Evening star., 1934-12-30

Francisco. Ohicials would not say II
the prisoner made q statement.
How Chase was identified right
after the shooting as the companion
of the Nelson's was not divulged by
department officials. 1t is believed
that fingerprints found on Nelson's
car established the identification.
The Federal men had been hunting
Chase for months prior to the deaths
of Cowley and Nelson. They had
trailed Nelson to California after he
had killed Agent w. Carter Baum and
escaped from the Little Bohemia Inn
on April ~ last. There they learned
that Nelson, whose real name was
Gillis, had been associated with Chase
in bootlegging prior to repeal Of pro-
hibition.
Bought Automobile.
Investigation disclosed that on jan
uary % of this year Nelson purchased
an automobile in San Francisco under
the name of James Rogers and when
delivery could not be had on the spot,
he had told the dealer to notify
John Chase" when the car was ready.
It was learned that Nelson and
Chase had used the car in bootleg
ging operations in Northern California
and Western Nevada during the early
months Of this year. During the first
part Of April the pair proceeded to
Chicago, where, agents found, Chase
had purchased new car, using the
name Of a brother -in-law Of Nelson.
This car, 1t is believed, was bought
for Nelson's use, but before he could
obtain possession Of it justice agents
raided the Little Bohemia Inn and
scattered the Dillinger gang with gun
fire.
A week or so after agents killed
Dillinger in Chicago, Nelson fed to
California and, according to justice
offcials, resumed criminal operations
with Chase.
During the latter part Of August
Federal agents picked up "hot traif'
which led them close to Chase and
Nelson, who, with their women. were
travelling eastward with an automo-
bile trailer and camping outfit. Chase
and his woman companion left Nelson
and his wife in Elgin. ILL.,, and con-
tinued on to New York City.
Established Hideout.
Investigators claim that Chase and
the woman remained in New YORK
City for about three weeks, after which
the woman few back to San Fran
cisco and Chase returned to the Chi
cago area and met Nelson. Federal
agents located Chase's woman COM
panion in California the first part OF
October and questioned her secretly.
Chase and the Nelson's established
a hideout in the Southern Wisconsin
lake region, it is asserted by oficials,
and the three were en- route from the
hideout when Cowley and Hollis acci-
dentally spotted them near Barring
ton.
Cowley and Hollis gave chase and
finally overlook the fugitives. who
were forced to turn their car into a
side road. All dismounted and en-
gagged in machine-gun battle at
close range. Hollis was killed at the
scene and Cowley died q few hours
later at a hospital.
The Federal men assert that Chase
and Mrs. Nelson helped the dying
Nelson into ~ agent automobile and
fed. When .lson died shortly after
ward. his body was dumped, unclothed,
in ditch near cemetery on the out
skirts Of Niles Center, Ill
Mrs. Nelson was arrested under cir
cumstances that have never been fully
disclosed.
Chase secretly became the Govern
ment's public enemy No. l." and the
hunt for him has occupied major at
tention Of Hoover's agents ever since.