The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-12-28
SIX ARE HELD
IN GUN DEATH
OF CITY MAN
Alleged Ex-HiiaCker Found
Slain After Drinking
Party.
MYSTERY BATTLES COPS
Victims Head Is Nearly
Blown Off in Shooting at
Rooming House.

With six men under arrest for
questioning, police today were seek
ing to solve the mysterious murder
last night of Raymond J. Walsh, 80
of 949 North Bosart avenue, reputed
former hijacker.
The body of Walsh, fully clothed
lying on a bed in roOming house
at 628 Fl. Wayne avenue, operated
by Mrs. Viola Craig, was found by
patrolmen Otto Book and Roy Dan
iels shortly after midnight.
He had been shot behind the left
ear, the bullet emerging above the
right eye, passing through a mat
tress on which he was lying, and
expanding its force on the floor
Part of the top of his head was
blown away by the shot.
officers were called to the room
ing house by Sam Harmon, 35, and
Willard Burns, 43, living at the
house. Both are under arrest on
vagrancy charges under $4,000
bond.
Freed on Drunk Count
Others under arrest are Thomas
Tommy Dillon, 744l2 South Capt.
toll avenue, boxing referee, former
saloon keeper and reputed gambler,
with whom Walsh was engaged in
a fight Tuesday night, $1,000 bond,
which he provided; James Bosdyke,
30, of 1904 North Belle Vieu place,
yT,-irr
ing at the rOoming house, $4,000
bond. and Dan Douthitt, 30, of 1105
North Mount street, $4,000 bond.
All are held on vagrancy charges.
Harmon and Burns told police
they met Walsh shortly before
noon yesterday, after Walsh had
been released on bond in municipal
court on an intoxication charge re-
sulting from the fight with Dillon
the night before, in which Dillon
is alleged to have shot twice at
Walsh, and then slugged him. Both
were reported to have been intoxi-
Gated.
They said they and Walsh began
a drinking party. going to the room
ing house where, about IL last night,
Walsh became intoxicated and went
to sleep on Harmon'S bed.
Didn't Hear Shots
No shots were heard, they assert
ed, but a short time later they dis
covered Walsh's body.
Before calling police, they said,
they telephoned two men, believed
by police to have been Douthitt and
BoSdyke, to come to the house and
remove ten-gallon jug of liquor.
Then they called police.
Checking up on the telephone
number which they told police they
called, officers went to 1904 Belle
Vieu place, listed as the residence
of Floyd Merz, and arrested Bos-
dyke.
In the house they found a loaded
revolver and a broken slot machine.
In the garage was an automobile,
said to have been owned by Merz,
and equipped with extra heavy
springs and compartment for car
rying liquor loads. Several empty
cans were said to have been found
in the car.
Served Liquor Terms
The other arrests were made later,
Dillon formally being arrested after
several hours grilling by detectives.
Detectives said Walsh had the
reputation of having engaged in
I;or,o~ hi 10 clyi,,r fo,. eovaroI voorc
adding that his brother, Pat Walsh,
was slain about eight years ago in
a bootleggers battle near Lafayette,
in which Raymond Walsh partici-
pated.
Jail records show that Raymond
Walsh was sentenced to twelve
months in Jail on liquor charge
by Federal Judge Robert c. Baltzell
on Nov IA 1882, being released from
Jail Sept. IA.
Relatives said he had not engaged
in the liquor business in the last
several months, having obtained a
Job on a civil works administration
projects several weeks ago.
Surviving relatives include the
widow. Mrs. Mary Walsh; three
children, Raymond Jr.. 10; Mary
Ellen, 7, and Donald. months;
three sisters. Mrs. George Brett
haupt, Mrs. William Mckinney and
Mrs Zartina Hirshberger, and
brother, Leo Walsh, all of Indian
apolis.
Walsh was born in st. Croix Ind,
coming to indianapolis in 1912.