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aon WASHINGTON DB. C. POST Poo usry AS, 1924, Detroit Furnic! Gang Smashed] . By Own ¢ Greed wae te Not Stand Prosperity Police Say Leade Leaders Conta or Take Orders. | ‘Detroit, Feb. 24 (4).—The Pare le gang is dead—by its own hana. ‘Jealousy and greed did their work ven before repeal of prohibition | Gimnad ¢ha hactlaadain goand clashal i Wilt trae bootlegging CLEAR hice Tae ooking business, says Chief of De- gctives Fred W. Frahm. 4 ?“The Purples crumbied = from) ithin. The big shots couldnt and; prosperity and couldn't take orders. The final blow came last fall when’ . ‘Abe Axler and Eddie Fletcher, typi-! ‘eal Purple Bangsters, who rose fa: ‘power in a weakened organization.. were put on the spot in their own car.” Kidnaping, robbery, extartion, uoho} cocking and hootle,eiil.., tit. der—all were wrilten in the mob's - 4 record here, until the law and guus rye in the hanzs of their own members caught up with those around whom | {he gang had been built. “No one is certain how the rang | igol its name,” said Frahm, “It may thave started when some merchants ton the East side called a bunch of ‘peity thieves ‘Purple,’ meaning aff- -color. Anyway, this bunch of kids, |: numbering 40 or 50, grew bolder as they grew older, and in’ 1926 the name ‘Purple Gang’ had gained a Sinister aspect,” + In July, 1930, Jerry Buckley, ‘radio commentator, who had waged ‘a campaign against gambling, was {shot to death in a hotel iobby. The case stili is unsolved,’ three men having been tried and acquitted, {but the policé began pushing the gang so hard that quarrels among its members were rumored, revenue fell off, and many of the members left town, | Police said the conviction of Ray Z . Ween ate with Irving Milberg and |? 155 \ arry Keywell in the Collingswood ‘ > i Manor Massacre would “whip” the | -- 1 ee ce see , Purples. ‘Three brothers, alleged | ¢ sD ‘eaders of the gang, left Detroit. i aot an ° , Axlor and Fletcher, whose bodies |: f ah 4 7] ee ee _ were found only a few months azo, |} | 62~ L9G DA A . ees ‘were said by police to have been the last of the, old-time Furpirs, who tried to remaif In Detroit and | reorgan Ling 1 the old Rang. terre mre TN elaine tate —_ oa ee rm a. . - . A RMR DE Farge ee i Se a oe ann \