Evening star., 1933-09-28
Says Government Is Deter.
mined to Wipe Out In
tricate System.
ATTACKS DEFENDANTS
IN URSCHEL ABDUCTION
Prosecutor Explains Business That
Has Grown Up Among
Criminal Groups.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
OKLAHOMA CITY, September o.
Joseph B. Keenan,, Assistant United
States Attorney General, opened the
final arguments in the Charles r.
Urschel kidnapping case today with Q
declaration that the Government is de-
termined to wipe out kidnapping and the
activities of machine gun gangsters.
THE interest of the Nation is focused
upon the drama now coming to close
in this court room, and we are here to
find an answer to the question of
whether we shall have a government
of law and order or abdicate in favor
of machine gun gangsters," Keenan, told
the jury.
Albert Bates and Harvey Bailey are
accused as principal defendants in the
$500, 900 kidnap case with George Kelly,
gunman arrested in Memphis The
others are r. G. (Boss) Shannon, his
wife, Ora, and his son, Armon, and the
five Minneapolis and st. Paul men,
Barney Berman, Clifford Skelly, Isadore
Blumenfeld, Sam Kronick and Sam
Kozberg.
Sets Up Four Divisions.
keenan, referred to the unusual spec
tacle of four separate groups Of de.
PENDANTS linked in the same case.
1T would seem kidnapping has become
a modern act" he SAID.
1T requires the spotters,' those who
determine that the intended victim can
pay; it requires the actual snatchers,
the gold outlaws who smash their way
into home in the dead of night to
whisk away their victim at the point
of machine guns.
The third group comprises Il
guardsmen and those who hide tt
victim from the searching public, spul
red by the outraged community.
Fourth, and not less important, a
the money changers, the slippery, slim
creatures, scheming in the manner al
fashion of the modern fences. who E
change the marked currency II
money that cannot be identified.
1T is self-evident they are equai
guilty with those who originally plot
ted and carried out the abduction.
In this case we have the numerous
conspirators carrying out carefully
laid plan almost simultaneously Ia four
States Of the Union.
"Mr. Urschel was taken from his
home here and spirited away to Texas.
ransom note was delivered from
Joplin, Mo-, and the money was paid
TO the kidnapers in Kansas City. Al.
most Immediately the operations of the
money changers began in far away
Minnesota.
1T is because of the far flung ac-
tivitieS Of these extorters that the Fed.
eral Government must step in and help
the States, whose laws and peace OH
GERS are powerless beyond their own
boundaries"
Termed Actual Abductors.
Kennan referred to Bates and Kelly
as the actual kidnapers and said, Il
think Bates Is one of the best identi-
fed men I ever saw in a court room"
Turning to the Shannons the prose-
cutor declared they acted as the
guardsmen. that important group to
the kidnapers." Instead of recommend
ing the same penalty for all the Shan
mons. keenan, said if his duty would
permit, he would ask for clemency
for the boy. Armon, 22-year old.
HE knew the least of all about this
conspiracy" said Keenan,. He was
the least worldly of all the group, and
when the officers did come, he was the
first to tell at least part Of the truth.
But you must remember Armon
eagerly accepted the chance offered
him to make some easy money He
guarded Urschel relentlessly and made
no attempt to prevent the full carrying
out of this heinous crime.
1T Is your duty to find him guilty.
also
You have this to bear in mind.
There is on the bench here, in Judge
Edgar S. Vaught, man of mercy and
of wisdom. You can safely leave in his
hands the clemency which he may see
fit to extend"
Shame on you. Shannon" he said,
pointing at the Texas farmer. Shame
on you for your cock-and- bull story Of
how this happenedI"
He then, in sarcastic tone, derided
the Shannons for not notifying officers
Of the kidnapping. The Shannons had
testified they were coerced by death
Continued on Page 2. Column IL