The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-05-27
FORCED TO JOIN
BLACK LEGION.
MEMBERS SAY
Beaten, Compelled to Swear
Oath, Four Claim
at Detroit.
EXAMINATION DELAYED
II Accused in Staying Are
Ordered Returned
to Jail.
By United Press

81 CHUed Press
DETROIT, May q.
Prosecutor Duncan C. Me-
Crea announced today that
he has asked the aid of the
Federal government in his
investigation of the vigil
lante Black Legion.
MY request was made
directly to Atty. Gen.
Homer S. Cummings at
Washington" McCrea said.
By United Press
DETROIT, May 27.-Ex-
animation of IL members of
the Black Legion charged
with the kidnapping and MUIR
der of Charles A. Poole, SO.
was adjourned today for six
days despite the objections of
their attorneys.
All were ordered returned to
county jail after Judge Ralph w.
Liddy refused to entertain motions
for bail.
Wayne County Prosecutor Dun
can c. McCrea, who is investigating
reports of widespread terroristic
activities of the Legion, requested
the adjournment in order that his
ONCE might pursue its inquiry.
He promised the court that with
IN four or five days I anticipate
we will be able to bring other de-
PENDANTS into court and have a
hearing for all of them at one
time"
Claim Six Million Members
John Doe" warrants charging IA
other members Of the Legion with
the murder of Poole, who knew too
much" about the inner workings of
the band, have not yet been served.
meanwhile, inquiries into the
Black Legion were to be extended
statewide in efforts to determine
whether other mysterious deaths.
fortunes inflicted on citizens, bomb
ings and even arson could be at
trlbuted to the vigilante group.
The Legion obtained new menu
oers by beating them until they
agreed to join and kept them as
members by brutal terrorism. four
members charged today.
This development came as Atty
Gen. David H. Crowley opened
Mlchigan's campaign in Wayne
County Detroit) to break the ter
rorlstic society of night-riders. one
OF whose leaders boasts of $780,
600 members.
Beaten, Forced to Join
In Washington, Rep. Samuel
Dlckstein d., N. ", alarmed bv
evidence that the Legion has at
least some semblance of national
organization, demanded a congress
slonal investigator to ascertain
It's real purpose and whether it has
any international connections
The charge of the four Legion
members was made public by Arthur
/: Milford, chief intelligence officer
OF the municipality owned Detroit
Street Railway. He discovered them
In following the command of Mayor
Frank Couzens to weed out all mem
bers on the city pay rolls. All four
were suspended.
Another employe of the railway.
a man dead who had been believed
a suicide but is now listed by
authorities as possible victim of
Legion vengeance, invited them to
a party, the four men told Milford.
Death Probe Reopened
They thought it was an ordinary
function dedicated to routine con-
VITALITY. Instead it was a conclava
of Black Legionaires. They were
asked to join. They refused. They
were beaten until they swore the
terrible oath of the organization
which prescribes death for members
who betray its secrets or refuse to
obey orders.
Milford did not divulgo their
names. But the man who took them
to the party was Alfred Roughley,
who was found dead in his automo-
bile, victim of carbon monoxide. His
was one of a number of supposed
cases of suicide reopened by the ex-
pose Of the night-riders, who are
alleged to have killed in such way,
III some instances, that their VIC
TINS appeared to have killed them
selves.