The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-05-20
Curtis Link
With Booze
Gang Hinted
Federal Charge Of Plotting
With Rum Runners May
Hit Faker.

BY CHARLES NJ. MCANN
United Press stan Correspondent
NORFOLK, Va, May 20.-John
Hughes Curtis may have been
approached by purported Lindbergh
kldnapers in the early stages Of his
fantastic negotiations, according TO
one theory advanced here as
townspeople defended his associates
and pointed out discrepancies in his
confession"
Three men named by Curtis in
his complete statement that pre-
ceded his confession" and later
labeled by him as fictitious char
acters, have been revealed as real,
and under indictment here as liquor
runners.
Federal agents are checking their
activities since Jan. /. 1881. and any
possible connection Curtis. as a
speed boat builder. may have had
with them.
The three are referred TO in the
rambling Curtis statements given
out by New Jersey police as being
one man. They are Sam Goldberg,
Murray Torresdale and Sam Tor
resdale.
May BE Prosecuted
The Torresdales were indicted
May 4 as part of a rum running
gang of thirty-four men.
IF facts disclosed by the federal
agents warrant. Curtis will be prose-
cuted in this district" Paul Kear,
United States attorney, announced.
The theory gaining strength is
that Curtis, admittedly on familiar
terms with many rum runners, knew
some Of this group, and that posi-
bly,, for one reason or another, some
member Of rum running gang
claimed to know where the Lind
bergh baby was, or claimed to have
been a member of the gang.
The purpose of such claim, as
was pointed out by coast guard Off
Gals weeks ago, would be to gain
freedom Of action in Virginia waters
for rum runners.
Linked With Rum Runners?
All police officials had been re-
quested to give negotiators for the
baby's return the right of way" and
had agreed not to modest them.
Surprising, they say, Curtis had
been so approached, had told Dean
Dobson- Peacock and Admiral Bur
rage Of the incident. and had made
a preliminary move toward negoti-
ating the return.
Suppose further that he learned
within few days that the story
was a fake.
Or suppose he actually was linked
with the rum runners in the fabri-
Gated story.
Then, finding himself a local
hero, a financially haraSsed boat
builder, whose creditors left him
alone while he remained a hero,
what would be more natural than
that he attempt to hold his place
IN the sun by creating fictional ne
gotiations, hctional desperadoes.
phantom ships, and a faker hero?
Two Courses Left
That trail at an end, two courses
would be left open to Curtis. One
OF them would be for him to place
the blame on the rum runners who
originally suggested the idea of the
Lindbergh negotiations; the other
would be for him to admit the
whole story was faxed.
The reward in the first case would
be the usual liquor racketeer reward
for Squealers with which Curtis, as
a boat builder for rum runners and
others, was we'll familiar.
The penalty for the second course
would be a misdemeanor charge.
and a confessed despicable role in
national tragedy for a man al
ready bankrupt once and threat
ened with bankruptcy a second time.
Norfolk citizens recall that Curtis
and his associates did not mention
to any one excepting the Lindbergns
the negotiations they carried on for
at least ten days before news of tine
negotiations we're broadcast.
If they were publicity seekers
only, the negotiators would have
rushed into print at once, they
argued.
Also, II all the stories told by
Curtis were fabrications, how can
mysterious visits and phone calls
for Curtis during his absence from
home be explained?
Mrs. Curtis has told of such visits
and calls. already cited by Curtis
as facts. then denied Some of them
have been confirmed bv others.