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Mt ™ “i - oO m Q Neal “_ a WV urp . cr Known in N. . * eo . Underworld Affiliation Michigan Looks Askance as Man Whom Gunmen Depended On to Avoid Pen Guides Prison Policy 7 Changing from suavity to sneering nonchalance to intele "gent irascability, IsaiahY-eebove, the mystery man of Mich- ‘gan politics faced the legislative Lobby Investigating Com- mittee at Lansing yesterday. Hotly he denied that he sought - 9 aid in the release from Marquette of the three men who were convicted of the horrible Purple Gang massacre on Col- lingwood Ave. * Yes, he knew the New York attorney who was trying to “spring” them; yes, he did meet him at the prison; yes, they alked over the case and the New York attorney told him the soodlums had been “framed.” , The inquiry is still under way. And over the State of Michigan there is sweeping in rising -fescendo the question: WHO IS THIS MAN LEEBOVE? The State of Michigan is presented with the amazing sits tion of a New York lawyer who has made a fortune keeping Angsters and racketeers out of : ison being given the pasi- un by the Governor of the, state of "special investigator” | Michigan prisons. It smacks of something like asking a bbit to guard a leaf of tuce, Since Gov. Comstock took of- “@, more than 1,300 criminals have tn given their freedom. os “rom New York comes the report OR rderek TWantes, te frien ba- 23 ? “ quette Prisoti was an assoclate of the prison Investigator In his New York law office, Governor's Dearest Friend Leebove admits, that the first time he ever voted in this state was last November—for Gov. Comstock, who in turn cailg him his dearest and most trusted friend on earth. { On the stand he freely admitted jthat he was Comstock's political angel, that he had finance! his cam- paign; gave, he said $20,000. He says hig residence is in Clare, Mich. His name does not appear in the State Gazelleer. He bought a home there last fall. But he has a residence and a Jaw office In New York, As a New York Jawyer he has been the attorney for some of the most notorious criminals in the his- tory of New York's underworld, One of his clients was Arnold Rothstein, a gangster so powerful that he was beyond the law and only met his punishment when rival gangsters slaughtered him through a woman decoy. . Leebove ts known to have been an oil promoter fin Texas and Okla- homa, before and during his career as a lawyer for gangsters and pro- fessional] bondsmen in New York. He came to Michigan recently for the purpose of promoting oil wells. Whe Moh Thrinn BRaidad were St ak Pie see Among his other activitles he was president of a Democratic club in New York which was raided three times by the police as a gambling joint. He succeeded in having the police enjoined from molesting his place, Somewhere tn his activitias whether in oil or law or gambling, he made the acquaintance of Mr. Comstock, who enjoys convivial companionships and is not averse to a turn at the wheel, He saya he financed “BLT Cam- him end na stock hecause he him a lavead Biocxst pOVnS that his interest is purely altruistic, Comstock in return made him his special prison investigator because he has absolute faith In his sincer- ity and his integrity. The New York lawyer and oil well promoter and the genial and happy-go-lucky Governor have be- come the Damon and Pythias of Michigan politics. And so folks sre asking louder than ever: WHO IS THIS MAN LEEROVE? One s Danenee eee eben F of ew Yark cone tan fat! ot Sweet et ye a