The Indianapolis times., 1931-07-24
BY SIDNEY b. WHIPPLE
United Press staff Correspondent

United Press Stan Correspondent
OssINING, N. Y, July 24.-The
influence of the New York gang
powerful enough to throttle justice
in more than one lower court, Is
seeking to reach into the very prls-
ons when the law, after its devious
delays, finally has captured ana
imprisoned the gangster.
The problem is affording sleep
less nights for Sing Sings admin
istrative officers. They know the
methods of gangdom and know, too
that its spirit of revenge will break
out at the slightest opportunities
in the case of Harry Lipschitz, who
was 16 when he entered the prison.
a confirmed gangster.
Lipschitz is scheduled to die IN
the electric chair because he knitted
a fellow prisoner to death several
months ago. He had been double
crossed on a bank robbery and
nursed his hatred in prison, knowing
well that his partner, Raymond
Clune, would come along some day.
When he did, there was the flash
of q knife and Clune was picked
up, dying.
Separation Is Urgent
"a problem that is becoming
common" says Donald E. Parsons,
chief clerk Of Sing Sing, lis the
separation Of gangs. More gangs are
being sentenced collectively to pri-
son, and in most cases friendly re-
lations among the members are un-
known.
New York is a city of gangs, and
Sing Sing gets them all. There are
several within our walls today, COM
prising from three to twelve mem
bers. Separation is necessary II we
are to avoid trouble"
The gangster- murderer, If he
murders within his own social set,
seldom finds his way to the death
house. That is borne out by the
fact that out of the twenty-six
murderers awaiting execution, only
one, James (Big TIM Sangamino
is accused of a gang murder.
Sangamino took two unfriendly
eangsters for a ride. He murdered
one and thought he had killed the
other. His mistake landed him In
the deathhouse.
All the others in the deathhouse,
as has been said before, either are
Of the youthful, first-offender hold
up type, or slightly older, confirmed
addicts to the thrill Of robbery.
Have Little Schooling
Such boys as Francis (two-gun)
Crowley, illegitimate son Of former
police officer, almost wholly litter
ate. with a dulled sense of right and
wrong. are of the gangster type,
vet they never are wholly gangsters.
Their bravado comes from super
ego, from the plaudits Of their
sweethearts, and from the notoriety
afforded them by their reckless gun
fire when they are cornered.
In schooling they never have been,
as a rule, beyond the fifth grade.
One-third of them are repeaterS.
One out of each twenty-four is un-
able to read or write his own name.
The age divisions, in fact, seem
to mark the crime divisions. Hold
UP men are from 20 to 30, and have
q grade school education. Burglars
are from 80 to 40, and never have
gone beyond the third or fourth
grades. Forgers and embezzlers are
between 30 and CO. of higher intel
ligence and have school or college
educations.
st believe" Parsons says, that
the increase of crime definitely can
be traced to one thing-prohibition,
the rise Of racketeering, the hectic
life Of society, and the influence Of
the speakeasy on the younger gene
ration"
The next and last article will
discuss the chances of condemned
murderers to escape execution, the
hope that buoys each of them up
during their imprisonment.