The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-09-07
GU|LFORD SHOT TO
Death IN TYPICAL
CANISTER
Former Partner of Victim De.
clares Assassins Hired by
Communists
SOUGHT 0LSON'S REMOVAL
Newspaper Man Charged Min
nesota Governor Had De-
bauched' His Office
SOUGHT 0LS0N's REMOVAL

Minneapolis. Sept. 7.-(P)-Howard
Guilford, former Minneapolis pub
Usher Of sensational Minneapolis
weekly newspapers was shot down
Thursday night by assassins "hired by
Communists" Jay NJ. Near, former
partner Of the murdered man, as
serted Friday.
Near revealed he has received a
letter threatening him with bodily
harm, scrawled with inielible pencil.
signed, and postmarked pittsburgh"
Near refused to reveal the name but
said he had received two previous
notes from the same author which at
tackled him for anti Communistic
writings" but did not threaten him.
Guilford and Near achieved ma
tional prominence several years ago
when their publication Saturday
Press" was suppressed under the
Minnesota gag law" which later was
held unconstitutional by the United
States supreme court.
Guilford, shot down by two gun
men while driving to his home in
south Minneapolis early Thursday
night, at one time also published the
Pink Sheet" in Minneapolis.
Believes Killers Hired
The writer of the threatening note
sent Near said he would be in Min
neapolis Friday, Near said, to attend
q meeting Of Local 574 Of the Com
munist party" He failed to add at
what address the meeting would be
held.
Undoubtedly Howard was killed by
hired assassins," Near said, and I
think the killers were hired BY Com
munists who, contrary to popular be-
lief, have plenty Of money behind
them. Why, they've got millions be-
sides the Russian government.
"Of course, Guilford had plenty Of
personal enemies, but I'm positive
they had nothing to do with his MUIR
der. It was the Communists, I know
it was" he said.
The writer Of the threatening note
to him, Near said, took part In the
Minneapolis truck drivers strike In
Minneapolis last May. He said the
writer was a member Of the Com
munist party and that q few weeks
ago he received letter from q man
in indianapolis.
Il understand he (the writer Of the
ncte) used to be q newspaperman,"
Near said. I'm not afraid Of him
and l don't take his writing or
threats very seriously"
Guilford Fought Reds
C;,.on Y,,lv Noo,e ~oiA Nsai1f<>SA 1aoA
been giving lectures against the Com
munst party and also against the
Farmer-Labor party of Minnesota.
Guilford wrote many cauStic and
frank articles on vice and revealed
personal incidents In the life of pub
lie officials and private citizens bring
ing him attention.
It was the second attack on Gull
ford, whose Saturday Press" figured
in the famous Minnesota newspaper
suppression law case before the United
States supreme court. In 1927 he
was shot and wounded seriously by
unidentified asSailants.
Police Friday sought his slayers and
a motive for the latest attack. One
Of the gunner. deliberate in his ac-
tons, stuck q shotgun from the win
COW Of his car and blasted away at
Guilford's head. The one shot. which
shattered the windows of the victims
car, was fatal After pausing mo-
mentarily to confirm the effectiveness
of the shot, the asSassinS' car sped
away and authorities Friday were
without clue to their identity.
Single Witness 10 Shooting
Despite the hour Of the shooting,
after s p. M, there was only one wit
ness and he was unable to give au-
thorities q description OF the gunner.
who drove q maroon coupe bearing
yellow license plates.
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