Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-29
GANGMEN RIDDLE
CHILDREN, KILLING
ONE, WOUND|NG )
Detective Squads Comb -Har-
lem for Auto Party as In.
tended Victim Escapes.
5-YEAR-0LD is DEAD,
MATES IN HOSPITAL
Three-Cornered Beer War of
Schultz, Coll and Rao Blamed,
but Later Doubted.
BY the Associated Press.

| BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, July 29.-The shooting
Of five innocent children in a Harlem
feud late yesterday turned into a
murder hunt today as 5-year-old Mi
chael Vengali. one of the victims, died
in hospital.
Police Commissioner Mulrooney, noti-
ned Of the child's death at a. m. today,
sent a dozen detective squads into &C
ton. with orders to bring in every beer
racketeer in the city for questioning.
-Four other children are still undergo
ing hospital treatment for bullet
wounds. One more may die. The vic
TINS, ranging in ages from 3 to IA
years, we're playing on the heat-blis-
tered sidewalks of East 107th street
when an unidentified touring car rolled
to the curb and sprayed the Helmar
social Club, pool room, with an as
Sortment OF shotgun and revolver slugs.
Intended Victim Escapes.
The intended victim of the gunner,
described by police as a beer racketeer
who had "muscled" in on new territory,
escaped. He sprawled on the sidewalk
at the first blast of gunflre and re-
manned there while windows tinkled to
IliC SlLCSL anu WOLIlcIl ana
screamed and Scurried for safety.
Big" iced. described as a book
maker, was hunted by police today as
the man marked for assassination. He
recently attempted to muscle in" on
other bookmakers. police said.
AS the automobile departed, five chill
dren were lying on the sidewalk, hurt
and bleeding. The first two policemen
reaching the scene were unable to reach
the injured, as the thousands of resi-
dents cluttered the streets, screaming
and cursing.
The wounded were: Salvatore. 7. the
dead boys brother; Michael Bevilaqua,
3; Samuel Devino, S, and Florence
D'Amello, IA.
Police attributed the shooting to the
three beer war of Dutch
Schultz. Vincent Coll and Joe Rao, the
more prominent of New York's beer
men. Rao, policy say. is an associate
Of Legs" Diamond. Police later ex-
sassination was in any way connected
with the beer war, but offered no other
explanation, and arrest Of Coll was
ordered.
Car Seen in Neighborhood.
RAGS car police said. had been seen
in the neighborhood where the shooting
took place.
Commissioner Mulrooney, in ordering
the technical arrests of all beer run
ners made it clear that Rao and
Coll should be brought in for spe-
cial questioning. Police were check
ing with State troopers the possibility
that city beer barons had repulsed the
invasion of upstate men who had tried
selling their wares in this vicinity.
Police had expected a beer invasion
since the closing of the huge Phoenix
Brewery by Federal agents in a recent
raid.
Dozens of scantilly clad youngsters
had been on the sidewalk in East 107th
street seeking relief from the heat. A
baby lay crying in its carriage. A small
boy stood behind a wooden box hawk
ing his homemade lemonade. Half a
dozen girls were playing tag.
A we'll dressed man apparently was
waiting for some one. No one noticed
him. and neither was any attention
paid to the open tourist car which
was coming slowing up the street.
Suddenly the boy at the lemonade
stand screamed and ducked under the
box. He had seen the muzzles of five
or six machine guns, revolvers and shot
guns poked from the car. There was
roar, and a volley of lead splattered
against the wall of one of the tene-
ments. Then another and another.
Slugs ripped through the box under
which the boy hid. Others ploughed
through the baby carriage. Still others
struck children on the sidewalk.
Parents in second, third and fourth
story windows screamed and ducked
, Children unscathed in the first volleys
fed wailing, for shelter. Others stood
mute with horror.
An order was barked from the back
seat of the touring car and the driver
sent it roaring away.