The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-08-13
POLICE SAY ONE
Man WAS OWNER
OF DEATH PISTOL
Ex.Convict drilled by Police Au-
thorities Of Area in Which
Crime Occurred
RESEMBLES HOST OF FOUR
Appearance Similar to That OF
Man Who Entertained Quar-
tet in Restaurant

Ypsilanti, Mich, Aug. 13.-P-
Herbert Smith, said by police to be
the owner of the gun used to slay
Harry Lore, one of -four. young per-
sons whose burned bodies were found
on a county road neal here early
Tuesday, was under arrest here
Thursday.
He was being grilled by a dozen
Detroit and Ypsilanti officials.
Smith, police said, closely resembles
the mar reported seen in q restau-
rant early Tuesday with Lore, Thomas
Wheatley, Vivian Gold and Anna May
Harrison, two hours and a hall be-
fore their bodies were found In a blaz-
ing automobile eight miles from here
They said Smith has a prison record.
The revolver turned owe to prosecut-
ing officials by the chief OF police OF
Ypsilanti Thursday, was identified by
by ballistics experts as that with
which Lore was shot to death.
Negro Also Quizzed
A few hours after questioning OF
Smith began, officials announced that
a second man, q negro, mao peen
taken into custody and also was BE-
ing questioned with Smith.
Prosecutor Harry 8. Toy OF Wayne
county gave q short statement to
newspapermen in which he said: I'VE
have the man who admits owning the
gun with which Lore was shotsHEhe
man IL a negro"
Toy declined to amplify his state
ment. Other officers said they
thought the gun belonged to Smith.
Investigators said the hands OF the
negro, known only as Flowers" were
cut and scratched and that he could
not account for the injuries.
Lore's three companions, Thomas
Wheatley of Denton, Anna May Har'
rison and Vivian Gold, both OF Cleve'
land, were slain by blows, an examln'
alton revealed. Then their bodies
we're placed in Wheatley's automo-
bile, soaked with gasoline and SET
afire.
Police had been seeking a rough
iy-dressed man about 80 years old
who was reported seer early Tues
day with the two couples In a res
taurant in Milan and who paid the
bill.
TWO hours and q half after the ap-
pearance at the restaurant. the bod
les were found in the burning auto
mobile, eight miles away.
The four were victims OF an attack
with either robbery or assault on the
girls as the object, investigators said
II the man sought Is not one OF the
killers, officers said, at least he could
clear up the mystery Of how the
young couples had spent the hours
after 8 p. m. Monday when they last
were seen in Ypsilanti. the home COM
munity Of the two boys.
Hands Policeman Note
There were other clues In the case,
all apparently conflicting. Miss Golds
purse, bearing stains believed to be
blood, was found on q road SIX miles
from the funeral pyre. There were
tracks Of q second automobile which
had skidded to q stop in front OF the
death car. There raj a note handed
by a negro woman to q policeman IN
Ypsilanti, containing the names OF two
men whom she said were the killers
And there were blood stains found on
a club and stains believed to be blood
on wearing apparel In q shanty on
wheels occupied by two illiterate
brothers, q mile from the death scene.
The brothers, Paul Keene. -, and
Lawrence, SO, still were In custody.
They had not accounted satisfactorily
for the blood stained clAb, investiga-
tors said, but neither brother can drive
a car and II they were the slayers. Of
ficers could not account for the dis
covery Of Miss Colds purse six miles
away or for the presence Of q second
automobile at the scene.