Evening star., 1933-09-30
NEWS BROADCAST
f2OBE ORDERED
Radio Commission Studies
Complaint of Faking in
Indiana Case.

A formal protest by Commandant
Matt Leach of the Indiana State Police
against the Columbia Broadcasting Sys-
TENS News Service for a program al
legedly reciting details Of gun fight
between officers and escaping convicts
was turned over today to the investiga-
tion section if the Radio Commission.
1t was pointed out at the commits
sion that it will be some time before
any action is taken on the protest since
investigators will have to gather de-
tailed information from those con-
cerned.
In the case of WIND, the Gary, Ind.
station carrying the broadcast, the COM
plant may be settled when the station
makes its regular application for a
renewal of its license.
A public hearing probably will be
called, however, to consider the COM
plant.
The complaint was forwarded to the
commission yesterday by Capt. Matt
Leach, commandant Of the Indiana
State police. whose request for the in
quiry brought prompt acquiescence.
According to an Associated Press dis
patch from Chesterton. Ind, Leach told
officials here that the broadcast. made
from station WIND over the Columbia
chain. seriously interfered" with the
pursuit of the 10 convicts who shot and
slugged their way out of Michigan City
Penitentiary Tuesday. 1t caused
waste of several hours time. he said.
Offers to Aid Probers.
In asking the commission to investi-
gate the broadcast he offered his serv-
ices and stated that no shots had been
felonS at any time
Columbia officials issued statement
saying the broadcast was made with
the approval an dthe assistance of au-
thoritles concerned in trying to capture
the convicts": that the broadcast was
substantially correct" but that Steve
Trumbull, the man in charge. had con-
nived at increasing the number OF shots
fired in spite of general instructions and
specific cauGons,' and that he had been
discharged.
Capt Leach sal dit was "a con-
temptible lie" that he had approved or
assisted the broadcast.
These people approached me with a
request that I fire few shots for them
into the microphone they had set up on
the farm where some of the convictS
had been seen 80 hours before. Their
messenger. State policeman. added
that they were going to 60 through with
it anyway.
Says Stuart Was Forbidden.
II sent him back to forbid it, but
when he returned the stunt already
was on. Earlier I had asked them.
Are you insane?' and they replied that
they might as well have little fun.
They have it now, and they can pay
for it,
Leach's telegram said:
I'VE wasted several hours OF what
at that time seemed to be precious time
in, first, determining there was no
truth to substantiate the broadcast and,
second, in making an inquiry into the
hoax.
THE telephone wires of the State
police at Chesterton were tied up for
several hours by persons who apparently
had heard the broadcast. Many of the
callers expressed fright, being residents
of the immediate vicinity.
Il heard part Of the broadcast my
self, and as soon as I could reach the
vicinity I questioned those in charge
and held in custody one of their number
for some time until was convinced
there is no law under which I could
hold him legally"
Four members of the radio crew
were held for a few hours and Trum-
bull until early the next day. for ques-
tioning.
Convicts Elude Hunt.
No definite trace of any Of the con-
victs has been found for two days,
and search virtually has been aban-
doned Deputy sheriffs and prison
guards have been recalled from the
fielC J.
Trustees of the Indiana State Peni-
tentiary, concluding at Michigan City
their investigation of the delivery.
blamed reduced guard personnel and
the antiquated prison equipment for
the escape