Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-09
GANG KILLINGS LAID
TO FALSE FRIENDS
Internal Fight for Control of
Chicago Sicilians Is Held
Cause of Three Deaths.
b the Associated Press.

b the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, May o.-False friends
not open foes, we're designated today in
a new police theory as the executioncrs
Of the three Sicilisn gangsters, Scaltsi
Anselni and Guinta, at Hammond, Ind,
yesterday.
On what the theory was based officers
were secretive. 1t appeared. however
that they might be in possession OF
definite information, because the recon-
structicn CT the crime was in detail
even to the number OF persons who
took part in the triple Staying.
The Staying Of John Scalisi, Albert
Anselmi and Joseph Guinta, according
to the new conjecture, followed a
friendly gathering of the trio with four
friends at a roadhouse in Indiana near
the Illinois line. The seven had gath
cred, ostensibly to seek a peaceful set
Element of difficulties arising out of the
fight for control of booze and vice
profits.
Men Kiss One Another.
There was a table laden with food
when the seven met by Encouragement:
They kissed one another and appeared
to be on most friendly terms. During
the meal. the story goes on. the four
killers faxed a dispute. Scallsi, Ansalml
and Guinta sought to quiet the men.
For the moment they forgot their own
safety, believing the dispute in no way
involved them. Guns had been drawn,
apparently to be used among the Tour
men who seemed to pay no attentlon
to the other three. Before ScaIsl,
Anselmi and GUM a could realize tners
was treachery. tn guns were turned
upon them, and they were killed.
The bodies of Guinta and Anselmi
we're loaded into a coupe parked out
side Scal.si's body was taken in the
larger car of the killers. BY carting the
bodies to the little used road in Ham
mond and abandoning them there, the
executioners were able to protect the
keeper Of the roadhouse where the Kill
ings occurred. and also were the oetter
able II cover their Cwn trail.
Weight Lent to Theory.
There were several factors. police
said. lending weight to the theory. They
nointed out that the killing Of Scalisi
and Anselmi. the Damon and Pythlas
among Chicago gunner, would nave
been virtually impossible except for per-
sons having their confidence. These
two. as we'll as Guinta, were constantly
alert to the danger Of assassination, and
took elaborate precautions against It,
It seemed to police to be most unlikely
that the three could have been lured
into Indiana under any pretext by any
one having connections with hostile
gang.
If this theory be accepted, the previ-
Gus belief that the killings were to
avense the massacre Of seven gangsters
here in February would have to be
abandoned.
Several Other Deaths Cited.
In support of the first theory, it was
pointed out that control of Chicago
Sicilian strength, through the local
branch of the Unione Siciliana. has re-
suited in several deaths by violence in
recent months. Tony Lombardo, re-
puted to have been the real power in
the unione, was asSassinated' last Fall,
and few months later his successor,
Joe Lolordo, met a gangster death.
Scalisi, Il now develops, was probably
the actual authority behind both lead
ers. He did not regard it as healthy"
to take the leadership openly, but put
first Lombardo, then Lolordo in nom
inal control Upon Lolordo's death,
Scalisi is believed to have groomed
Guinta for the place. A rival faction
plotted the triple murder, according to
the new theory, in an effort definitely
to take control Of Sicilian affairs from
a triumHrate they believed was re-
sponsible for the extortion of large
sums from many fellow countrymen
living here.