The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-05-31
MADMAN IN
DYNAMITE CAR
SURROUNDED
Crazed War Veteran Holds
Army of Policemen
at Bay.
DAUGHTER IS AT SCENE
Girl, ID, Pleads for Chance
to Talk Dad Out of
Wierd Act.
DAUGHTER is AT SCENE
By United Press

By United Press
ALAMEDA, Cal, May 31.-With a
dramatic plea for chance to talk
to Dad" Virginia Bennett, IA, ap-
peared today THE police line sur
rounding her father who sat on top
of a home made Internal machine
and threatened to blow himself "tc
kingdom come
II know I could talk him out of
it," pleaded the daughter of Frank
Bennett, 43, crazed World war vet
eran who has held the Alameda po-
lice department at bay since yes
terday.
Police feared that if his daughter
approached the dynamite-laden
machine, Bennett might press the
lectric button and explode the
heavy charge he rugged up to carry
out fantastic suicide plan.
"Come and Get Me"
The distraught police did moi
doubt Benefits boast that his cal
packed sufficient dynamite to blow
up half the town." He handed two
sticks to patrolman William Prizes
who made the weird discovery yes
terday on the beach.
Come and get me-" Bennett
shouted in laconic laughter as he
held the switch.
Wild-eyed and disheveled. he
glared wildly at anyone who ap-
preached the car.
Although he would not permit
mass movement of police toward the
machine, he received Patrolmar
Prizes at intervals. Prizes. on one OF
his numerous trips to the running
board, secured the ignition key to
prevent Bennett from driving out
of the marshy fields where he was
escorted yesterday.
Bathers Threatened
Bennett first planned to blow
himself up on crowded Neptune
beach. Bathers we're scattered about
when he drove up to a restricted
area. He beckoned to Patrolman
Prizes.
Where can 1 broadcast to this
crowd?" demanded Bennett. 81 want
to talk to them. l got a message. %
Prizes sensed something was wrong
and told Bennett to move his car.
You can't park here" he said
'N0ve along, now"
Bennett grinned.
I'm supreme" he said. 81 don't
have to move. have here in my
hand switch. There's a spring
attached to it. If I relax my grip
this automobile and land you-go
up together. This car is loaded with
dynamite and nitroglycerin"
Don't kid me-" retorted Prizes
and stepped on the running board
AS he did so Bennett showed two
stic'-s of dynamite, fuses attached
at him.
Scared? Sure 1 was scared" SAID
Prizes later. Il saw he was nuts
and figured he meant business al
right. But I figured I'd try TO gel
him to move away from the beach
1 told him he'd kill a lot of inno-
cent children if he set the charge
off there. I'd locked into the car
at his invitation, and there was g
can of nitro-glycerine mixed with
dynamite. The wires were con.
nected.
Drove to Deserted Spot
well. 1 guess that business about
the children did it. He said his
little girl had been sick and maybe
I was right about moving to a de.
serted spot. 1 told him I'd show
him place out in the marshlanc
and he said to hop on the running
board.
Il did, and he drove with one
hand. still holding that switch IL
the other. 1t was ticklish business
When we reached the spot 1 hao
in mind I started away. He calico
me back and handed me loaded
rifle. He said to take it,, that he
wouldn't need it,"
After Prizes notified his superiorS
a Gordon of police was thrown about
the parked carat a safe distance
There are no houses within 20(
yards of the place. Two giant spot
lights were trained on the cal
throughout the night. Occasionally
Prizes would go forward to ask Ben
nett what he intended to do.