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Show BILL DREH IS KILLEDBT THUGS HEAVYWEIGHT SHOT AND KILLED KILL-ED IN OWN CAFE, TWO SUSPECTS SUS-PECTS TAKEN Once Contender for Heavyweight Honor Meets Death at Hands of Gangsters Who Carried Grudge New York. William (Bill) Bren nan, prominent heavyweight boxer was shot ami killed Sunday in the Tijuana Ti-juana cabaret, of which he was the proprietor. James Cullen, a state trooper, was shot in the neck as he ran to Brennan's rescue. James Hughes and Frank Rassi, believed to be two of a band cf five which did the killing, are under arrest. Brennan was chatting with frinds when Hughes, who is described as an unkempt individual with a prisxin record asked the pueilist to step outside out-side for a moment. Shots were heatd almost immediately afterward. Brennan's sister, known on the stage as Shirley Sherman, told the police that she ran outside and saw five men, all of whom ran away when s-he appeared. She seized Hughes by the arm and screamed for help. Hughes, however, threw her to the floor. A bullet halted Cullen, who was close behind the girl. lie staggered back inti the cabaret and fell on the floor. Hughes and Rassi became separated from their companions com-panions and turned up a corridor, the door of which was closed. Breaking the gla--s of the door with the butts of their pi.-tols they walk ed into the arms of Police Lieutenant John Hagerty. They beat Hagorly into unconsciousness, commandeered a taxicab and fled. Two pohcemen, attracted by the firing, took up the cha.-e in another taxi, and captured the pair after a breakneck drive. Both have served terms in prison, the police said. The pair, according to the police are members of a "Hell KiUhcn" gang who have apparently borne a grudge against the pugilist for some time. Brennan, whoso home formerly was in Chicago was a noted pugili.-t fig ure for ten years, becoming a formidable for-midable challenger for the heavyweight heavy-weight title in lfcJO. lie was knock ed out by Jack Dempsey at Madison Square Garden that year, but surprised sur-prised critics by carrying the fight to the champion and Maying twelve rounds before taking the count of ten. He was knocked out once n.ore by Dempsey before the latter do throned Jess Wilh.rd as ti'.lcholder That was in 1 0 1 S . when IVmpscy scored a knockout in six round..-. Brennan figured as a "trial horse" in the 19Ji? heavyweight campaign. After losing a derision to Floyd Johnson, Brennan was knocked out in the twelfth round by Luis Angel Firpo, n defeat that threatened for a time to end disasterously for the veteran, who spent several days- i:i a hospital with a slight concussion of the brain nnd other injuries as a result of the terrific pounding he received re-ceived from the South American then battling his way to the front. |