Evening star., 1948-10-24
Shelton
Continued From First Page.)

trial and will defend him, to the last
ditch"
Mr.. Link, 43, an investigative re-
porter for the Post-Dispatch whose
contacts include gamblers and gang
sterS, was assigned to investigate the
ambush killing of Bernie Shelton
in Peoria July 26.
In one story, he wrote that an
emissary for Mr.. Hull attempted to
solicit a $25,O0O bribe from Bernie
Shelton in exchange for dropping
an assault charge pending against
Shelton. He said q recording had
been made and kept of the con-
versation between Shelton and the
alleged emissary. Mr.. Hull, who
subsequently was indicted for at
tempted bribery, denied the charge.
Newspaper Censured.
The grand jury In its report today
said:
1T is incumbent on us as a grand
jury to cenSure the st. Louis Post
Dispatch for It's publication of al
legations and charges which must
be judged in the light of the evi-
dence to have been calculated to
serve other purposes than of either
truth or the public good. ..
Further censure must attach
specifically To Mr.. Link for his
part in the publication of these
charges and allegations and more
particularly for his avoidance Of
service to appear before this grand
jury.
The evidence tends to show that
Link relied for the information
which he published in the state
ments. unsupported and unworthy
Of belief, of self-sdmitted gamblers,
brothelkeepers, prostitutes, ex-con-
victs and others of like stripe" >,-
All four men were named in three
indictments. The conspiracy in
dictment contained seven counts:
the kidnapping two, and the intimi-
dation %.
Finds No Gambling Evidence.
The September grand jury said 1t
heard no evidence to support the
earlier grand jury's statement that
It had been told arrangements were
ready for resumption OF open gam
bling in Peoria and the county after
the November elections.
believed there was widespread gam
bling and tie-in between racketeers
and gamblers in Peoria and recon-
a continuation Of the In
yestigation by later grand jury.
Bond was set at $1,000 each for
the four men. No date for hear
ing has been set.
The Post-Dispatch late today pub
lished a letter written by Verle w.
special prosecutor. who di-
tected the previous Peoria County
grand jury that indicted Mr.. Hull,
Sheriff Earl Spainhower and Charles
Somogyi, Mr.. Hull's investigator.
They were accused of malfeasance,
in addition to the attempted brib-
cry charge against Mr.. Hull alone.
Letter Published.
Mr. Satford's letter said in part:
Il want to thank your pub
lication' and particularly your most
able reporter, Theodore L. Link, for
the manner in which you have
covered these proceedings.
Il have only the finest expression
to speak on behalf of Mr.. Link.
Mr.. Link, native Of st. Louis,
formerly was special investigator
for the National Lead Co. in sill
COSTS law suits. He also previously
was a reporter on the st. Louis
Star-Times. He joined the Post
staff in 1888 and has been
there since. Except for three years
in the Marines during the war.
Attorney General Barrett's office
also conducted ap investigation of
complaints of vice, gambling and
corruption in the Springfield IllD
area.
That Grand Jury reported two
days ago. 1t returned no indict-
ments and found alleged charges
of payment of graft to public
officials as we'll as acts of misfeas-
ance and malfeasance are absolutely
without foundation"
However, the jurors said there was
evidence of criminal commercial