Salt Lake Telegram | 1937-03-08 | Page 2 | L. A. Prosecutor Directs Hunt for Gunmen Who Wounded Him

L A. Prosecutor Directs Hunt For Gunmen Who Wounded Him V V,- j LOfl ANGELES, March I (TV DUtrlct Attorney Buroa Pitta from hia hoapltal bed today took command com-mand of the search for aa aaaallant who wounded him In the arm from ambush laat night. : He held a conference at dawn with hia flret assistants and with Clyde L Plummer, hia chief Investigator. Inves-tigator. Physicians said It might be eev-eral eev-eral days before tha full affect ef hia Injury la known. Tha bullet caromed off hia left elbow and ploughed through hia forearm muaclee aa the 43-year-old Texae-bora Texae-bora prosecutor drove from hia ranch to his father's home In suburban subur-ban Monrovia, la Santa Monica, Chief of Police Char lee Dice (aid he warned Pitts to be careful. "I received a telephone call from a man yesterday who said 'it would be much better for you to lay off tha Douglaa plant strikers,' and then hung up, eald Chief Dice. "I telephoned Pitta yesterday afternoon af-ternoon and told him of the threats. I also suggeeted that ha be careful, care-ful, for many of the strikers blamed him personally for their Indictments and arrests, " Pitta directed tha Isauanea of In-dlotmente In-dlotmente under which nearly MO men who had gone an a alt-down strike In the Douglaa Aircraft factory fac-tory two weeka ago were arraatad. Pitta said ha waa turning aut o his driveway Into a public avenue ave-nue when he suddenly saw tha sedan se-dan parked back of a clump of bushsa. Tha ear was dark, but Inside he could sea the shadowy forma af "three or four men." "I knew I waa In for trouble," he continued. Tha ambush rar moved alongside mine tha running boards almoet touching. A man leaned out of the sedan. There was a spurt of fire. A shotl My windshield waa shattered and my left arm, which had been resting on the sill of tha left front door, dropped helpless at my aide. "I am certain two shots were fired. Aa tha black sedan roared away, I got my ear In gear and HLKO.N PITTS Escaped ambush. drove to tha home of my parents." Tha militant proeeeutor, whoae eight years In office have eeen liim convict eoma of tha west's most notorious, erlmlnala, staggered up to hia parents' house and called: "Mother! I'm shot." The relatives said Pitts' flret concern con-cern was for Mary Lou, hia adopted adopt-ed 10-year-old daughter, who haa been guarded for aeveral months, since threats were made against the district attorney. "Don't let them get Mary Lou," ha waa quoted aa eaylng, while opiates opi-ates were administered. To Pitts' offloe came a latter this morning admonishing him to "Keep your eyee on the road ta liberty." The letter was hand-printed with purple crayon.