The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-05-21
DUAL Staying
ROCKS COAST
UNDERWORLD
Crusading Editor and Poll
tiCian Are Shot Down
in Office.
KILLER MAKES ESCAPE
Vice Ring Evidence Expect
ed to Be Revealed in
Murder Hunt.
KILLER MAKES ESCAPE
BIZ United Press

BB Onfted Press
LOS ANGELES, May 21.-Pre-
dictions that the cid would be
blown of" Los Angeles underworld
activities were MADE today by police
after the double Staying of a prom
inent politician and a veteran
newspaper man who for twenty
years had exposed vice here.
: Charles H. Crawford, SIS, white
haired stormy petrol of politics, and
Herbert Spencer, 40, reporter, were
shot to death as they sat in Craw-
ford's Office discussing Spencer's
series Of exposes Of gambling which
he had been publishing in the Critic
OF Critics, local liberal magazine.
Crawford died without revealing
the name of the slayer.
Today police searched for a
stronghold in a downtown bank
which contained evidence of vice
ring, and which was expected to re-
veal the name of the gunman or
his superiors.
Threats Are Received
Both had received threatening
messages during the last few
months. Spencer, in fact, had print
ed an article in the magazine of
which he was assistant editor, warn
ing those who might attempt his
life.
He said that evidence Of corrup-
ton was in his possession, and that
the documents would be turned over
to the district attorneys office
should the threats be carried out.
Although Spencer had keys to the
box on his person when he died,
his associate on the magazine, Fred
erick H. SCHNEIDER, professed no
knowledge Of the strong box's
whereabouts.
Crawford had established his
brother George as a bodyguard in
an outer office following the threats
against his life.
But George was absent when a
man walked in late Wednesday,
nodded to Lucille Fisher, IS, Craw-
ford's secretary, and was greeted by
Wiz HO4lOlSldl Wlblls I1CuOt UIlCIC,
old man. How are your"
Two Shots Are Heard
Spencer arrived later and was
ushered into the inner sanctum.
After about half an hour there was
the sound of an alteration.
Two shots we're heard, the stran-
ger rushed out the door and dis
appeared in traffic.
Spencer staggered out, blood
streaming down his side, and pur-
sued him to the street.
AS aid reached him, he cried,
where is that guy?" and collapsed
on the sidewalk in front of the
: Church Of the Blessed Sacrament.
He was dead when carried into the
office, bullet through his lungs
and heart.
Meanwhile, Crawford was found
on the floor of his office, shot in
the abdomen. He was rushed to a
police hospital, and despite q blood
TRANSMISSION, died four hours later.
Fails to Name AssaiIant
His wife, his minister, the Rev.
Gustav Briegleb; his attorney, Jerry
Geisler, and Joe Taylor, captain Of
detectives, who gathered in the OPP
Grating room, tried unsuccessfully to
learn the name of his assailant.
Crawford maintained to the last
that two men walked into his
office. Other witnesses were posi-
tive that one man did the shooting.
Police Chief Ray E. Steckel took
personal charge of the case and
said that solution of the crime
would rip the lid wide open" as
did the similar killing in Chicago
OF Jake Lingle, reporter.
Several years ago, Crawford was
accused Of conspiring to frame"
Carl I. jacobson, councilman, in a
compromising position with Mrs.
Callie Grimes, but was acquitted.
Directed Many Exposes
A year ago, following his indict-
ment on charges of bribery in con-
nection with the collapse of the
Julian Petroleum Corporation, he
brought about the arrest of Nor
ris Lavine, star newspaper re-
porter, on charges of extortion. The
bribery indictment was dismissed.
Spencer had been police re-
porter for nearly twenty years, and
until last February was city editor
of the Los Angeles Express. He had
directed many of his papers ex-
poses Of gambling and underworld
activities. Spencer was married
and had two children.