The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-05-25
ACCUSE 25|N
BLACK LEGION
MURDER PLOT
13 John Doe Warrants
Are Included in Group
Issued Today.
HINT INDIANA CHAPTER
Investigation of Terror Body
Extended Into Every
Michigan City.
HINT INDIANA CHAPTER
By United Press

4
DETROIT, May 25.-Murder war
rants charging Is members of the
hooded ad robed Black Legion with
the death Of Charles A. Poole, 81,
were issued today, as authorities ex-
tended their investigation of the
bands terroristic activities through
every populouS center of the state.
Thirteen of the warrants were is
sued against men already under ar
rest for the murder of Poole on the
night of May II, and II were John
Doe" warrants.
Each warrant charged conspiracy
to kidnap the 32-year-old WPA
worker who knew too much about
the Black Legion" and each
charged with his wilful murder as
he stood before the hooded group
in a deserted West Side park.
Is Present, Is Charge
Wayne County Prosecutor Dun
can G. McCrea, whose investigators
are inquiring into every phase of
the bands subversive activities, said
that I'VE have sufficient evidence to
support the contention that the 10
men were present when the con-
spiracy to murder Poole was en-
tered into"
1.-THE others either were present
at the meeting or on the way to
the meeting at which Poole was
killed." he added. THE fact that
some of the members were pre-
vented from arriving at the road
side where Poole was shot down
because of an open drawbridge,
does not qualify the murder charge
in the slightest"
The suspects will be arraigned be-
fore Judge Ralph w. Liddy this
afternoon. They include Harvey
Davis, colonel of the society and
alleged leader in the death plot;
Dayton Dean, Urban Lipps, Erwin
D. Lee, George G. johnson, Paul r..
Edwards, Edgar Baldwin, Lowell
Rushing, Hershell Gill, John B.
Mitchell, Thomas r. Craig and Jack
Bannerman. James r. Torrance,
held as a suspect, was released over
the weekend.
AS each hour brought telephone
reports by victims of the bands
terrorism. police continued their
city-wide search for those named
as leaders. In every instance, the
search was fruitless. Homes of
those named and their known
haunts disclosed they had not been
here for several days."
State Leader Sought
Most eagerly sought was Arthur
F. Lupp of Suburban Highland
Park, named as "brigadier general
for the state of Michigan" Lupp, a
milk inspector for the city of De-
troit, was said to be out of the city.
The attorney generals office, in
announcing that the grand jury in
quiry was being considered strongly,
indicated a belief that "only the
surface of this thing has been
scratched"
Other authorities we're working on
the same theory. From McCrea S
chief investigator, Harry Colburn,
came the advice that the Black Lee
gion extended not only through this
state, but probably in most of the
others.
Indiana Force Hinted
He named V. F. Effinger of Lima,
o., as the district commander for
the states of Michigan, Ohio and
Indiana, and said that William
Shepherd, known to intimates as
Shotgun" Shepherd, was the ma
tional commander He is believed TO
live som ewhere along the Ohio
West Virginia border. Stories of the
Black Legion's activities have come
from these states and from Pennsyl-
vania, Colburn said.
Michigan state police continued
their investigation of reports that
so men had been marked for death
by the Black Legion which is anti
Catholic, antiNegro, anti-Jew, and
which processes to guard the morals
of non-members.
Having found paraphernalia of
the legion in the home of a state
prison guard, authorities limited
that many state. municipal and
county employees, as well as some
officials, were members. In Pontiac.
George j. Eckhardt. former police
chief, charged that one-third of the
force belongs to the legion. He
named a prominent police official as
a member.