Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-15
DIAMOND MAY GET
| JONES LAW TRIAL
Prosecutor Shapes Cam
paign, as Rumors Say Legs
Plans to Beat Term.
hnths Associated Press.

@ythe Associated Press.
NEW YORK. August l5.--In the
gloomy haunts of the underworld, men
who fear the fate Of Jack Legs" Dia-
uaond were circulating stroies yesterday
RPsAA the beer peddler from the Catskills
WrslId find q way to beat his four-year
sentence.
But in the Federal Building quiet
koung man with the demeaner Of a
college student sat behind a desk not
emily planning how to prevent Diamond
from escaping that sentence, but work
Ang, in addition, on a campaign ne
hopes will add 80 or 40 more years to It,.
The gloom of the gangsters was EVIL
danced by orders to their followers to
go easy" and watch your STEP" which
came TO Sclics ears.
Fund and Fight RumOred.
The gangsters talked Of starting a big
fund to fight the verdict. They whis-
pered that Diamond himself was plan
ming to embark upon the biggest Illicit
enterprise Of his career so he could go
into an appeal court well "heeled."
They pointed out that he Is under
sentence to pay $4,000 fine, while his
bail is only $4,000. The obvious i'm
plication was that he would be willing
to forget the $4,000 difference for the
privilege e. disappearing instead OF
experiencing four years In Atlanta Peni-
Tertiary for his liquor law conviction.
There were even mumbled suggestions
that some of New York's gangsters who
are most afraid of the governments
next move might put Diamond ION the
spot" in a final effort to prove their
contention that big timer" can't be
put behind bars.
Prosecutor Laughs.
But Assistant United States Attorney
Arthur Schwartz, who prosecuted Dia-
tnond, laughed at all the reports as fast
as they were brought to him. He said
the rIlmblings from half world were
false brayado of a terrified group.
He stepped long enough in his work
Of building up Jones law case against
Diamond TO show what corner the man
from the CatSkillS really is in.
Just because Legs is out on bail
pending his appeal, don't think we
aren't keeping our eyes on him." the
prosecutor said. Hes being watched
night and day. The minute he tries to
engage IN q little OF his old beer OF
narcotics business wen withdraw his
bail and put him behind bars at once.
We aren't worrying about a8y de-
tense fund, and neither are we losing
any sleep over the possibility Of Dia-
nond skipping bail. In the frst place
he's being watched so he couldn't &c
far. In the second place, he's actually
at liberty on $57 900 bail, $4,000 on
the prohibition case, $4,000 on an OLD
narcotics case and $50, 900 on State
banks. And he's not likely to sneeze al
that amount"
Judge Suggests Jones Law.
The attempt to add many more years
70 the sentence by prosecuting Legs
under the Jones law was the idea Of
Federal Judge Richard j. Hopkins Of
Kansas, who sentenced Diamond Thurs
day.
This morning Mr. Schwartz starteS
to work msrshaling his evidence. H
said it probably would be a month be
fore he would be ready to present thu
case to the grand jury because he ha!
other important work pending and be
cause he wants to give witnesses from
the CatSkills who testified ct last week.
trial a little breathing SPELL
Meanwhile, Judge Hopkins called New
York the most lawless city in the coun.
try, but said its citizens could end tn
reign of racksteering by strictly observ