New Britain herald., 1930-10-04
GANGSTER ADMITS
 JINGLE MURDER
Bell Says He Killed Reporter
 Names Two Pals

Chicago, Oct. P)-A surprise confession from an unexpected source threw new light today on the Jake Lingle murder mystery.
 The confession. made to the cor oner's jury last night, was by Frank H. Bell, former convict and now a county jail prisoner
 He named two former prison mates-Joe Traum, Indiana gang leader, and Richard Sullivan, rob- Der and gunman-as being at the murder scene: and he identified q picture of Ted Geisking, another In- diana bad man, as looking like" the third, man who was present when Lingle was slain.
 To Ease His Conscience
 Bell explained that he was con- fessing to ease his conscience and so he ''could sleep again"
 Lingle. newspaperman, who la ter developments also labeled as a middle man" in negotiations be- tween gangsters and police, was slain June 9 as he was hurrying through the pedestrians tunnel be- heath Michigan boulevard at Ran dolph street. Lingle was on his way to the Illinois Central suburb an station to catch a train for the race track
 One bullet, through the back of the head, dropped him dead. The killer, in the sight of many persons, tossed the gun on the concrete floor of the tunnel, and escaped.
 Details Movements
 Bells confession detailed his own movements of June 9-movementS which Coroner Herman N. Bundesen regards as highly significant. It also fixes the price presumably agreed upon as payment for the murder of Lingle-$1O.0O0; and it names the man who was supposed to pay it but who didn't-and was himself slain
 Bell said he and Sullivan had prior to June 9, and that they met Traum who hinted at the possibility of their making important" mon- ey. Bell said he was led to believe that someone was to be kidnapped Traum wanted Bell to drive the car to the spot where the ''kidnaping' was to take place, and it was agreed. Bell. Traum and Sullivan drove to Michigan Boulevard and Ran dolph street. The car halted not far from the east entrance of the pe- destrian tunnel, Traum and Sulli- van got out, Traum taking a pisto, that had been hidden in the car A blond man" came up and talked with them. This man-police believe he was the man who fired the shot that killed Lingle-was the one whC Bell said looked like Geisking," Had Car Waiting
 1 Bell was told to have the car wait. 1 ing at a designated spot not ia, away. He did: and half an houl later, he said, Traum and Sullivan rejoined him and ordered him tt drive south
 ! said, and I asked him what wa wrong. He said he'd been shot" 1 Police were unable to fit thi statement into the known facts 0 the Lingle murder. There had beer no previous mention that more thar one shot was fired. They suggested that Sullivan in fleeing from the tun nel and in leaping over a fence, may i have discharged his own pistol ac ] cidentally, causing the wound, ant that the sound of the shot had beer l lost in the noise of traffic
 ! Bell said that before they arrived at the place of the murder he over heard Traum say to Sullivan T We don't get him here. we'll get hin at the race track
 Payment of $1O,OOO for the Lingl, job" as Bell understood it, wa 1 to have been on the basis of $500, each to Traum, Sullivan and tn, other man, and s1.OOO to Bell. When Bell and Sullivan went tt the restaurant of Nick Patras or North Clark street to collect iron | him their share, Patras pulled l; pistol Bell said. Sullivan. however vas quicker, and Patras was killed Associate of Zuta 1 Police said Patras was an asso 1 ciate of Jack Zuta, who later Wa | assassinated himself. and that h. was acting for Zuta in the pay off. There has been a persistent polio | theory that Lingle's death wa 1 sought by Zuta who felt that Lingl, was making exorbitant demands fo protection money under threats 0 | sending the police against Zut; | gam bling interests.
 l Some time after the Patras slay l ing, Bell. Sullivan and a man nam | ed Barnes held up a radio store ! Barnes was killed as his companion fled In his pocket was found l telephone number. It was Bells l Bell, arrested, named Sullivan a his companion, and Sullivan wa seized. Traum previously had becl returned to Leavenworth peniten tiary for violation of his parole. Coroner Checks Up
 Coroner Bundesen revealed tha he had thought enough of Bell story to make a trip to Leavenwortl where he interviewed Traum an checked other statements of Bell affairs there. He said Traum ad mitted being in Chicago the da Lingle was killed but denied an part in his staying.
 l Sullivan. in iail. also has denied it