Mandolin Murder

The leading gangsters of three leading U. S. cities are leaders no more. Chicago's Alphonse ("Scarface Al") Capone is rounding out his first year in Atlanta Penitentiary for tax evasion. New York's Owen ("Owney") Madden languishes in Sing Sing for parole violation and Larry Fay, onetime milk racketeer, departed this life New Year's Day, broke. Twenty-four days later Boston's Charles ("King") Solomon, interested in liquor, narcotics and white slaves, was pistoled to death in a Roxbury, Mass, night club.

Last week Denver's leading 'legger, a little grocer named Joe Roma, sat plunking his mandolin in front of a music rack in his home. While a pot of spaghetti was bubbling in the kitchen, some unknown persons called. When they rose to go they filled Joe Roma with so many .38 and .45 slugs that the police could not count the holes.

The sudden death of 'Legger Roma was first thought to be connected with the kidnapping, week before, of rich young Charles Boettcher II (TIME, Feb. 20). 'Legger Roma had just called on Chief of Police Albert T. Clark, presumably to discuss the Boettcher case. Meanwhile Boettcher's father, satisfied by notes that his son was alive & well, promised to pay $60,000 ransom.

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