The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-09-26
HUNT BANDITS
IN KILLING At
BEER RESORT
Conflicting Versions Given
to Cops on Madison Ave-
nue. Booze Row Staying.
DOUBLE LIFE PRoBED
Operator of Joint Shot
Down by Two Young
Masked Men.

Conflicting versions of the murder
of Rowland p. DUSTY Rhodes, A.
of 331 North Temple avenue, today
confronted detectives as they start
ed search for two masked bandits,
who shot Rhodes as he started to
enter his alleged beer joint at $3.50
Madison avenue at noon, Sunday.
Attempting to piece together
stories Of Rhodes mother -in-law
and friends, police found the slain
man, former county employe in the
city controllers Office and a Repub-
lican precinct committeeman, had
lived Jekyll and Hyde existence
for almost a year.
He operated the beer joint where
he was murdered, and lived at the
Temple avenue address of the
mother law, Mrs. Charles Calvin.
Rhodes, before dying Of his
wounds, told police that he left the
Boy Howdy restaurant, Shelby
street and Madison avenue, about
noon and had gone to the beer re-
sort to feed flock of chickens.
He said two masked men came out
of the house as he prepared to en-
ter. and one drew a revolver and
shot him through the abdomen.
Fell Screaming for Aid
Rhodes fell to the porch, scream
ing for aid, according to H. d. Mil
Ter, 1405 Lawrence street, University
Heights, a passerby. There Rhodes
was found by police emergency
squad under Sergeant Harry Schley
Rhodes was sent 10 city hospital
where he died at 1:12 a. m. today,
Schley said Rhodes could tell
nothing of the identity of his as
sailants and only gasped: They got
me-I'm going to die"
Schley also asserted it was nee
essary for him to unlock the door to
the house to gain entrance, in vari-
ance to Rhodes claim the masked
intruders we're coming out when
they shot him.
In the kitchen, police found 239
quarts of home brew, number of
empties, a gallon of gin and several
empty gallon alcohol cans.
Woman Is Arrested
Mrs. Carrie Wilson, operator of
the Boy Howdy restaurant of which
Rhodes was habitue, told police she
was the owner of the furniture at
the beer joint She was arrested
on blind tiger charge. Her case
was continued today by Municipal
Judge Clifton r. Cameron until
Oct. 5.
Stories of Denzel ONeil, employee
at the Boy Howdy and Miss Mil
dred Wilson, daughter of its owner,
served further to complicate the
search for Rhodes killer. They as
serted pillow slips had been taken
from the beer joint to carry away
loot from the house.
A number of bills and several
coins were found scattered on the
kitchen porch on which Rhodes was
shot. They said he was in the habit
of carrying large amount of cur
rency, and that he had lived at the
beer resort for at least a year.
Mrs. Calvin Rhodes mother-in-
law, asserted he had been living at
her home on Temple avenue since
the death of Rhodes wife, Ruth. in
the Grotto wreck in 1927, when
twenty-three persons were killed in
traction-bus crash.
double Life" Lived
Mrs. Calvin was unaware of
Rhodes operation of the Madison
avenue resort.
Both O'Neil and Miss Wilson told
police Rhodes had informed them
the brother of the man who held us
up at the Boy Howdy has threatened
to get me-"
Both were with Rhodes in the
restaurant about eighteen months
ago when it was robbed by members
of the notorious Brown brothers
gang, all of whom later we're sent to
prison.
During that holdup, one of the
bandits fired a shot which passed
between Miss Wilson and Rhodes
The restaurant was robbed again at
a later date.
The resort where Rhodes was
shot is large, frame house setting
on the west side of the road
1t is not IN the city limits, and is
in the heart of the section where
investigation by The Times dis
closed booze joints are f1ouriShing,
both in number and in business.
Former County Employe.
Rhodes, Republican precinct COM
mitteeman from the Tenth pre-
cinct, Ninth ward, formerly oper-
ated a restaurant on MaSsachus-
etts avenue,
He was County Treasurer Clyde
Robinson's representative in the
city controllers Office under the Du-
vail administration, and was ousted
at start of the Sullivan regime.
Police were given a good descrip-
ton of the bandits by Miller, who
saw the shooting Both were about
Is to 80 years old, and about five
feet eight inches tall, he told po-
lice The pair fed in Rhodes car,
a Dodge sedan. license number 1922
500. which has not been recovered.
OXFORDS THATRE