The Minnesota fiery cross. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1924-19??, 1924-02-22

in the Staying of Constable eagle
the kidnapping Of Chief of Police
John Ford, his assistant Harold
Crane, and the attempted asssssina,
tion Of Law Enforcer Young, Sam
Stems, Exalted Cyclops Of the Ma,
rion Khan, Abe Hicks, Police Magis-
trate John Whiteside, Herrin bushes.
man and cleanup leader. The failure
Of the conspirators to murder all OF
these marked men" is attributed by
Young to "a loss Of nerve at the last
minute" on the part Of tho gang
leaders who weakened when eagle
pitched forward on his face wher
Shot in the back"
Constable eagle was killed Friday
evening, February 9Th. With his
wife he was attending a function
hall. His small son was down town
where he had been observed by the
enemy. When the youngster started
home he was stopped and directed to
go to the Masonic hall and inform
his father that There Is trouble
down at the Rome club over the
Jefferson saloon. Come at once"
The innocent child delivered the mes
sage to his father. Constable eagle
good officer that he was, responded
to the call. As he approached the
entrance to the saloon he was met
by a gang Of men, one of whom
struck him in the face. As he fell
he was shot twice by other members
of the gang, and died on the side
walk like q dog.
While this tragedy was being en-
acted, a similar message was sent to
Chief of Police Ford. He, with As
sistant Chief Crane, responded, and
upon entering the Rome" club, the
meeting place of the notorious "Flam-
ing Circle" gang, the gangsters
opened fire upon them, disarmed and
captured them. During the shoot
ing John Layman, chief deputy sher-
if and one Of the inmates Of the
resort, was wounded.
Law Enforcer Young, with q num-
Der Of his aides, returning to Herrin
from Marion, the county seat, to ar
rest the murderers and quell the ex-
element, was ambushed from the
roadside. A volley Of rife shots was
poured into the automobile occupied
by his party. That tho party escaped
is due to the fact that they rode In
new automobile which had just
been presented to Young by the citi-
zens Of Williamson county as a to-
ken Of their admiration, and not in
his old car, which was known to law
violators in Southern Illinois as the
"old gun boat" The car was riddled
with bullets, but it's driver was un-
| injured.
The attempt to get" Young was
given added zest last week when
members of the Flaming Circle"
| imported a half dozen members Of
the "Eagan's Rats" gang from St.
Louis, armed them and made up a
lack pot" of $4,000 cash, to be Civ
en- to the man who bumps him off,"
Upon the arrival of Young and his
party in Herrin, hurried, but COM
prehensive investigation revealed the
identity of many of the gargsters in
the groups that killed Constable Ca
gle and captured the chief of police
and his assistant.
Warrants charging murder were
sworn out against the following:
MAJ" ANDERSON - erstwhile
mayor of Herrin, against whom evil
dence is being secured connecting
him directly with the lawlessness that
has made this city by-word through
out the country;
GEORGE GALLIGAN-sheriff of
Marion county, reputed leader of
lawlessness in the county, and against
whom Law Enforcer Young will seek
indictments from the federal grand
jury for accepting brides in connec-
ton with liquor cases;
JOHN LAYMAN-Chief deputy, and
brains" of the FLAMING Circle"
gang associate of bootleggers and re-
sort keepers;
HUGH WILLIS-Committeeman of
the United Mine Workers of Ameri-
lea, dad man."
ALVIN THOMAS-Deputy sheriff,
reputed bootlegger, associate of gam
ELL TRoUTT-Mine guard, reput-
ed bootlegger, some time mine
guard, and admitted 'hard guy"
ORA THOMAS-Head of the in
famous Flaming Circle" deputy
sheriff, owner Of saloon and gambling
hall, under $4,000 bond for liquor
selling, sponsor of the "Eagan's
Rats"
HEZZIE BURNS-Deputy sheriff,
under charges of bribery, associate
of Berger, proprietor of the Half
way House." liquor and vice dive;
WILLIAM RUFF-Miner, reputed
member of the FLAMING Circle;"
CARL RUFF-brother of the above,
miner, and proud of his family name;
JOHNNY MURRAY-Part owner of
the notorious Carterville pike road
house and bootlegging joint;
HARRY MURRAY-brother and
business partner of the above.
Gangsters Resist Arrest
The true story of the arrest of
these men has never yet been told
Press accounts differ in all essential
details, and the facts in connection
with the battle waged by the des-
perado fortified in the city hospital
against officers armed with warrants
for their arrest is disclosed for the
first time.
AtIer the murder of Constable
Ca. lie and the capture of Chief of Pc
lice and his assistants, the Flaming
Circle" gangsters divided. One group
under the leadership of Sheriff CALI
gan left the city in automobiles with
their prisoners, presumably to MUIR