Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-13
|PLANS To- K|DNAP
PUBLISHER Fooled
Alleged Plot to Hold Harry
Chandler Believe frustrated
by Los Angeles Police.
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press.
LOS ANGELES, November 49,
Frustration of an alleged plot by q well
organized gang to kidnap Harry Chand-
Ter, owner of the Los Angeles Times and
president of the American Newspaper
Publishers Association, was claimed by
the district attorneys office and police
today.
Revelation of the purported plot
against Chandler and other prominent
citizens here, whose names were not
disclosed, came last night on the heels
Of the arrest of Robert Gilhousen, %,
who, police said, admitted he and two
others abducted and robbed w. r.
Finch, manager of Beverly Hills tele-
graph Office, September Is.
District Attorney Buron Fits said.
while Gilhousen had no connection with
the plan to abduct the publisher, the
youth learned of the plot through con-
facts with gang members in robberies
Believe Plot Halted.
Chandler said first intimation he was
marked as a victim Of the gang was re-
ceived 10 days ago. Officers said the tip
came from underworld sources. Two
detectives were assigned to accompany
Chandler constantly.
Fits said his Office and police received
information concerning the arrival here
OF professional criminals from the East
He asserted the investigation revealed,
among other things, that plots had been
made against several prominent citizens
of Los Angeles.
I'VE believe the Police Department
and our office have taken necessary
precautions TO prevent execution of
these plans" Fits said.
In a statement last night Chandler
said he had received other warnings of
similar plots and had taken no I'M
usual precautions as q result of this
one. He said he had received no COM
munications from the gangsterS and
had no knowledge of any move being
made to carry out the plot.
Expect Other Arrests.
Authorities revealed two Los Angeles
citizens had paid ransom to the gang
sters behind the kidnap plot to avoid
carrying out of threats.
Gilhousen and his two companions
were accused of kidnapping Finch.
Police said they took him to an isolated
place, tied him TO tree and then re-
ttSrned to the Office and rifled the safe
of $3.50. The trio later released Finch,
telling him they did not wish him to
die
Police said Gilhousen's companions
were under surveillance and their ar
rest was expected
From authoritative sources the As
ISOLATED Press learned that officials
suspected the reorganized gang OF
Morris Mol, known as the phantom
gunman," wanted here for robbery and
for questioning in connection with a
murder. of planning the abductions.
Mol, leading three other robbers, in
1928 obtained more thar $4,000 from
David Antink. chain drug store coll
lector, in a gun battle during which
Antink and one Of the robbers were
wounded.
Slain Last Year.
Mol alone escaped. The others were
convicted and served penitentiary
sentences Later Moli was arrested in
Florida and removed to Minnesota on
. narcotic charge. Los Angeles au-
thorities efldeaNored to extradite him.
but after Antink had been sent East TO
identify the suspect, Mol jumped
$4,000 bond.
Last year Antink was slain. Police
said this was in reprisal for his efforts
to assist In the prosecution of Mol.
Three men dubbed and shot Antink to
death within q stones throw of his
home.