The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-10-14
LEGS DIAMOND
DYING, CLAIM
LATE REPORTS
Mystery Man Called to
Bedside Is Reported
to Be Priest.
SHOT WHILE FIGHTING
Unarmed Gang Chieftain
BattIed ASSaiIantS,
ProberS Learn.
BY HARRY FERGUSON
United Press Stan Correspendent


NEW YORK, Oct. IA man
whose identity was concealed closely
by police was admitted to the room
today in Polytechnic hospital where
Jack Negs) Diamond is near death
from four bullet wounds.
1t was reported the man was
priest who had arrived from AGRA,
N. Y, where Diamond has country
home.
For the first time since the
wounded gangster was taken to the
hospital, the two policemen who
have stood guard at his bedside left
the room.
That caused reports that the
mysterious man was about to take
Diamonds last confession and that
the gangster had only little while
to live.
Thomas Grain, district attorney.
completed his investigation of the
Diamond shooting and expressed
the opinion that Legs had fought
unarmed against the two men who
invaded the Hotel Monticello Sun
day.
Hunt Hotel Manager
The bullet holes in the ceiling in
Dictated, Grain said, that Diamond
had struggled with one of the men
and that the shots had gone wild.
The second aSsailant, according
to Grain, waited until Diamond
offered good target and fired four
or five shots, all of which struck the
gang leader.
Police announced they were in
tensifying their search for Jacob
Ginsburg, manager Of the Monticello
hotel, whom they consider the most
valuable witness in the case.
He has not been seen here since
he drove away from the hotel in an
automobile shortly after the shoot
ing. 1t also was learned that Count
Miller, described as Diamonds
private secretary, had vanished.
Police had veered today toward
theory that Diamond was shot by
members of his own gang or at least
by persons with whom he formerly
associated.
Too Weak for Operation
The bulletin on his condition is
sued at the hospital before noon
was noncommittal.
"There is no change in the
patient" 1t siad. "E1is condition is
still serious"
From other sources, however, it
was learned that Diamond still was
too weak to permit an operation to
remove the bullets in his body and
that he was likely to reach his crisis
some time today.
Police Commissioner Mulrooney
expressed the belief that the two
men who went to Diamonds room
Sunday, and left him wounded,
were members of the Diamond gang
who had grown dissatisfied with
division of profits derived from beer
running.
Obain Big Loans Lately
Diamond and the two men proba-
bly, talked over business matters,
Mulrooney said, and the conference
ended when the visitors made
definite proposal to Diamond con-
corning ALLEGATION of profits. Dia-
mond apparently rejected their de-
mands and was shot.
Orders went out today to find
Billy Cook, we'll known race track
habitue. Detectives are seeking to
develop the theory that Diamond
obtained large loans recently.
Cook was said to have lent $4,000
and $1,000 installments to Diamond
and police wish to question him
concerning the amount Of money
the gangster obtained from various
persons. They believe he may have
been shot by some disgruntled credi-
tor.
Snow Girl Being Cleared
At headquarters it was announced
that Marion Roberts, the Ziegfeid
show girl who was Diamonds
sweetheart, apparently was not in
volved in the Shooting. She had
been living in an adjacent room to
that occupied by Diamond in the
Hotel Monticello.
Monday night she was asked If
she had heard her gangster sweet
heart might live.
mo, I haven't inquired" she said.
Haven't I trouble enough of my
oWn?"
An attractive blond night club
habitue, Jean Nash, made brief
appearance in the case when the
police were informed that she had
been heard to say recently: Jack
Diamond has only ten days to live"
After questioning her, however.
Commissioner Mulrooney said he
was convinced she had not made
the statement and knew nothing Of
the case. The anonymous inform
ants motive, he believed, had been
mere spite.