Evening star., 1933-03-06
.CERMAK SUCCUMbS
TO MIAMI WOUND
Special Train Is Ordered to
Take Mayors Body Back,
to Chicago:
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page)
And Mrs. Frank Jirka. another daugh-
ter, added, He fought so hard. He
didn't want to die"
| Others At Bedside.
Others at the bedside included Alder
man Edward F. Kelly, South Park COM
missioner at Chicago, who made the
first announcement of the mayors
death; DR.. Frederick Tfce, DR.. R. C.
Woodward, superintendent Of the hos
pital; Mrs. Walter Wright of Chicago.
mayor; Joe Cermak, a brother; Mrs.
John Kallal, sister, and DR.. Frank
Jirka.
Mayor Cermak had rallied previously
after three crises In his condition.
Colitis, threatened heart failure and
pneumonia beset him in quick success
sion just as his physicians had begun
to believe he would recover from the
bullet wound.
Physicians still were optimistic Satur-
day. but that night gangrene appeared
in the right lung, the one grazed by
zangaraS bullet, and he grew steadily
weaker. A third blood TRANSMISSION was
performed yesterday in an attempt to
|
the gangrene was made, but the mayor
did not respond. He lapSed into a
coma last night and shortly after mid
night physicians said death was a mat
ter OF hours.
The mayor died peacefully. He never
recovered from his coma. Father Sid
ney Morrison of St. Bartholomew S
Catholic Church, Chicago, had been
praying at Cermak's bed for time be-
( fore he died.
Meanwhile, another victim Of Zan-
gara's bullets lay critically i'll in the
same hospital-Mrs. Joe H. Gill. Miami
society woman, whose abdominal wound
has become infected.
The Cermak cortege will leave fu-
neral home here at Sis pm. today,
attended by uniformed units of the
Mahi Shrine Temple and the American
Legion Drum and Bugle Corps.
George E. Hussey, representing Mayor
r. B. Gautier in arranging for the spe-
cial train, said more than IS Chi
cagoans would accompany the body
home
Mayor Gautier, members Of the
Miami City Commission, City Manager
L. L. Lee and heads of the citys fra
ternal orders and clubs will be hon
orary pallbearers.
Flags at Half Mast.
Gov. Dave Sholtz, in a telegraphic
order. designated Hussey as his personal
representative to extend the State S
| condolences to the bereaved family.
Cermak was an honorary member OF
the Miami American Legion Post Drum
and Bugle Corps.
Flags were at half mast on city build
ings after the news Of Cermaks death
spread through the city.
Colitis appeared first to compicate
! Cermak's condition, and as this began
to clear up the mayors heart showed
signs of failure. Then pulmonary
troubles developed and hope for his re-
covery waned Glucose injections, sed-
atives, stimulants, blood transfusions
and an oxygen tent all were used in the
desperate attempt to save his life.
The mayor. growing steadily weaker,
weathered the early crises almost by
sheer power of will to get we'll and
stout heart
Mayor Cermak was shot the night OF
| February Is by Giuseppe Zangara,
naturalized Italian bricklayer, who tried
to take the life of President-elect
Roosevelt at a public reception in Bay
| Front Park Each Of the five bullets he
fired into the crowd around the Roose-
| welt car found a mark, but none touched
| the President elect, as spectators de-
flected the assassins aim by seizing his
arm.
The Chicago mayor was struck in the
right side above the abdomen and the
! bullet, of 80 caliber, punctured the
| lower part Of the fight lung and came
to rest against the spine.
Given Speedy Trial.
Even as physicians worked over
Mayor Cermak he smiled gamely and
told Mr. Roosevelt I'm glad it was me
| and not you
Zangara was given a speedy trial,
pleaded guilty deflantly and received
sentences totaling 80 years. The initial
| cases brought against him involved as
sault with attempt to kill Russell Cald
we'll of Coconut Grove, Fla; Miss Mar
garet Kruis of Newark. N. j., and Will
| liam Sinnott, New York policeman the
three least seriously wounded victims,
and President-elect Roosevelt.
Charges in the shooting Of Mayor
| Cermak and Mrs. Gill were held up
| pending the outcome of their condi-
| tions, and authorities made 1t known
| they intended to charge Zangara with
murder If either died
The three less seriously wounded vir-
1 tually are recovered.
Zangaras hearing was bizarre occa-
| sion. He refused to plead insanity and
| declined to have lawyers. though three
| finally were appointed by the court to
| represent him. From the witness stand
| he told how he had determined to kill
President-elect Roosevelt-with an So
pistol-because his stomach hurt him
constantly and because he hated capi-
| talists
As he was led from the court room
after his sentence, which meant a life
| time In Jail, he shouted, Don't be
stingy, judge! Give me hundred
| years."
He said he did not mean to shoot
Cermak and the others. but expressed
| no remorse. He had one gruesome re-
! gret, his attorneys said-that he failed
| to kill Mr.. Roosevelt.
| Overthrew "Thompsonism."
Mayor Cermak capped a long
and cumulatively successful political
| career by attaining the Chicago may
| orally with the 1891 overthrow OF
| "Thompsonism."
The story of the man who became
Chicago's Democratic 1888 worlds fair
| mayor" concurrently with the city's
Reputation of William Hale Thompson,
is repetition of the traditional Amer
ican saga of an immigrant boy fighting
his way to business and political emf
nence.
Cermak's rise to political power was
| by no means meteoric, but it was steady,
! duplicating his growth in social stat
ure from humble birth in Bohemia to
| position of power in Americas second
largest city.
/ Milestones of his youth and young
| manhood indicate the drive and force
which carried Cermak to success He
was earning his own living at the age
Of IL; fired from a job for asking for
more pay when Is; in business for him.
self at 10; married and home-owner
at 21.