The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-09
HIJACkER SLAIN
In BATTLE WITH
BOOZE RUNNERS
Pal, Shot in Head, FIeeS
After Taking RiddIed
Body Back Home.
FOUR HELD UNDER BOND
George (Hots) Gardner,
Race Track Driver, Is
GangSter Victim.

One man was slain and another
was wounded as gangsters' guns
roared in hijackers battle in West
indianapolis early today.
The slain man is George HotS)
Gardner, Is, of 225 South Holmes
avenue, dirt track race driver and
known hijacker His bullet-riddled
body was found in an automobile at
2 this morning near his home.
Police believe Gardner is the vic
tim of the same liquor runners who
shot and killed Lige Carpenter, Ne
gro, in a west side hijacking battle
less than month ago.
All Under High Bond
-Four persons, none of whom was
believed by police to have par
ticipated in the hijaking, were ar
rested. They are Gardeners wife,
Ruby, %; Richard Rogers, 26, a
roomer at the Gardner residence;
Mrs. Ef1e Wright, So, another room
er, and Harry McQuinn, 26, of 2724
Shelby street. All are held on vag-
rancy counts under high bond. Mu-
nlcipal Judge william H. Sheaffer
continued cases of the four until
April Is.
A second man, known only as
Mickey" Calumet City Ill0
gangster, was wounded, perhaps Sc
rlouSly, but escaped. He is being
sought by police in two states.
Detective Chief Fred Simon said
this afternoon that detectives OBJ
tanned statement from Mrs. Gard
ner, contents of which was too in
eliminating to make public" he
said
Simon said, however, that arrest
c. two more persons will COM
plete the investigation"
Police believe the hijacking al
tempt occurred on a lonely road
near the outskirts of the city. al
though Gardeners hullet-drilled
body and car were found in front
of his home.
Runs Into Home Shouting
Under grilling this morning by
detectives, Gardeners wife and the
three other persons said they first
learned of the murder when
Mickey ran into Gardeners home
shouting, Ruby, Ruby, Hots has
been shot,"
Mickey" was bleeding profusely
from bullet wounds in the head at
the time, Mrs. Gardner said.
Running to Gardeners parked
auto, they found Gardner slumped
across the blood-covered seat of
the roadster Blood stains, bits of
clothing and three bullet holes in
the windshield were mute evidence
of the manner in which Gardner
met his death.
Detectives were told that Mickey"
fled in his own automobile after
carrying the alarm.
Police said they believed Gardner
and his companion had waited a
liquor-laden car, scheduled to enter
indianapolis from Terre Haute. It
was thought Gardeners automobile
attempted to force the rum-runners'
car to the side of the road, only to
be sprayed with slugs when they
drew even with the liquor car. They
believed Gardner was standing on
the running board at the time.
Known as Hijacker
Only meager clews as to identity
of the slayers were in hands of DO
lice and detectives. According to
description given Mrs. Gardner by
Mickey" the car was large black
sedan. A car of the same descrip-
ton carried gapgsters who shot
Carpenter to death on the Rockville
road in a frustrated hijack attempt
by Carpenter and companion, who
was wounded seriously.
Police say Gardner was known
to them as hijacker and rum
runner. Repeated unsuccessful eff
forts have been made, they say. to
obtain search warrants for the
Gardner home.
Search of the home following dis
covery Of the murder revealed no
liquor, police said.
Mrs. Gardner said her husband
left home at 9 Friday night with
Mickey" Although she said she
and Mrs. Wright retired shortly
afterward, neighbors told police that
avid party had been in progress
until after midnight.
While squads of police were in
vestigating, an auto passed the
Gardner residence, with two occu-
pants pesring from the windows.
Admit They Were There
Captain Otto Petit leaped into an
auto and gave chase as the car
sped away. After pursuit of al
most a mile, Petit crowded the car
to the curb. The occupants were
Mrs. Wright and McQuinn. Both
denied knowledge of the affair un-
til questioned by detectives.
Rogers and Mrs Wright then ad-
mitted they were at the Gardner
home when Mickey" came into the
house.
Police found a .32-caliber revolver
shell in McQuinn's car. Bullets of
the same caliber were believed to
have killed Gardner. Neighbors
said McQuinn's auto had been
parked in front of the Gardner
home for three days.
Another auto, a small coupe,
parked nearby, was seized by police.
IL bore license number 101-492.
Coroner William Arbuckle ordered
Gardeners body sent to city nnorpue.