The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-09-25
TWO JURIES
Open QUIZ OF
crime RINGS
Federal Group Convened to
Start Sitting Evidence
of Auto TheftS.
COUNTY PROBE PRESSED
Victims of Clever Thieves
Here to Throw Light
on Deals.
BULLETIN

The Federal grand jury this
afternoon returned an automobile
theft indictment against Bertram
LibOwitZ, brother of Harold Lib
Owitz, who was burned fatally in
the TrSugott store fire. One other
person said to be involved in the
alleged interstate auto theft ring
also was indicted. IibOwitz is
under arrest on an affidavit
charging him with the same of
fense for which he was indicted.
Double-barrelled investigation of
the Indiar 1polis crime situation was
on in earnest today.
The Federal grand Jury, with
decks cleared of routine matters,
reconvened, to devote its entire at
tention to the interstate automobile
theft ring, in which nine persons
already are charged with completely.
The Marion County grand jury
was in the second day of its probe
of the 100000 explosion which
wrecked the Traugott clothing store,
215-17 w. Washington ST., and the
Em-Roe Sporting goods store, 211-
213 w. Washington St., the night
Of Aug. 26.
Two Probes Linked
The two investigations dovetailed
since the investigators have crossed
the trails of the same persons ir
both quizzes.
The Federal grand jury appar-
emily was beginning at the base OF
the auto theft ing case, since, of
ficials who through altered recorGg
and other clews first uncovered the
alleged rirI were among those seen
around the Federal Bldg.
Among them was State Policeman
Charles Bridges, who has led in the
recovery Of twenty stolen high
priced cars in Indianapolis, Terre
Haute, Louisville and Chicago. Two
valuable stolen cars have been
found burned.
Robert James, head of the filing
room of the State automobile license
bureau, and Ben Heaton and M. c.
Powell, notaries attached to the bu-
reau, were at the Federal Bldg.
Max Goldberg, who had one of
the cars for a time, and Joseph
Haller, Cleveland. Ohio, from whom
a Packard sedan was stolen Aug.
II, 1927, were here.
1t was disclosed today that a
salesman from an agency for an
expensive car had said that mem
bers of the theft ring for several
months trailed him to prospects.
After he had tried to sell the pros
pect the legitimate proposition, the
theft ring conspirators would ap-
proach the victim" and offer
practically new cars at ridiculously
low prices, he said.
On Trail of MarmOn Car
Bridges said the State police ex-
pected today to recover, in another
city, Marmon stolen from Indian
apolis several months ago.
Prosecutor William H. Remy and
the county grand jury conducted
two-way investigation today in con-
tinuation of the explosion case.
The jury heard eight city fire.
men, assigned 70 the store after
the fire. who answered the alarms.
Each man related his duties on the
explosion fire.
Reny centered on the booze and
auto theft trails of the investiga-
ton. He talked with a credit COM
pany representative, who, 1t is un-
derstood, handled the financial ne
gotiations on an automobile pur-
chased by bootlegger.
He conferred for some time with
James c.. Browning, head of the
Indiana Federal prohibition force,
following hurried phone CONVEX
sation with Browning.