Evening star., 1934-07-24
LAST OF TRESTATE
GANGSTERS TAKEN
IN SAN FRANCISCO
Arthur Misanas Called
~east Known but Most
Dangerous"
TRACED TO WEST COAST
ON TIP GIVEN BY BURKE
Crimes in Washington and Other
Nearby Cities Charged
to Men.

The closing chapter OF the story
Of the notorious 'Tri-State" gang
was being written In San Francisco
today following the capture OF Arthur
Misanaa, IS. described by police as the
least known but most dangerous
member OF the mob. which Is wanted
for wide variety Of crimes in Wash
ington. Baltimore. Richmond and
other Eastern cities.
That's the best news I've heard
yet" Inspector Frank S. w. Burke.
chief OF detectives. declared when In
formed of Misanas' arrest yesterday.
THAT winds up the affairs of the
gang. you know. and that's q great
deal TO be thankful for"
Burke, obviously elated, went on to
explain that he had ''tippel of" San
Francisco police as 10 Misanas where
abouts last Saturday. after the gang
ster had been traced to the West
Coast city.
I'VE found where Misanas was re-
ceiving his mail" Burke said. land
we asked the San Francisco police to
try TO nab him. We sent them tele-
gram Saturday, and we've been anx-
iously awaiting word from them ever
since"
VIII Bring Suspect Here.
Detective Sergt Floyd Truscott and
Post once Inspector Leo de Ward,
who have handled investigation of
the gang from the beginning. prob
ably win be sent to the California
city for Misanas. the detective chief
added.
Misanas. according to an Associated
Press dispatch from San Francisco,
was booked on "a technical charge Of
en- route to Washington" This. it
was explained by Burke, merely meant
he was being held for authorities here.
The gang first came into public
notice last April, when its leader,
William b. (Big George) Phillips, %,
was killed In gun battle with po-
hceman John A. Cation, tenth pre-
cinct, at Adams Mill road and On
tario place.
A short time later the slain gang
leaders sweetheart, Mrs. Mary Eliza
beth Fontaine, 81, was shot and seri-
ously wounded In an apartment in
Upper Darby. Pa. Under questioning
by police and Justice Department
agents, she named Robert Mais, 28,
as her assailant.
Mais and William Davis, alias WAL
ter Legenza, 80, who. meanwhile. had
succeeded Phillips as leader of the
gang, were captured in Baltimore,
police and Federal operatives trap
ping them near their cottage hide
out in the northern section of the
city. Mais, seriously wounded when
he attempted TO flee the officers, now
Is In the Baltimore Jail Infirmarv.
apparently on the road to recovery.
Mais" sweetheart, Marie McKeeyer,
81, was captured with him and Davis,
and, along with Mrs. Barbara Ken
orick, %, who had been arrested in
Philadelphia. was brought to WASH
ineton for questioning. Both women
subsequently were released, however.
Inc next member of the gang to
be captured was Mrs. Hendricks hus-
band, John, 80. who was arrested as
ne emerged from a movie theater in
johnson City. Tenn. He is In the
District Jail. awaiting trial.
Last week Truscott, De Ward and
Detective Lieut.. Frank OTNein trapped
Herbert Myers, 80, in the Manhattan
apartment of his estranged wife
Agnes. Myers was shot by O'Neili
when ne made motion toward his
mp pocket, as II to draw a gun. He
oled in the prison ward of Fordham
Hospital. New York, SATURDAY. with
out giving the investigators any of
,ne information they had sought.
In his pocket police found a knife.
Escaped From Lorton.
Davis and Kendrick, both of whom
are known to have staged several safe
rooheTaeS here and in other parts of
the country, according to police. es-
capeo from the District Reformatory
at Lorton, Va. before Joining forces
with Phillips, who also had fed from
the institution.
The gang as a whole is alleged tn
have staged bank truck robbery in
Richmond, in which a guard was
killed; a mail robbery at Union Sta
ton. in which guard was shot and
seriously wounded, and cigarette hi
iaeking in North Carolina.
Myers also was accused of two other
murderS-one in Richmond and an
other in Baltimore.
"Al that remains now" said In
spector Burke, lis the prosecution.
and imagine very little time will be
lost in that. It's the end of the .Tn-
State Gang and I'm proud of the part
Washington investigators played in
finishing them off