Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-13

case. The profits were apporuoned
among the gang members, the appor-
tionment being made by Nhlttemore'
who personally Superlntended us
operations. SO successful had the
gangs system been that police at
first declined to make public the de-
tails of a confession of Anthony Pala-
dino, one of Whittemore' henchmen,
on the grounds that it set a dangerous
example.
The gangs breakup was rapid after
Whittemore and two companions
visited the Chantee Night Club in the
early morning of March ~ ast. he
was trailed from the door by a row
ing patrol, forced from his automo
bile several blocks away and taken
to Headquarters, where his. identity
was established. The remainder OF
the gang were rounded up one by
one. largely through police watch
on Mrs. Margaret Whittemore, the
bandit chiefs wife, who was living
with him In a downtown hotel.
Paladiono tipped off, the system
in his confession and incriminated.
besides Whittemore. Leon and Jacob
Kraemer, brothers; Milton "Shuff1eS
Goldberg and Baltimore Willie
Unkelbach as the chief members OF
the gang. Unkelbach. the last to be
arrested, was in Baltimore while
search for him was being made in
Cleveland and might have escaped
had he not driven in his automobile
from Baltimore to New York to re-
trieve personal belongings. All the
male gangsters received prison terms
in New York.
Obtains Wife's Release.
Mrs. Whittemore also was arrested
in New York, but her bandit husband
effected her release, on an agreement
with District Attorney Banton. BY ad-
hitting his part in thefts totallng
hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Whittemore. however, refused to IN
criminate any other member OF the
gang. After her release Mrs. White
more dedicated herself to an attempt
to save her husbands life.
She appeared in Buffalo and sat
silent in the courtroom as jury was
discharged after failing to agree on
Whittemores guilt in connection with
the shaving of a bank messenger In
a S93. 600 daylight hold-up there. she
followed him back to Baltimore. when
New York State, itself having rob-
berry indictments against the gang
leader whose penalties would totat
200 wears, released him to Maryland,
where States Attorney ii. r. O'Con-
or. whose youthfulness matched that
of the prisoner, promised a perfect
hanging case.
Whittemore was found guilty OF
first degree murder on May p. Later
both the supreme bench of Baltimore
and the Maryland Court of Appeals
had denied Whittemore a new trial.
Gov. Richie OF Maryland reviewed
the case. Edgar Allan Poe, White:
more's counsel, contended the evil
dence justified nothing more severe
than a verdict of SecOnd-degree muir
der. Whittemore's defense was that
he struck the guard down In Self-de-
fence during an alteration, and not
for the purpose of escape. GOV.
Richie declined to interfere.
The Sayings of Chicago Tommy
Langrella. an underworld character
of Chicago and Baltimore, who was
found shot to death in North Airing
ton, n. c., last February, and Of
Simon L. Gilden of Baltimore, believed
n former member of the Whittemore
gang, in New York last December.
were attributed by police to White
more or his followers. Neither of the
crimes, however. was ever fastened
directly on the gang. Whittemore ad-
mitted shooting Edward c'Spike')
kenney, at Middle River roadhouse,
on the outskirts of Baltimore. last
Halloween night. Kenney recovered
in hospital with a police guard
around the building. Whittemore
pleaded poverty when arraigned in
Baltimore What became of his re-
puted fortune in loot was never de-
veloped.