Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-23
|RAD|O ANNOUNCER
|WHOFOUGHT MAYOR
lis SLAIN IN DETROIT
Threats to "Get Him" Over
Opposition to BoWles
Had Been Made.
STATE JOINS IN HUNT;
SUSPECT is CAPTURED
City's Executive Is Recalled by
12o,ss3 to Ss,9o7 Vote, but
Will Run Again.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
DETROIT, July 23.-The assassina-
ton by gangsters early today of Gerald
E. Derry Buckley, radio announcer,
plain-spoken foe of gangland and critic
of the city administration, brought the
entire resources of State, county and
city enforcement agencies into action
this afternoon.
Buckley was shot to death by three
gunner as he sat in the lobby of the
La Sale Hotel at so am, two hours
and half after he had announced over
Station WMBC that the voters of De-
troit had repudiated the administration
he opposed, by recalling Mayor Charles
Bowles.
James E. Chenot, prosecuting attor-
ney, led the investigation by questioning
witnesses. This resulted in the deten-
ton of three men, one for investigation
and two as police witnesses.
Gov. Fred w. Green and Col. John
S. Bursey, adjutant of the Michigan
National Guard, arrived in the city by
airplane this morning and Immediately
went into conference with local and
State police.
:, The hunt for the slayers was spurred
by the offer of q $4,000 reward by the
common council. A similar sum is ex-
pected to be offered by the county
Held for investigation was Angelo
Livecchi, found in an elevator at the
hotel shortly after the shooting.
Two Held as witnesses.
Jack Klein, motion picture operator
who was sitting beside Buckley IN the
lobby when the gunner opened fire,
and man whose name has been with
held, were ordered locked up as wit
nesSeS.
Part of Chenot's investigation CEN
tered around the movements of the
announcer yesterday. A rumor that
Buckley received telephone call from
a woman asking him to meet her in the
lobby 10 minutes before his death was
being checked. Hotel records show
that Buckley received but one call and
that from Miss Evelyn O'Hara, his Sec
rotary, informing him she had reached
home safely.
Chenot later learned from officials
Of the station that the announcer had
talked with q woman five minutes be-
fore Miss O'Hara left the hotel.
w. Wright Gedge, secretary of the
Michigan Broadcasting Co., which oper=
ates Station WMBC, said Buckley told
him he had been threatened because of
his activities for the recall. They are
out to get me-" he said Buckley told
him.
Had Aroused Underworld.
Buckley had been announcing over
Station WMBC for the past two years.
He had aroused the underworld by his
bitter attacks on gambling. His at
tacks on gambling were of considera-
BILE influence in bringing about the re-
call movement.
He was said to have been O witness
Of the staying of George Collins and
william Cannon, Chicago gangsters,
who were shot at the side entrance Of
the La Sale Hotel, July 8. Buckley
was said to have seen the shooting
from window of the hotel. Station
WMBC Is located in the hotel, and
Buckley lived there.
Buckley was 81 years old. He was
and had one child, 4 years old.
He was a graduate of st. Marys College,
st. Marys, Kans., and Detroit College
of Law. He practiced law here and was
counsel for the Ford Motor Co. four
years.
Station WMBC, where Buckley was
an announcer, is an independent sta
ton operating with a power of $50
watts In the daytime and 100 watts at
night. 1t operates on full-time ba-
sis, carrying many advertising programs
and has q considerable following among
radio listeners.
Both Sides Used Station.
Among Buckley's duties was giving a
half-h talk daily on civic affairs,
often being very caustic in his speech.
During the recall campaign both sides
bought great deal of time from WMBC
and Buckley introduced all speakers.
The killing of Buckley recalled a
speech he made over station WMBC
soon after the killing of Alfred I,inQle
Chicago Tribune reporter.
Buckley, in his daily political talk,
bitterly assailed gangsters, declaring that
when they ceased to kill each other and
turned their guns on honest citizens
Something must be done and some
thing will be DONE"
Gov. Fred w. Green and Col. John
8. Bersey, State adjutant general, ar
rived here In National Guard airplanes
at 8 am today. They Immediately went
into conference with police officials.
CONTINUED on Page 2, Column s.