Cincinnati, Ohio, March 20th, 1927.

Riddled by six bullets, four of which had passed entirely through him, the body of Harold H. Gus Fitch,

30 years old, alleged bootleggar, was found at the side of Cooper Avenue, a short distance

beyond the corporation line of Reading, Ohio, early yesterday morning.

That Fitch had been killed elsewhere, and his body taken to Cooper Avenue was apparent from

the fact that his shoes bore no mud.

It was also evident that he had

received some of the bullet wounds, at least, when standing erect. Information upon which

coroner Fred C. Swing worked with Deputy Coroner Joseph Schaefer, former city detective who is now

attached to the county prosecutors and coroner staffs tends to show that the

killing of Fitch was the result of a bootleggers war and that he had paid the penalty for incurring the

enmity of a gang of bootleggers and hijackers. As a result of the murder, it became known that Fitch was

married a second time last July.

His first wife died four years ago, leaving him with one child who has been cared for by his family.

His second wife, who kept her secret until yesterday morning when news of Fitch's death caused her to disclose the marriage was Miss Marguerite Peggy Wessel,

26 years old, daughter of Harry J. Wessel, proprietor of the film service company of Redding Road.

Mrs. Fitch, who identified her husband's body at the morgue, said they were secretly married at Dayton, Ohio,

last July. She also admitted they had obtained a license at the Hamilton County Probate Court,

September 7, 1926, when they planned to have the pastor of St. Mary's Church perform a church

ceremony. Her father suggested that they had

better wait, and the license was never used, she said. Fitch's body was discovered by Adam Dieter's

Cooper Avenue, who, passing along the road, noticed an automobile robe at the side. He investigated and found Fitch's body

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