◆ SpookStack

6 cy Dio +. meAlD & parep 7/2 //7 “Actor for Loan Of $100,000 ‘The name of George Ratt, slick- chaired portrayer of screen gang- \ ster roles, ‘cropped up again today in the investigation of the tangled financial affairs of Benjamin “Bugsy” Siege}, slain ganglord. ‘Ciose on tiie feels of a disciosure]! ‘dy state investigators that Siegel Tmay have paid a staggering | 31,500,000 debt with his life, Dis- trict Attorney Wiliam E. Simp-|' ; son sald he had learned that “Bugsy” had recently approat Raft and other Hollywood film fig- ures for loans of $100,000 or more, actor, however, promptly! dented that Siegel had attempted orrow money from him, and]! he had jast seen the gambling] czar March 6 at the opening of Siegel's 3 Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, Nev. q NEEDED $1,500,000 Simpson said he had reports that “Bugsy” had Geclared: | “I feel Hke burying my In the sand. My pride Is is baaly hurt, X got my frfends and my- : self into this Flamingo for $4,500,000 and ite ¢ ‘riving } me nuts. “I need $1,500,000 and I need | WH within 30 days.” ‘ The district attorney also said that investigators were reatng| in all phone calls to and from the o between June 18 ay lune 21 in an effort to loca’ Siegel might h ed to from Las Vegas befol he came to Beverly Hills ‘June_20 and met his death. |" The theory ‘tat Siegel may have been rubbed out because of bad debts was based on revelation that two of his for # total of $150,000 "Bust before his murder. jf. “We believe these are not the | jonly checks on which Siegel stopped payment,” declared Walter H. Lentz, chief special investigator for ‘the atiorney weneral’s office, “We think his ~ primary purpose coming raise money eover his bad checks.” bitin iy pe also learned that had confided to a friend before his death: “| days. The bank won't lend and my friends ha all they can. 1 I don’ wet it, Pl bave to hide out.” CHECKS STOPPED ‘The two checks, for $100,000 and $50,000, were made out to the De] E. Panes Construction Co., the which completed Siegel's gaudy $5,000,000 Flaminge gam- bling casino in Las Vegas, Nev. { | in to E Los Angeles on the day of his | slaying was to to mingo on the Las Vegas office | of the Bank of Nevada. The han. ' red grand check, dated May 6, ‘was returned marked “payment, stopped.” The other dated June 16, was returned f “insufficient funds.” Investigators declared ‘while no suspicion was attached 19 Webb, wealthy Phoenix con- ‘pany docan't have the checks,” he sald. ST ld not receive them | and I know acthing ‘dhost them.” Since the drafts were nat jeut to Webb personally, he inct have seen them, investiga’ pointed out, However, & close associate ‘Webb told newsmen that the con-' tractor’s investment was pro} tected by liens on the Flamingo. One of the theorles about; {Siegel's Fubout was that the; Tunderwort d joney by racing news service. Booki ay have found it easier to jm than to pay off. The bad check find, a. “t y City clearing house, whit sk photostatic coples before At a meeting with District At- itorney William E. Simpson, Sheriff Eugene Biscaiuz and shows that Los Angeles is rated, jan 2 “soft spot? a on a