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———— A POLICE STATEMENT TELLS HOW THE | TRAIL OF THE PLAZA’ “KILLERS WAS FOLLOWED. NOW PLAZA KILLERS ion-wide Search on for Perpetrators of the/- tmmediately after the m e et*the union station a June Massacre That Cost Lives of Four Officers ‘17, the United States bureau of investigation and the police depart- and a Convict. ; . v ‘ment began an intensive investigation. A check was made of all EMAN ID SHOOTING AND WAS SHOT) = Nash was apprehended, to Kansas City, and calls were also checked: out of Hot Springs, Ark,, to all elties and towns north of Hot ne C. Miller, the Killer, a Former Sheriff—Solly an’s Brother, William, Bprings. . | - . . ~ In view of the fact that officers knew that Joplin had been the headquarters for some of the members of Nash’s gang, calls were also checked from Hot Springs to Joplin, and from Joplin to Kansas City. It was found that a call had been made from Hot Springs, Ark., by a pire. E. B. Connor to one Herb Farmer at Joplin, Mo, a ob 4:42 p. im, June 16. “A check of the calls made from Farmer's residence in Joplin revealed the fact that he had made a call at. 10:09.p. m. on the same date to Kansas City, calling Jackson 7073. - Investigation revealed: that this telephone was located in a residence ~~ owned by N. E) McFarland at 6612 Edgevale road. On further © investigation it was found that this residence had been’ rented ‘by: Mr. McFarland on April 10 to one V. C. Moore, : A thorough check of ¥. €. Moore revealed the fact that he was, in reality, one Verne C. Miller, who was a close friend of Frank Nash. Late Friday evening, June 16, one William Weissman, alias Bill Weiss, calted on Miller at 6612 Edgevale Toad, and Miller, | after being apprised of Nash's arrest at Hot Springs, and that he was to be returned to Leavenworth, enlisted Weissman's aid in rescuing Nash. ‘ Another telephone call was Made from the union station at 12:05 a. m. on June 17, ostensibly by Miller. This call was to Herb Farmer of Joplin, Mo., evidently confirming the fact that Nash was really on the way to Kansas City, and while at the A Nationwide Search for Them. ; The two men are the objects of a nation-wide| station it is possible that Miller determined the errival timé of the : ate, train from Fort Smith, Ark. - ch by the Kansas City police department and the 7 ° The following morning at about 6 a, m. Miller ‘and “Weissman ted States bureau of investigation. \ | drove’ tothe ‘station and parked Miller's Chevrolet sedan in the Pictures and complete descriptions of the min south parking lot opposite the east door of the station, and when | h Their capture} Be Hoverment officers went across the street with Nash, and they e been circularized over the nation. t ptut saw them all in a group and without firearms in readiness to shoot, xpected at an tarly date. . ', Miller and Weissman decided to take Nesh at the station. Miller ‘was armed with a machine gun and Weissman carried two 45 auto- matis. pistols. Miler covered the group and stated they wanted Nash. Detective Grooms pulled his gun and started Ehooting, the - first shot gtriking Miller in the left arm, causing a alight Mesh — ‘wound. Then Miller opened up with the machine gun, with the - eis. ove the Car. e The union station killers are known. . There were two of them in that appalling event cost the lives of four officers and a government vict the morning of June 17. cs A Brother of Sofly Weissman the Driver. The machine gunner was Verne C. Miller, a former iff of North Dakota, later a Chicago gunman, ted in several cities for other crimes. . His partner was William Weissman, brother of y Weissman, notorious Kansas City gangster od here a few years ago. \ Miller Wounded by Grooms, - Miller has a flesh wound in his left arm, inflicted W. J. Grooms when Grooms fired his revolver just re Miller opened fire with the machine gun. Miller lived here at 6612 Edgevale road from| TouM Ms sre slready Known, Nish was slot accléeniaty im ie il 10 to June 19, two days following the killing. ". After the shooting both drove west to Broadway and south to and Weissman left Kansas City that night. ; 6612 Edgevale road. They left the elty the following Mondsy, aS "June 18. . : “4 ~~ —-~ Verne" Miller*the’ Murderer, -.~ «-—77 > Miller fired the murderous burst from the machine gun h ki ed W. J. Grooms and Frank Hermanson, city de- ves: William’ J? Caffrey, bureau’ ot- Investigation: agents: Reed, chief of Police at McAlester, Ok., and Frank Nash, convict. The killing of Nash was accidental. Weissman was armed with two 45 caliber automatic pistols. ; not known meter he did any shooting when Miller ed fire, wat ° 7 chine gun leveled. He demanded that Nash be set ‘free. The reply was s quick draw and a. thot by” Grooms. Po bee pt weet Rye Thee Sigel torthe-Hall-of pit : “AH right, , Jet. ‘em have it,” Miller shouted to Weissman. _ At the same instant Miller opened fire with the machine gun. ” What happened then shocked the nation into s realisation of the desperate situation as to gangsters and gunmen. ome ot ‘The four officers were killed and Nash with ‘them. intention of Miller to kill Nash, Of that the police and the federal agents |are certain, But when they realised that he killed and that their chance of reeculng:-him was gone, they took to’ flight. - sil gt ‘ _ In Hiding Here 2% Days 9287. ""ahey' went t6 the Edgevale road house as son as they determined that they were not ‘tollowed. . ‘There Weissman helped Miller dress his flesh re -an rt was not the — "Trapped by Telephone Calls. r The police here and the bureau of investigation found the of the two killers when they checked telephone calls from Springs and Joplin ‘to Kansas City the day before the ng. Men were sent to Hot Springs and to St. Louis for | Burpose, Records: of calls are filed in the St. Louis office Southwestern Bell Telephone Csmnane: -:”. wound tn the arm. They remained there under cover until Monday night, Phey left ‘Kansas ‘Olty that night, and a few ears inter the police and the