Evening star., 1951-08-08
Gambler Noble Killed
By Blast Of Land Mine
On Twelfth Attempt
Ry the Assee,a,ed Press

Ry the AssecTaIed Press
DALLAS, Tex. Aug. 8.-Gam-
bier Herbert Noble, who cheated
deathe IL times, died in a thun-
derous explosion yesterday. On a
18th attempt THE Cat" ran out
of luck.
The silver haired, self styled re-
tired gambler was killed as he
stopped his car at a rural mail
box near his fortress like ranch.
The killer-or killers-hid in
scrub oak thicket about rs yards
away, then touched off a devilish-
ly hidden .and mine.
The blast underneath Mobiles
automobile left it crumbled
wreckage and scattered bits of
the 42-year-old gamblers body
over a wide area.
At least II times Noble had
escaped death, but not injury, and
this earned him the nickname
THE Cat"
Blamed Hired Killers"
He blamed hired killers" for
the attempts and said there was
an underworld price of $50, 900
on his head.
The Senate Crime Investigating
Committee heard his experiences
from Dallas police officer this
year and Noble told Texas legis-
lative crime investigating commit
tee of gambling-and gambling
feudS-in Dallas.
There were few clues for police
to follow. One was mysterious
blue pickup truck seen on the
dusty country road leading toI
Mobiles ranch near Lewisville, 10I
miles northwest of Dallas.
R. O. Millican, rural mail
carrier, said he saw the truck
parked by the side of the road a
quarter of a mile from Mobiles
mailbox. He passed it about an
hour and a half before the ex-
plosion.
Three Men Sought.
Police also sought three men in
Fort Worth. One was once ar
rested for assault to murder Noble.
He never was tried.
The blast that killed Noble was
carefully planned. 1t came about
12:45 pm. (E.S.T.), but the re-
suit wasn't discovered until ]. G.
Cunningham drove down to get
his mail and found the remains,
about 2 pm. Some neighbors said
they heard the explosion.
Wires ran from the hidden mine,
through a concrete culvert and to
the thicket where the killer hid
The explosive was hidden in a spot
that was directly under Mobiles
automobile when it stopped at the
mailbox.
1t was at least the fourth at
tempt to kill Noble by explosion.
The first killed his wife by mis-
take, That was late in 1949 and
was followed by period of gang
land violence in Dallas.
Mrs. Noble was killed when she
stepped on the starter of the auto
mobile her husband normally
drove. A bomb exploded.
Survived Shootings,
The gambler then survived
series of shootings-one as he Law
IN a hospital room, recuperatine
from another gunshot wound.
Pale and shaken after his wife's
death, Noble bitterly said he
hadn't done anything" to deserve
the attacks. He hinted he knew
who was behind them and threat
ened to take the law into. his
own hands"
In the weeks following his wife's
death, Noble was questioned about I
the death of Louis Green, Dallas
underworld leader who was am
pushed as he left Christmas eve {
party. ,
Green had been questioned in
the death Of Mobiles wife. Ii
During the period he lodged for
his life. his name and that of I
Benny Binion, Nevada gambler
and former Dallas resident, were {
linked. Binion, in Nevada, is un-
der indictment in a million-dol- ,
lara year policy racket case re- I
turned by the Dallas grand Jury !
Binion has successfully fought ef- ,
forts to extradite him to Texas 6
for trial. ,,
Noble freely admitted he had }
been gambler, but said that he .
had quit. He moved from Dallas :