Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1948)
Police Reveal Motive In Gangland Killing SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 30— (AP)—Police today revealed for the first time the alleged motive in the gangland strangling of Nick De John—that the former Capone mobster from Chicago was slain because he tried to “muscle in’’ on a highly profitable gambling and narcotics racket. Police also said a key witness had been threatened because a mob knew she had overheard the De John killing being plotted. Inspector. Frank Ahern said in an interview that De John was gar roted because he was trying to take over a local gang of Sicilian criminals. “He declared himself ‘in’ for 50 per cent of a sales company which was a front for the gang, and he wanted to take over bookies, gam bling, night clubs and narcotics,” Ahern said. Ahern said De John backed up his bid for the gang leadership here with two or three of his own men. “About a month before he was killed, he began to issue orders about operations here. The local men were afraid if he got his roots in here he would take over com pletely.” De John's body was found in his expensive convertible automobile on a street here May 7, 1947. Despite a protective guard, someone made a threateening tele phone call to Mrs. Anita Rocchia Venza, a key witness. But Mrs. Venza appeared before the San $50,000 in Gifts For University 7—$50,000 IN GIFTS —PG 8 . PORTLAND, Nov 30—(AP) — Gifts to state institutions of higher learning, reported at today’s board meeting, totaled $90,402. Of this, $50,017 was earmarked for the University of Oregon, $30, 300 for Oregon State College, $10, 290 for the University of Oregon medical school in Portland, $200 for Eastern Oregon College of Ed ucation at La Grande and $595 for Southern Oregon College of Educa tion at Ashland. Among the other gifts to the University were $4,000 from the Research Corporation in New York to continue Dr. F. W. Paul’s work in vacuum spectroscopy, and a gift of 17 volumes of the China Weekly Review, valued at $100, from the missionary research li brary in New York. I One World Meeting Features Speaker The world constitution and some of its principal problems will be the topic of a talk by Dr. E. S. Wengert, head of the political science depart ment to be given at the One World club Wednesday at 7:30 p. m. in the IMCA. Dr. Wengert was one of those re sponsible for the drawing of a world constitution in Chicago last sum mer. tickets avaitoble now ,or steamship accommodates SUMMER 1949 personotty Condoled To'jrs $700 UNIVERSITY TRAVEL CO, Harvard Sq./Cjambridge, Mass. Francisco county grand jury Mon day night and the jury voted mur der indictments against five men for the De John slaying. They were named as Frank Scap patura, Tony Lima, Leonard Calam ia, Sebastiano Nani and Mike Abati. Nani and Abati are in cus tody. The FBI was expected mo mentarily to pick up Lima at John sontown, Pa., where he resportedly was about to surrender. Ahern said the telephone call to Mrs. Venza was made by a man who spoke broken English. He ad vised her to “break a leg or some thing” and not to appear before the grand jury. The police inspector said Mrs. Venza assertedly overheard a plot to kill De John while she was in a north beach tavern writing for an employment interview. Ahern said De John was “deliv ered to his killers at the tavern the following night, then was per suaded to go somewhere else for a game of pinochle—and instead was strangled. Ahern said he learned about the eavesdropping woman shortly af ter the slaying and finally encoun tered her a month ago while he was investigating an abortion gang. This ring assertedly paid tribute to the racketeers. Police at first were interested only in the abortion ring, Ahern explained but, by a lucky break, discovered a tie-in with the De John mystery. Gus Oliva, a former wealthy north beach politico, called Mrs. Venza in a matter involving $2,500, Ahern stated. Mrs. Venza was in structed to “string along” with him. Police soon cracked down on the alleged abortion ring and ar rested several persons, including Oliva. He was charged with at tempted extortion in a mafia gang’s planned invasion of the city’s $60,000 monthly abortion racket. Oliva denied this and said he merely was seeking a personal “loan” of $2,500 from Mrs. Venza. Captain or inspectors James English added that the police de partment "will meet any mafia threats head-on. The way to coun ter terroristic racketeering of this kind is to smash it, which we intend to do. Fire Still Burning in Portland PORTLAND, Nov. 30—(AP) — Flames still danced along Front avenue tonight hours after an explosion tore apart a waterfront building, shattered windows in a wide area and injured one man. The flames sprouted from gas,, leaking from pipes up through cracks in the street. The Portland dock commission building was demolished by the blast last night, apparently set off when Walter Kratt, construction engineer, smelled gas in the build ing and switched on an electric light. The impact was felt ten miles away. Kratt was rescued from the burning wreckage by longshore men who were picketing nearby. He suffered burns, but hospital at tendants said he would recover. Investigators had not deter mined whether the explosion was of gas leaking from a nearby 24 inch main or another source. The main was broken today, but offi cials said the blast might have cracked it. Repairmen began digging ^ trench around the breaks to lay by-passing pipes around the area. Meanwhile escaping gas was al lowed to burn to prevent danger of another explosion. The Portland General Electric company set patrols along its un derground lines and a waterfront steam power plant as precaution against further explosions. Man hole covers in the area were re- ( moved and portable blowers put to I work. i James Dillane, first assistant fire chief, was injured today while investigating the explosion. He fell 20 feet down an utility company hole and was hospitalized with a back injury. Savold Impressive EASTBOURNE, England, Dec. 1 —(AP)—Lee Savold, the veteran Patterson, N. J., heavyweight, fairly danced through a workout today in the presence of British boxing writers. The blond Ameri can, who meets British Empire Champion Bruce Woodcock in Lon don, Dec. 6, impressed the scribes with his skill. Be sure that Your Clothes are ready for Vacation! Classified Ads WANTED: Advance, accounting student for interesting special job In Business Office. Requires good knowledge of inventory con trol methods. Must be able to work about four hours per day for several weeks period. Good pay. Call E. W. Martin, 3300, Ex. 206. 51 LOST: Bear tooth with gold cap and ring. Finder pelase contact R. A. Johnson, Rm. A-4, Slitzer, or call ext. 381. Reward 52 FOR SALE: New Spencer Micro scope for sale. Movable stage, oil emersion. Contact Les Jones, Phone 5273. 52 TUTORING: Eng. Comp., German, Algebra. M. G. Marcy, 361% E. 14th Ave. 51 FOR SALE: 1935 Chevrolet 2-door sedan. Excellent condition ex cept brakes. Ph. 3251-M or cal’, at 445 W 12th St. Shrode 52 FOR SALE: Monkey. 10 mo. old. Good condition, $5,000.00 2730 Roosevelt Blvd. 51 FOR SALE: Late ’46 Merc Sedan. '47 engine. New whitewall tires. Numerous accessories. Excel lent condition throughout — one owner. Phone 1320-7-10 p, m. Chuck Dimon. 52 FOR SALE: 1943 Air Force Jeep. City driven, with curtains, 5-pass, seating. Almost new condition, $725. See it at 5921 Hawthorne, Portland, weekends, phone EM 0013. 54 LOST: Will person having French book belonging to Kit Wilhelm please return to Susan Cambell. 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