The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-12-23

Mr.. Liggett and Gov LANCER were
old friends of the Non-Partisan
League movement
The North Dakota Governor, an
ticipating his acquittal on charges of
eXacting campaign contributions
from Federal relief workers, wished
Mr.. Liggett to remove his news
paper to Bismarck, N. D. He sought
an alliance with the journalist which
could best be served by having the
vigorous political newspaper pub
lished in his state.
On the telephone, the Governor
renewed his request, making a def
mite offer Of support. He pointed out
that Mr.. Liggett could continue in
his campaign against Gov. Floyd B
Olson and the dominant group in
the Farmer-Labor Party of his
state. from Bismarck as well as in
Minneapolis.
Certain Phone Was Tapped
Mrs. Liggett is confident that her
telephone was tapped She is GER
tain that the talk with Mr.. LANCER
was listened to by enemies of her
husband.
The point of this somewhat in
volved chronicle is that the persons
wishing to buy the newspaper, and
thus remove Mr.. Liggett from the
scene, may have gathered from his
talk with the Governor that he
proposed to continue his strenuous
exposures from Bismarck.
If this supposition is correct, it
would furnish motive-a suspected
double cross.
l have no positive assurance that
the negotiations were under way.
1t may be said that it is under
stood that a group, the identity of
which can not be printed, were pre-
pairing to make. or had made, a
firm offer to Mr.. Liggett for his
paper.
Mrs. Liggett UNIFORMED
Mrs. Liggett is uniformed on the
matter. The other principals are
not communicative. Repeated efforts
had been made to buy Mr. Liggett
out. He suspected them all. They
bore the unmiStakable stamp of the
underworld. This DEAL l am as
sured, was being handled by a
lawyer with a good office address.
1t may be that Mr.. Liggett re-
garded it as bona fide and, being
half persuaded to remove to North
Dakota, saw it as a fortunate OPP
portunity to unload his plant.
The motive for Mr. Liggett's
death has not been made clear.
Gov. Olson and his friends imply
that the crime grew out of an un-
derworld misunderstanding Mr.
Liggetts group persist in the be-
lief that it had political slant.
But all sides have been attempting
to discover the act provocation
which caused the editor to be killed
at that exact place and time.
Shrewd observers of the Min.
neapolis crime situation believe that
something must have happened on
that day inspiring the homicide.
Reward Before Legislature
Over the weekend the inveStiga-
ton, never very vigorous, Jagged.
The Legislature, in recess until after
Christmas, is expected to agree on
a $500 reward for the apprehension
of Mr.. Liggett's slayer, or 'slayers.
The Senate voted the reward Satur-
day. The House is expected to con-
cur, making changes in the terms,
when 1t sits after the holiday.
But the legislative action is held
to be little more than a gesture
The Senate carefully provided that
the reward should not be paid for
information obtained before passage
of the act. If Isadore Blumenfeld
CKid Cann and Harry Goldie are
convicted Of the crime the reward
will not be p,<id. They were arrested
on information obtained before the
Senate passed the act.
No one believes the Legislature
will order a thorough investigation
into the Minneapolis underworld
situation. Fervor for reform in the
st. Paul statehouse is not running
high.