Evening star., 1947-06-22

laSb IuBlb WHICH,
''Bugsy" siegel. an assassin shot
him through a window as Siegel sat
in a spacious mansion, reading a
newspaper.
Four slugs entered his body. The
weapon was identified by empty
shells as a .30-caliber carbine OF
type familiar to every former serv-
icemsn. Detective Sergt. j. D. Al
corn theorized, from reports OF the
rapidity with which the shots came.
that the mechanism had been filed
down to permit its use as machine
gun, capable of emptying the entire
magazine with one pull at the trig-
ger.
Eastern Gang Linked to Killing.
An associate of Siegel who refused
to allow use of his name told a re-
porter he believed his boss was
killed at the instance of the East
ern element of the gang with which
he said Buggy was affiliated.
ct think Ben was getting too big
for his breeches," this man said,
"and wasn't taking orders as ne
was supposed to- think the East
erners decided he was getting too
strong out here. You know, you
couldn't make book Operate race
handbook) out here unless Siegel
okayed it,
Police were holding as a material
witness Siegel's friend, Allen Smiley,
who was sitting beside Bugsy. Smiley
was uninjured, but one slug tore
through his coat sleeve. He was not
a suspect in the killing and was be-
ing held merely because he was
present at murder and we don't
want anything to happen to him"
said Sergt. Alcorn.
Had Been Indicted in Murder.
Siegel, once named by Gov. Dewey
of New York as a public enemy and
at least once indicted for murder,
had arrived here Friday night from
Las Vegas, New, where he was the
principal operator of the gaudy
Flamingo Club, 100000 gambling
casino and hotel.
The shooting took place In an
elaborate residence leased by wealthy
Virginia Hill, 80, we'll known in the
film colony for her lavish parties.
Miss Hill was not at home and was
reported by an associate OF Siegel
to be either en- route to Paris or
already there.
Polict Capt. w. w. White re-
ported that also in the house at the
time were Charles Hill, Miss Hills
brother and Jerrie Mason, her Sec
retary. Mr.. Hill told Capt. White,
the latter reported, that they and
Siegel had been on a beach outing
and had returned shortly before the
Staying. Mr.. Hill had invited 6iegel,
friend, to spend the night there,
he said.
Nine Empty Shells Found.
Nine empty shells were found out
side the window. Capt. White said
the triggerman apparently had
stood beneath an archway just out
side the window and fired through
a trelrs. He would have been al
most perfectly concealed from the
street, Capt. White said.
Lou Shane, visiting in the neigh
borhood, heard the shots and i'm
mediately afterwards, he reported,
he saw an automobile, believed to
contain two men, speed away.
Police Immediately opened an in
quiry into Siegel's business connec-
tions, which were repeatedly mani
fold. They theorized that possibly
a gambling or bookmaking rival or
some one else whom Siegels di-
verse activities affected, hight have
engineered the killing.
Assisting officers in this inquiry
was Swiftly" Morgan, reputed busi-
ness associate of Siegel, who was
said to have accompanied Buggy to
Beverly Hills from Las Vegas.
Police were investigating the the
ory that an imported killer did the
shooting.
Apparently a Good Marksman.
"He certainly knew his business, -
remarked Sergt. Alcorn. He said
he did not think Smiley had been
marked for death as the assassin
apparently was an accomplished
marksman.
Siegel was indicted in 1910, along
with Louis Gepke) Buchalter, for
mer Public Enemy No. l." on
charges of numbering Harry Green
berg, former Neb York mobster
killed in Hollywood the preceding
Iyear. The indictment was dismissed