Vanishing Henchman

Concrete, crushed stone, pipe, real estate and liquor were some of the business sidelines from which leathery old Tom Pendergast drew copious revenue during his long reign as Democratic boss of Kansas City. When Pendergast was indicted last month for evading Federal income taxes on $315,000 of alleged boodle received in 1935 from an insurance rate "fixing" (TIME, April 17), one man quizzed closely by the Treasury's agents was Edward L. Schneider, secretary-treasurer of eight of the Boss's businesses. Fortnight ago, presumably on Schneider's testimony primarily, Boss Pendergast was indicted again, this time for evading taxes on $128,550 income in 1936. Arraigned last week, the Boss pleaded not guilty to both indictments.

Few hours later, the new black Buick sedan of Edward Schneider was found parked in the middle of Fairfax Bridge across the Missouri River. In it were records of Pendergast companies and two suicide notes to Schneider relatives. In dust on the bridge railing were two hand marks and a heel print, such as a man might make in climbing over to end it all. Two miles downstream, Schneider's grey hat floated inshore.

U. S. District Attorney Maurice M. Milligan said he would believe in Schneider's suicide, so inconvenient for Boss Pendergast's prosecution, when the body was recovered, not before. On the fourth day, Mr. Milligan swallowed his skepticism. Federal river workers, taking soundings near the Kansas City water department's intake, fished out the loyal henchman's corpse.

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