Evening star., 1926-05-02
SOUAbbLE DELAYS
CHICAGO INQUEST
Probe Postponed Until Tues
day-Three Machine-G Gun
Victims Buried.

BY the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, May 1.-The bodies of
| three machine-gun victims of Chi
| cago's internecine gang and liquor
running Warfare-the ninetieth, nine
| ty-t1rSt and ninety-Second within three
| years-were laid to rest today. 1t was
| conceded that four days of police in
| veStigation had accomplished nothing,
and officials and civic leaders SQUAD
| bled as to the method of investigation.
The coroner's jury of six prominent
business men met late today and.
i after discussion of two hours behind
closed doors, it was announced that
the beginning of the inquest had been
postponed until Tuesday, the day
after that set for the calling of spe-
cial grand jury, with Robert f.
Grove, the States attorney. as the of
ficer in charge of the presentation of
evidence.
Oscar Wolff, the coroner, announced
after the jury of inquest had dis
banded that the first taking of testi-
mony had been postponed because of
the illness of John j. Healy, former
States attorney, who had been re-
queSted to serve as the coroner'S
personal counsel during the inquiry.
From other quarters, it was under
stood. however, that Healy had de-
clined to serve because he felt that
his participation might give the in
quest a political tinge.
He is a law associate of Charles S.
Deneen, Unite States senator for
Illinois, who headed a Republican
faction in opposition to that led by
Grove in the recent primary.
Judge William V. Brothers, acting
chief justice OF the criminal court,
who issued the call for the special
grand jury upon petition of Mr..
Grove, with whom he is politically
allied, was in conference with Coroner
Wolff and the jury.
Wolff sal Juge Brothers was
asked about testimony the judge had
ruled out at a recent trial. AS offered
by Patrick O'Donnell, an attorney, it
was declared to be a revelation of the
connection of at least 800 policemen
with the notorious Genna gang of
illicit liquor handlers.
Harry Eugene Kelly, head Of the
Non-Partisan League Club, main
tanned his contention today that the
special grand jury as called by
Prosecutor Grove did not 'fill the
bill and stated that the agreement
of the State Attorney General, Oscar
Carlstrom, to confer with Grove to-
morrow night, ties the State officials
hands.
Take 1t or Leave 1t.
He said Mr.. Carlstrom either should
take full charge or remain entirely
aloof. Mr.. Kelly contendeds that, as
called, the special grand jury certainly
would not investigate Mr.. Groves
office, nor Mr.. Grove himself.
Alex V. korecek, hardware dealer,
who, after two days of incessant in
terrogation, admitted he had sold
three machine guns to gangsters
whom he could identify. remained in
custody willingly today, rather than
try to obtain his liberty upon a writ
of habeas corpus. He promised to
tell today the names of the pur-
chasers. but, bolstered by a nights
rest, again had closed his lips. In the
last rites for the victims today un-
usual honors were paid William
Harold McSwiggin, the youthful as
sistant States attorney, who has
achieved a remarkable record for eff
ficiency.
He was buried with the highest
church and full military honors. Too
young to serve in the World War, he
had been an officer in the Student
Training Corps. Leaders of Chicago
officialdom and business and political
life joined in the tribute. The funerals
for James j. Doherty, gangster and
saloon man, and Thomas Duffy,
saloon keeper, killed with McSwig-
gin, were less ostentatious.
"Scar-Face" Sought.
Al "Scar-face" Caproni, reputed un-
derworld ruler of Cicero, the adjoining
West Side suburb, in which the three
men were slain, and Myles and "Klon-
dyke" ODonnell, brothers and reputed
leaders of faction disputing for the
Caproni control, were the outstanding
names on the police list of those
sought for the triple killing.
The O'Donnells were believed to
have been with McSwiggin, Dohertv
and Duffy, and possibly to have been
wounded.
While the McSwiggin killing was
still in the spotlight of the city's crime
stage, another South Side associate
of liquor gangsters, Martin Garrity.
was taken for a. ride and his body
was found In an alley in the southern
fringe of the city.
The police said Garrity had paid
the price for knowing too much
He had been a hanger-on at a saloon
whose bartender was one of three men
held while the actual killers were
sought.