New Britain herald., 1926-01-21
DESPERATE DURKIN
 FACES ACCUSERS
Chicago Slayer at Last Brought
 to Bay

old bride, was In the hands ot his prosecutors today--proot as federal agents phrased 1t, that the govern ment always gets its man" Federal officers have traile1 him virtually from coast 10 coast. some times only 2i hours behind him, since he killed Edward C. shana- han, government agent. October II and shot his way out Of police trap. Killing Sergeant Harry Gray, two weeks later.
 And today tho government had joined with tho state authorities 10 bring him 10 trial aR soon as possi- ble, probably March l. with the gal lows the objective Of the prosecu- ton,
 purkin made one las, desperate effort yesterday to escape the cap tors who hcmmed him In cn route from St. Louis to Chicago. Despite the shackles on wrists and ankles, he reached around his wife and sought to grab guards pistol. But an operative seized his wrist and the attempt failed.
 Wants Ills Lawyer
 After that. he manifested slight concern. His first query on his ar- rival vas for his lawyer. His rela- lives were reported making an ef- fort to obtain Clarence Darrow, noted criminal attorney 10 defend him.
 Wife Is Quizzed
 Through the night prosecutors questioned him, his wife, Irma. daughter of Bert Sullivan. village blacksmith of Cornell, H.. his cous- in, Harriet Gallo Of Brooklyn and Betty Werner. Durkins former sweetheart, for whose baby's cloth ing Durkip dared the police trap set at her uncle's house. From their answers the states attorneys pieced ! together the story of his flight.
 Miss Gallo related how Durkin, after killing Gray, dressed himself in feminine attire in New York and calmly powdered his nose in the | presence of policemen who were questioning Miss Gallo. In wom- ans garb ho returned 10 Chicago and planted his hlocdy clothing on the Michigan boulevard bridge with a note indicating he had committed suicide.
 Met Two Years Ago
 Then lrma and her parents took up the narrative. She met him two years ago at a Chicago municipal beach. They corresponded, Durkin representing himself as Bert Con- nelly, bond salesman. On Decem- Der he came in big blue sedan 10 Cornell and the next day they elop- ed 10 St, Louis, Durkin giving his name as James Durkey in obtaining the license.
 Durkin told the rest. With lrma, who knew he was Durkin, the hunt cd gunman within q few days after their marriage. he went 10 Los An geles. with federal agents not far be- hind. He stole an automobile in Hollywood, boldly driving it out of q salesroom. The federal agents learned of the theft and surmised he would come east.
 The fugitive, his wife and a police i dog drove into Pecos, Texas, last 1 Sunday. A sheriff there stopped them, but q California deputy star and a glib story of being on q hunt ing trip 10 account for the weapons in the machine won them freedom and q letter 10 other Texas officers to extend them ceurteses | Durkln sensed danger and turned his flight toward Mexico. But 4 burned out bearing forced him to abandon the automobile near Girvin, Pecos county, Texas and board q train al Alpine, Texas for San An tunio.
 They hid In San Antonio until Tuesday. The federal men in Dal- as learned the quary had passed there and wired ahead to St. Louis, The capture at Webster Groves. yes 'erday forenoon resulted. Admits Killing Durkin freely admitted killing Shanahan, but said he thought he was a robher The death of Gray and Of Lloyd Austin, in whose flat the trap was laid, he attributed to police bullets in the wild shooting that entued when he appeared with Betty Werner.
 Durkin was shot through the arm in escaping from the Austin flat He vas treated by nr. David V, ovens, who le'er told his story to the DO. lice. But Durkin had fled Chicago then, having gone 70 New York where he assumed his womens dis guiss.