Evening star., 1951-02-22
II Arrest Warrants
Issued for Racketeers
By Senate Crime Unit
BY the Associated Press

~~>@~~
out for II long sought underworld
witnesses, Senate crime investi-
gators were ready to swing West
today after first hearing from a
Florida official here.
State Attorney j. Rex Farrior
of Hillsborough County (Tampa) !.
Fla, was given a chance at pub
lie hearing to answer testimony
involving his Office with gambling
protection pay-offs.
The testimony was given at a
crime committee hearing in
Tampa last December. The COM
mittee did not call him as wit
ness at the time. He protested
and since has submitted state
ment which has not been made
public.
After hearing, him, the Senate
crime investigators prepared to
leave for two days of open hear
ings in st. Louis, starting tomor-
row Then they will go on to Los
Angeles and San Francisco to take
more testimony.
Arrest Warrants Granted
One the eve OF their departure
for the West, the Senate backed
up requests for the issuance of
arrest warrants for II missing
witnesses and contempt of Con-
gress citations against 13 others
who have baked at answering
questions.
Without dissent, the Senate
directed Vice President Barkley
to issue the arrest warrants. They
can be placed in the hands of
FBI agents and other Federal
law officials toe assist in tracking
down the long sought witnesses.
The committee said it believed
the missing II, among them some
Of the Nations top racketeers,
have gone into hiding or fed
abroad to escape questioning. All
efforts to serve subpoenas on
them have proved futile.
In a report accompanying the
arrest resolution, the committee
said every legal step should be
taken to bring the witnesses before
the Senate or regular commit
tee. The crime committee is
scheduled to go out of existence
March 81.
Four Linked With CapOne.
Among the men on the missing
list are four reputed leaders of
the late AL Capone's old Chicago
mob. These are Charles and
Rocco Fischetti. brothers; Murray
L. "The Camel Humphreys. and
Jacob Greasy Thumb" Guzik.
The Crime Committee tried last
December to get the Senate to
issue arrest warrants for IL miss
ing witnesses, but its proposal
was sidetracked.
Since then the crime investi-
gators have carried out the
Judiciary Committees recommen-
dation that the aid of Senate
Sergeant-at-ArmS Joseph Duke be
enlisted. Subpoenas were turned
over to him but he was unable
to find the missing witnesses.
The cases of the 13 balky wit
nesses cited for contempt of Con-
gress will be turned over to United
States Attorneys for prosecution.
Conviction carries penalties rang
ing up to a year in jail and 81 900
fine.
Nine Others Cited.
One of those cited for contempt
is Carlos Marcello, New Orleans
ex-convict whom Senator Kefau-
yer, Democrat. of Tennessee, the
Crime Committee chairman, has
called one of the Nations worst
criminals.
Nine other witnesses who re-
fused to answer the committee s
questions have been cited pre-
viously for contempt of Congress.
The only one to go to trial,
Chicago and Miami Gambler
Harry Russell, was acquitted here
by a District Court judge, who
ruled Russell was within his con-
stitutional rights. Senator Kefau-
yer, however, has said every case
will be pushed for a decision ION
its own merits"