The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-07-25
POLICE IGNORE |
HOME RAID BY
DOUBLE KILLER
No Prosecution Attempted,
Though Negro Admits
Using Violence.
HELD ON PETTY CHARGE
Volunteer Dry Agent Says
He Searched for Still
Without Authority.

big Preach" volunteer raider OF
stills, remained seemingly immune
from prosecution by police today for
his violent and unauthorized search,
at point of gun, Of the home or
Carl (Connie) Mack, 11l9 Church.
man avenue, Tuesday night.
While police made futile search
for his wife, whom he is alleged to
have run down with his automo-
bile as she fed to police headquar-
tiers after he is said to have beaten
her. investigation of police records
showed today that William Gibbs,
80, Negro, 325 Ellsworth street.
known to Indiana avenue as big
Preach" twice has been accused or
taking human life.
once he served a part of a two
to-twenty-one-yea prison term on
a manslaughter charge as result OF
a killing described today by detec-
tives who handled the case as a
cold FLOODED murder"
Evades Killing Penalty
For his second killing he escaped
punishment, court records show.
Whether Indiana avenue dubbed
him Big Preach because Of his &C
tivities as a stoolpigeon for federaf
officers in narcotic cases was un-
known to police today.
Tuesday night, without authority,
he declared to police, he entered the
Mack home and forced Mack at the
muzzle of a. revolver to disclose his
still. Police accompanied Glnps
back to the house, where he said
he had left Mack tied with lace
curtains and cord to a chair.
Mack was gone when officers ar"
rived, but a still, not in operation
and several mash barn els we're
found, police said. Mack mas noO
been apprellended.
The dry raiders, under sergeant
Walter Huber, did not arrest Gioos.
despite his unauthorized raid OF
the home, his assault and battery
attack of Mack, and his own al
legged story that he had q reVolVer
during his search"
Wife is Attack Target
Gibbs was arrested at noon
wednesday when, leaping into MS
automobile, he is alleged to have run
down his wife, fleeing for ponce
protection after he is alleged 10
have struck her.
When Gibbs case was called Ill
municipal court Wednesday after
noon. the wife failed to appear to
prosecute him ON assault and bat
terv charges. Judge Clifton CAM
eron ordered a search made for her
and her arrest as material Witness
Police have not located her.
Gibbs is known as a "polltical
worker" He and a brother, known
as Little Preach" came here dur
ing a campaign of former Mayor
Lew Shank and we're workers for
Shank among Negro voters.
Called Deliberate Murder
Police records show he was ar
rested for murder of John Caldwell.
Negro. 615 North West street, on
Oct. 4, 1922, when he is alleged to
have shot Caldwell IN the back as
the latter, one-legged man, quar-
relied with Frank McMurray, Negro.
The murder charge was changed
to one of manslaughter and he was
sentenced for two to twenty-one
years.
Detective Thomas Barnaby ana
Earl Hicks, who made the arrest at
that time, declared the crime one OF
deliberate murder"
Gibbs was charged with murder
again in 1928, when, during a crap
game at the home of Theodore
Hughes. Tenth street near Illinois
street, Sterling Patterson, %, Negro.
of SOB North Senate avenue, was
wounded fatally.
Killing Called Accident
Gibbs was charged with mani
slaughter, his defense being that,
diurng the game, he lost all his
money and offered his revolver to
Patterson as security for a SIS loan.
Patterson handed him the money
and Gibbs is alleged to have tossed
his revolver across the table.
He claimed it was discharged &C
cidentally and the bullet struck
Patterson in the stomach. Patter-
so ndied June % at city hospital.
The manslaughter charge against
Gibbs was dismissed on motion OF
the coroner.