The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-11-01
u. S. Enters Case as BARGE
Continues GriIling 8
CaptiVeS Here.
BARRICADED IN HOTEL
Life Threatened in Lake
County, State Official
Claims.

of Justices division of in
vestigatiOn, may enter the
investigation into John Dill
fingers escape from the
Lake county Jail, Crown
Point, the government an
nOunced this afternoon.
James r. Fleming, United
States district attorney for
northern Indiana, also will
work on the case.
Mr.. Fleming has received
instructions from Attorney
General Homer S. Cum
mings, Washington, to
launch an immediate inyes-
tigation of the famous
break.
Here because of threats
against his life in northern
Indiana, j. Edward BARGE, as
sistant encouragement, this
afternoon had turned the
Lockerbie into a feudal castle
and was continuing there his
quiet questioning" of the
eight witnesses" whom he
spirited from their Lake
county homes Tuesday.
Thus, more than forty-eight
hours after its sensational begin
nings, the investigation into John
Dillinger's notorious wooden gun"
escape from the Lake county jail,
Crown Point, was continued here
after an interval in Monticello,
ended abruptly in the pre-dawn cold
of yesterday when reporters and at
torneys located Mr.. BARGE there.
It was Governor Paul V. McNutt,
to whom Mr.. BARGE is said to be
directly responsible in his conduct
of the Crown Point investigation.
who revealed that Mr.. BARGE had
transferred his activities here, trans
ferring his witnesses at the same
time, because of threats against his
life.
Besides" the Governor added, 1T
is easier to question the witnesses
here without interruption.
U. S. Agents Interested
Governor McNutt, who, until to-
day, has remained markedly silent
on the remarkable manner in which
Mr.. BARGE is conducting his inquiry,
also confirmed a report federal
agents we're interested in the case.
Phone calls to Waukegan, H..
where the federal authorities were
supposed to be holding a man with
full knowledge of the escape, how
ever, brought a flat denial that any
such prisoner was being held there
for the government.
1T may be Lake county, Indiana"
said a puzzled attache Of the
sheriff's office, unconsciously ironic.
Mr. Barce's presence at the Lock-
erbie was established definitely by
The Indianapolis Times despite de-
mails by the hotel management that
he. his small army of state police
assistants and his eight 'captives'
were there and despite protestations
at the statehouse that no one knew
exactly where Mr.. BARGE was.
Deputy Sheriff on Hand
Shortly before noon. Ralph Hitch,
Marion county chief deputy sheriff,
arrived at the Lockerbie. This was
believed to indicate arrangements
we're being made to lodge prisoners
in the Marion county jail or that
the sheriff's Office here had been
given legal papers to serve on MIR.
BARGE and his investigating as
sistants.
Mr.. Hitch, however, protested TO
newspaper men that he merely had
dropped in at the Lockerbie.
Others who dropped in" found
the hotel in almost q state of siege.
No one was allowed to enter an Gle
vator who did not have a key N a
Lockerbie room. Reporters were
massed in the lobby and outside the
rear entrance, fearful Mr.. BARGE
might pull sneak" as he had done
at Monticello.
Indignation Mounting
Meanwhile, there still was no
word as TO what progress. if any.
Mr.. BARGE had made in his inves-
tigation into the Jail break through
his questioning Of the witnesses"
who now have been under detention
for more than forty-eight hours
with no charges placed against
them.
Indignation at this detention was
mounting steadily in Lake county
and, presenting potential political
danger to the McNutt administra-
ton, was being fomented by Re-
publican leaders.
Relatives of the six men and TWO
women involved were searching here
and, not quite sure that the ''pris-
uyoro harn alec in the CALI.