The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-03
Staying PUTS
NEW TWIST TO
FRAUD PROBE
Fatal Shooting of Ex-Head
OF Insurance Company
Believed Suicide.
EVERY CLEW TRACED
Murder Possibility Studied
by State Attorneys
Handling Case.
BBUHifedPre@

Vaclllating between theories of sui
eide and murder with a $4,000, 900
confidence game in the background,
authorities admitted themselves
baffled today by the fatal shooting
OF Harvey B. Hill. former president
Of the Abraham Lincoln Life Insur-
ance Company
Alfred H. Greening. states attor-
ney. said he was convinced Mr.. Hill
committed suicide because of fear
he might be involved in investiga-
ton of a purported plot by a Chi
cago group to seize and wreck the
insurance company treasury. He
fastened to add, however, that:
The murder investigation will
continue until We have exhausted
every clew. The case isn't settled
by any means"
Mr.. Hill was found shot to death
Saturday night in his automobile
on a road three miles west of
Springfield. A bullet from a 80
caliber revolver had coursed down.
ward through his right temple
There were no powder marks, al
though experts said the wound in
dicated the gun with which it was
inflicted was held close to the body.
Five Bullets in Car
Five bullets had been fired into
the car, which stood at the road
side with its motor running when
1t was discovered by a deputy sher-
if, One smashed the windshield.
three pierced the left hand door of
the car and one the rear window
A .32-caliber revolver with one shell
fired from its clip of six lay on the
seat beside Mr. Hills body.
Sheriff William j. Waterman said
he learned Mr. Hill was seen rid
ing with another man late Saturday
afternoon. only an hour or so before
he was killed.
Supporting his belief that Mr..
Hill was slain TO prevent him from
becoming a witness in investigation
OF the supposed plot TO defraud his
insurance company, the sheriff
pointed out that his responsibility
for the cOmpanys affairs ended last
Friday when he resigned as chair
man of its Board of Directors.
Sheriff Nattermans theory gained
significance when it was recalled
that Frank Bushman, president of
the Federal Reserve Life Insurance
Company of Kansas City and a
business associate of Mr.. Hill.
died under unusual circumstances
July "a.
Body Found in Garage
Mr.. Bushmans body was found in
a garage at the rear of his home two
days after he returned to Kansas
City from a business trip to Chi
cago. He and Mr.. Hill, authorities
said, had negotiated with a Chicago
financial group for a sale and mer-
ger of their two companies. Mr.
Bushman presumably died of car
bon monoXide poisoning.
The plot entering into every angle
of investigation of Mr.. Hills death
is charged to six men, including
Gustav Lindquist. former Minnesota
insurance commissioner, recently
made president of the Abraham Lin
coin Company.
Cook County States attorneys said
Hayden Sanders, treasurer of the
company, confessed that he and
Lindquist obtained control of the
company in October with the aim of
milking its treasury by selling t
stolen bonds obtained from criminals
at 10 or IS cents on the dollar An
indianapolis bank was 20 be wrecked
IN the same way.
Baiata Called RingIeader
Master mind of the plot. the in
veStigators said. was Joseph Baiata,
Massachusetts, eX-convict.
Baiata financed a SOS, 900 first
payment on the insurance company.
States attorneys said. by inducing
a bank clerk to pass a fraudulent
check and conceal its payment on
his books. Held with Baiata are
Abraham Karatz. former st. Paul
lawyer. and Sanders. Dave Barry.
prize fight refereee. is free under
bond as an accomplice. Lindquist
disappeared after revelation of the
plot.
States Attorney Greening said he
believed Mr. Hill made the bullet
holes in his automobile to simulate
a murder and relieve his family Of
the stigma Of suicide.