The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-04-14
LEACH LEADS
INTENSE HUNT
FOR DILLINGER
MidWeStern Banks Guarded
Against Raids by
Desperate.
OUTLAW ELUDES COPS
We'll Get Him SoOn,' Says
Chief of u. S. Agents,
Renewing Search.

While banks throughout the
middle west were carefully guard
ed against raids by Dillinger gang
sterS today, Captain Matt Leach of
the state police went to the north
ern section of the state late today
to conduct a personal scarce of the
lake region for the elusive outlaw.
Before starting on his trip, Cap
tain Leach admitted that no trace
Of Dillinger had been found since
the desperate sped southwest early
yesterday morning after a spectac-
ular raid on the arsenal OF the War
saw police station where he OBJ
tanned bullet proof vests and pistols.
Federal agents today watched
scores Of known Dillinger hideouts
in Chicago and northern Indiana.
Melvin H Purvis, head of the
United States division of investiga-
ton in Chicago, said the federal
men knew the names of a dozen
Dillinger associates with whom the
desperate has taken refuge in the
past. In the possession Of the gov
eminent agents are scores of adj
dresses being watched for the APP
pearance Of the outlaw or his MOB
SterS.
Passing Up No Tips
I'VE are not passing up even the
most ridiculous tips" said Mr.. Pur-
Wis. Sometime one of these tips is
going to come true and then we're
going to catch DilIinger. That time
is going to be soon. Well get him."
Meanwhile. hundreds of hastily
organized posses searched the re-
mote back roads in the lake region
near Warsaw, where it is supposed
Dillinger and a man believed to be
Homer Van Meter, his contact
man., took refuge following the rob-
berry of the Warsaw police station,
in which the outlaws stole four bull
let-proof vests and two pistols.
Police automobiles, bristling with
shotguns, patrolled the back roads
in the northern part of the state.
The hysteria which has followed
Dillirger's latest foray best was il
Illustrated bv two raids made by To-.
cal police last night on roadhouses
located on State Road 81, southwest
of the city.
Admits Story Is Lie
The raids followed a bizarre story
told by Walter johnson, 26, of 506
Buchanan street, who told police he
had been given a ride by Dillinger,
! accompanied by two men and two
women, from Milwaukee to Indian
apolis, He offered to point out to
police tourist cabin where he said
Dillinger was to stay the night.
The subsequent raids were futile
and Johnson finally admitted to po-
lice that he had fabricated the story
Ito get some publicity for myself"
L must have been crazy" he
added.
AS hopes Of striking a hot trail in
the pursuit Of Dillinger and Van
Meter grew DINNER today, vigilantes
in the northern counties planned to
abandon their intensive hunt. State
police, however, planned to continue
a search of summer cottages where
the outlaws may have taken refuge,
but the state officers held little hope
of success, declaring that Dillinger
probably had returned to his old
haunts in Chicago or st. Paul.
Bank Raids Feared
The removal of the bullet-proof
vests and pistols from the Warsaw
police station means that Dillinger
and his mobsters are planning an
other series of raids on midwestern
banks, police believe. Federal agents
recently established that the Indi-
ana outlaw has affiliated himself
with the Barker gang, kidnapers of
Edward G. Bremen, st. Paul mil
lionaire, and rated the most des-
perate and highly organized mob in
the country"
Jud Pittenger, Warsaw night
patrolman who said that he tried
to capture Dillenger, was recovering
today from blows on the head
which he said were dealt by Van
Meter when he attempted to resist
the outlaws in looting the police
arsenal.
The raid on the Warsaw police
station yesterday was the third rob-
berry Of its kind perpetrated by the
Dillinger gang in Indiana. Last
fall, Dillinger and Harry Pierpont
robbed police arsenals at Peru and
Auburn Of bulletproof vests, sub
machine guns, pistols and ammuni-
ton.
The weapons later were used in
a series of murderous raids on banks
in Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin and
Illinois.