself undecided.
- A. T Id