New Britain herald., 1928-01-26
|GANGSTERS BLOW
 l UP CHICAGO HOMES
Dynamite Residences of Mayor
 Tbompson's Political Aides
NONE REPORTED HURT

NVNU NQI VNlUU HUH Executives Order that Terrorism 1 Must Stop Results in Bombing of
 Dwelling Occupied by City Comp 1 tr0ller Fitxnorris.
 Chicago, Jan. 26 (UP)-Chicago gangsters retaliated with dynamite today against the city administra- tion's attempts to curb crime. The answer to Mayor Big Bill' Thompson's declaration that gang terrorism must be ended came in the form of two devastating bomb explosions at the homes of Thomp- sons closest associates. Charles c. Fitzmorris. city comp troller and second in rank to the mayor, was the target of the first blast. The front of his home was l torn away by & dynamite bomb thrown from an automobile shortly after midnight.
 either at Dr. William H. Reid, 6 power in the Thompson political or ganization or to John r. Allen, re- cent candidate for alderman. It ex- ploded between their homes but did little damage.
 Police, certain that the gangsters were out to intimidate the Thomp- son administration. believed the sec ond bomb was intended for Dr. Reid.
 No one was injured in either ex- plosion.
 Crack investigators of the police department took up the hunt for the terrorists.
 1 Back of the attack, it was said, lies a long and confused trail of politics, gang influence. and Chica- go's growing elf-consciousness aris- ing from the merciless sarcasm to which the gang affairs have ex- posed the city.
 i The mysterious absences of Al 1 Capone. chief gang leader, repeated arrests on minor charges of Joe Saltis and other minor leaders; and most of all, the rigidly enforced po- lice ban on operation of elaborate gambling houses-chief source of income of the gangs-all have indi- cated t]at the police department had seriously set out to break tho gttp of tAe ''neodlsms" on th.ss city,
 At first, it was believed the gamb- ltng ban was temporary. merely de- signed to enforce peace between rival gangs who threatened to fight among themselves. Then it was re- ported pressure of merchants desir- ing to preserve Chicago's money for Christmas buying had caused the closing order. and that it would be unofficially lifted after the new year began.
 But the gambling houses remain ed closed. The treasuries of the gangs grew empty. And it was noted that crime commissions and civic orga nizations had begun an active campaign of propaganda to estab- fish Chicago as 8 city without more than its share of criminal activities. Added to resentment against rail- lery directed at the city came all obvious determination by civic lead CTS to do anything necessary to ! make Chicago's 1888 worlds fair Q i success.
 Today's bombs were interpreted as being gangland's warning that it would not quit without fight Mayor Thompson's home is con- stantly under guard. So is that of Chief of Police Michael Hughes. 1 But the home of Fitzmorris, ! whose controllership makes him vice mayor, was unprotected. as were the residences of Reid and AL len.
 That, 1t was believed, was the req son his residence was chosen for the warning of the gangs.
 The Fitzmorris bomb tore away the front of the brick structure and shattered windows as far away as six blocks. Windows were broken in Dr. Reid's home but otherwise 1t was not damaged.
 Edward Mccarthy who lives near the Fitzmorris home told police he was passing by the house when the Pbomb was thrown there. He said he saw . motor car passing. It slowed down and then shot forward. The explosion followed almost immedi- ately. he said.
 Fitxmorris commented today that "A man can't be chief of police without making enemies"
 There may te dozens of persons in Chicago who might fancy they 1 have grudge against me-" he added.
 Dr. Reid was not convinced the bomb had been aimed at him. He pointed out that John Allen. at one time . candidate for alderman, who lives next door to Reid. had been bombed before at an address from which he since has moved. However police were certain the bomb was intended for Reid. They believed high wire fence around the backyard prevented the bomb from being thrown accurately.
 The fact that the two explosions occurred at almost the same time convinced officials that it was q gangster stroke at the Thompson administration.
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