The Washington times., 1933-10-10
W|NKLER SLAIN
To HALT HIS
TALKING
Four in Sedan Pump 73 Lead
SIugs Into Body of Gang
King, Friend of Capone

Violent death meted out by q
methodical gangland execution
squad today sealed the secrets OF
O nationwide mail robbery ring
which Gus Winkler, Capone gang
chieftain, was about to reveal to
= Federal authorities.
= Again, as in the fatal shooting
Of Edgar B. Lebensberger,
& gambling king and night club
. owner, authorities took cogni-
=; Zance of reports that gangland
: court had tried and sentenced
;sWinkler to death for cooperating
with authorities on the $250,000
Loop mail robbery here last De-
!; cember 6.
When informed Of Winkler'S
death, one Federal investigator
declared:
60: "That balls up our case"
l.. Federal authorities expressed
fear that still a third victim has
been marked for death to prevent
. prosecution of the bond theft ring.
They refused to disclose the mans
identity.
Had Planned to Talk
= Police detectives advanced the
!sparallel theory that Winkler was
. murdered for disclosing the
: Memphis hiding place of George
=" ("Machine Gun'O Kelly, kidnaper
= and desperate, to Federal oper-
z atives.
; Three men were seized for ques-
: tioning today in connection with
the murder. They are Dominick
> sMarzano, 23, and James Spano,
: both of Chicago, and Curley Fish
, man, part owner of a gambling
and formerly Of st. Louis.
Police refused to discuss what
connection the men are supposed
=. to have had with the Staying.
:. Winkler was known as a ruth
less criminal, bank robber, and
:. suspected murderer who would
stake care of Winkler first"
The gang leader was planning
. 70 surrender to Federal authori-
: ties today. according to Mrs.
Winkler, the widow, and had
promised to cheat the rap" in
one way or another.
But the gangland court moved
/. first. The squad of killers, riding
In small delivery truck, raired
death on the Capone gang chief
tain as he was entering the
Charles H. Weber beer distribut-
ing company. Weber Is q Cook
county commissioner.
Given a Choice
Six volleys Of shotgun fire rid
died the suave, well-dressed gang
Ster with 73 leaden slugs end he
died a half hour later st John
Murphy Hospital with an appeal
= to Providence on his lips.
:. Both Winkler and Lebensberer
who was under indictment for the
mail robbery, met death immedi
-. ately before they were to surren
, der to the Government.
-: Each, according to reports, was
> given his choice by the gangland
= court" of dying by his own hand
or waiting for an execution squad
Lebensberger apparently chose
to take his own life, while Winkler
hoped to outwit his executioners
> Winkler was released from
Federal custody shortly after
!: Kelly and his wife were captured
by Government agents in a raid
on their Memphis bungalow hide
.out.
=. Winkler had been arrested in
connection with recent daring
mail robbery here, one Of the
a., participants in which was identi-
, fled as Kelly. The gangster was
seen here with Kelly a few days
before the desperate was seized,
according to reports.
~ Refused to Tell
:: The gang chief had just left
his small sedan yesterday and
was about to enter the beer dis
p, tributing house when he was cut
down by the merciless fire. Four
killers manned the light green
delivery truck and two of the
- gunner opened fire from the rear
door.
AS a crowd gathered, the death
truck disappeared around a cor
ner. Police hurried Winkler to
the hospital, where he died on
the operating table, refusing to
tell who had shot him.
Internes, in cutting away his
expensive clothing to treat the
: wounds, found he was wearing
&@1ne Of the familiar diamond
q studded belt buckles which AL
8%Capone bestowed on his favorites.
X e The buckle was decorated with
-four diamonds and % emeralds.
sSs sr.:$ AScended to Power
t.. Since the st. Valentines Day
SnaSsacre of 1929, in which seven
~Capone enemies were lined against
"a wall and shot to death, Winkler
had risen in the favor of Capone.
Winkler and Fred cKiller~
r. Burke now an inmate in a
Michigan prison, we're said to have
:. manned the machine guns.
=. =: