The Bismarck tribune., 1931-12-18
JACK DIAMOND IS
shot TO DEATH IN
House AT ALBANY
Noted Underworld Figure Was
Celebrating Latest Vic.
tory Over Law
GANGLAND STRIKES QUICKLY
AccompIishes Feat Which Arm
Of Law Had Failed to
Perform Legally
GANGLAND STRIKES QUICKLY

Albany, N. Y, Dec. 18.-(AP)-
Fresh from new vindication by the
forces of law and order which he had
flouted most Of his life, Jack (Legs)
Diamond was killed Friday by MEM
bers of the underworld in which he
had long been himself a sinister fig
ure Of ever-growing power.
Thursday night he was acquitted
on a kidnapping charge and he was
still celebrating his victory with high
revelry in a rooming house near the
capitol when gang guns suddenly
spoke out the final verdict.
The arm Of the law, which so many
times had reached for him, had
reached once more in vain, but the
arm Of the underworld struck, and
did not miss.
AS gang bullets at last ended the
career of the former bodyguard Of
Arnold Rothstein, the fair weather
friends who had gathered to celebrate
his latest victory over the law fled
into the darkness and it was not un-
til about two hours later that the
murder was discovered by police.
Body Still Warm
Diamonds body was still warm and
his twisted features showed he had
died in agony. He had been shot
down 50 often during his tempest
uous career that he had achieved tho
reputation Of being practically "bul-
let proof" but at last he had been
fatally wounded and he waged his
last fight against death alone.
The gang leaders widow and Mrs.
Wood, the proprietor of the house
where Diamond died, were held as
material witnesses.
The shooting was done by two un-
identified men, who burst into Dia-
mond's room and sent three pistol
bullets into his brain from close
range.
Mrs. Wood, owner Of the rooming
house, said she heard the shots, the
men dashing down the stairs, and
then the sound Of . rapidly depart
ing automobile.
There was one bullet wound in the
back Of the head. Two other bullet
marks were seen on the cheek.
Mrs. Diamond, at the police sta
ton, sobbed, moaned, and smoked
cigarettes necessarily.
II didn't do it," she kept repeat
ing. II don't know anything about
it."
Had Just Come Home
Mrs. Wood is reported to have told
the police-and this did not agree
with earlier accounts-that Diamond
had gone out and returned to the
house between 4:3O and o'clock.
The automobile in which he returned
drove away as soon as he entered the
door.
A few minutes later she heard the
three shots and then the sound Of
men rushing down the front stairs.
They paused q second in the hall,
and she heard one say:
"Oh, hell, that's enough"
Then the front door was slammed
and the men hurried away in a sedan.
Diamond was found not guilty
Thursday at Troy of kidnapping
James Duncan, 20, a farm boy.
After receiving a hearty kiss from
his wife, Diamond rushed away from
the courthouse without saying any,
thing of his plans.
The state had tried once before
also unsuccessfully to send Dia-
mond up for an alleged attack upon
Duncan and Grover Parks in Green
county last April.
In addressing the jury John T.
Cahill, state prosecutor, had con-
jectured that Diamond had. mauled
and tortured Parks to impress Marion
Roberts, his chorus-girl companion.
The ending Of Diamonds career
marked the fourth time that he had
been a target of rival gangsters' bull
lets. When Little Augie" Orgeu.
lower east side gangster, was killed
in 1927 Legs" was with him and re-
ceived three bullet wounds. In Octo-
ber Of last year two men invaded his
hideaway in a New York hotel and
shot him five times. but neither he
nor his show girl sweetheart, Marion
"Kiki' Roberts. who was found In an
adjoining room, threw any light on
the attack.
The third shooting occurred in April
Of this year when gangsters drilled
him with buckshot as he stepped from
q Catskill, N. r, roadhouse.