13Aug36: G-MEN LAUNCH QUIZ IN BOMB WAR HERE

DETROIT EVENING TIMES

Dateline: Thursday, August 13, 1936

PAGE 9

G-MEN LAUNCH QUIZ IN BOMB WAR HERE

G-men today joined the investigation of Detroit’s three-year union war in the trucking industry, believed to have taken a toll of $600,000 in sabotage.

Herold H. Reinecke, chief department of justice investigator in Detroit, ordered his agents to assist police in the investigation.

Six men, five of them union officials, are held by police on information they instigated a long series of bombings of trucks, and homes and offices of truck owners. Two others were ordered freed after being held.

“We will be concerned only if we find the bombings affected trucks in interstate shipments,” Reinecke said. “If so, the perpetrators will be prosecuted under federal antiracketeering law.”

ASK WARRANTS FOR 6

At the same time Detective Sergts. Charles Davis and Hugh Meyers, in charge of the police end of the case, said they would ask warrants today against at least six of the men held on, “at least two,” cases of malicious destruction of property or of conspiracy.

They are:
EUGENE F. SCHNITZLER, former business agent of Van Drivers’ Local No. 243.
JOHN FLORIO, alleged to have done the actual bombing on instructions from higher-ups.
BERNARD BRENNAN, business agent of Truck Drivers’ Local No. 247.
SAMUEL HURST, president of Detroit Labor Council and business agent for the Bakery Drivers’ Union.
HARRY APERS, business agent of Van Drivers’ Local No. 243.
RAPHAEL BENNETT, secretary and treasurer of Van Drivers’ Local No. 247, and trustee of Locals No. 299, 155 and 243.

TWO SUSPECTS FREED

The detectives also ordered release of George King, business agent for the Labor Council of the Truck and Van Drivers’ Unions [of] Detroit, and Russell C. Gregory, business agent of Dump Truck Drivers’ Local No. 270. King was named in a writ of habeas corpus seeking his freedom yesterday.

The eight men were arrested on information furnished by two disgruntled former union employes (sic) who contended the union didn’t play fair with them when it permitted them to serve a 90-day jail sentence for disturbing the peace.

The two, Lyle Leitch and J. Hardin Wickham, said the bombings were motivated by a desire to force unionization of the trucking business and to establish the closed shop in Detroit.