The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-09-10

Justice had alleged it had connected
the trio with at least two of eleven
stolen automobiles sent to Indian
apolis from Chicago and Cleveland
and resold at cut prices to leading
Indianapolis citizens.
The Sussman's we're held in Jail
until after 8, Saturday night, when
they provided $4,000 surety bonds
through the H. H. Woodsmall Com
pany.
"I sent Eddie Traugott east Fri
day to obtain more afhdavits. He
went to Eaton, Ohio, and then on
farther east to interview a sheriff at
whose home he spent the night
when his store was burned" said
Holmes.
Holmes Distrusts Officers
Holmes said he did not trust the
motives of authorities investigating
the fire, so he was getting affldavits
to back up the story Traugott
and Attorney Paul Scharffin told Of
having left Indianapolis the after
noon of Aug. 26 for New York,
from which trip they returned Fri
day, Aug 81.
The explosion occurred about $3.50
the night of Aug. 26.
Traugott and Scharfin both de-
clared they were near Eaton, Ohio,
little after o'clock that evening
and witnessed a bad automobile ac-
cident.
They contended they knew moth
ing of the explosion until the fol-
lowing Wednesday.
"Traugott has nothing to fear, so
he will surrender at the marshal's
Office as soon as he gets in town."
said Holmes.
Stolen Cars Traced
Federal agents and State police
have been working on the automo-
bile theft ring for about two months.
Insurance detectives Of Chicago and
Cleveland traced some expensive
stolen cars in this direction and
sought aid of the authorities.
AS a result, ten cars, such as
Cadillacs, Packards, La SALES and
Lincolns, we're taken away from
prominent indianapolis citizens and
returned to Chicago and Clevelad
owners, and the investigation of the
persons through whose hands the
cars had passed was started.
The affidavit against Traugott
and the Sussmans charges they
handled Packard car stolen from
Cleveland, which was sold to Max
Goldberg here.
State Policeman Charles Bridges
disclosed that the fences" had an
ingenious scheme for disposing of
the expensive cars. They had two
or three glib statesmen at work in the
city.
Use Smooth Scheme
The motor numbers of the stolen
cars were altered to correspond with
number of cars of the same make
and model on records of New York
State. With certificates Of title and
bills Of sale, either made by some
conniving official in New York or
cleverly forged, the fences" found
it easy to transfer the titles to Indi-
ana persons and get perfectly plaus-
ible license plates and papers here.
Federal agents are investigating
this angle, it is said.
In most cases local citizens pur-
chased the $4,000 and $4,000 cars for
from $1,100 to $1,700. Officials
pointed out that the citizens should
have suspected there was something
wrong. with such a bargain.
Trailed to Terre Haute
In addition to the ex-pohceman,
the bootlegger, and the man figuring
in criminal news, the officials have
traced some of the "hot" cars to
two and possibly three persons in
Terre Haute.
Besides the ten cars recovered,
the authorities have traced one
Cadillac which was taken into the
country south of the city and
burned, apparently by some one
frightened by the hot pursuit of the
Federal agents.
officials say they believe three
more of the stolen cars are in the
city which they have not located.