"BLACK MIKE" GETS 12 YEAR SENTENCE.
Leader of Gang, Convicted of Holdup, Is Known as Bad Man.
A jury in the criminal court brought in a verdict last night sentencing "Black Mike" McGovern to twelve years for highway robbery in the holding up of the of Herman Allman's saloon, 2515 East Fifteenth street, on the night of December 29 last. For the same offense, John F. Lanza, a member of "Black Mike's" gang was sentenced last week to fifteen years. There remains to be tried on the same charge Tom Bosco, an associate of the two convicted men.
"Black Mike" has not been in Kansas City long. But in the short time he has created a decided impression among the police that he is a dangerous character. when arrested he shot four times at Police Captain Ennis, and on the witness stand yesterday it was testified that he said after the shooting: "If the smoke of the officer's gun hadn't blinded me I would have got my man."
After getting away from the policemen into an alley he was brought out of a basement by Policeman Doarn and it was found he had thrown away his overcoat and pistol in the basement. It was also testified that McGovern, who has several aliases, was the leader in a plot to break out of jail two weeks ago. A bar was found sawed almost in two in his cell.
McGovern still faced a charge in the killing of Arch Tirado in a quarrel over a woman. He is the type of young man who wins friends easily in his chosen class of associates and he is known in the late-hour restaurants as an utterly fearless character. Testimony yesterday showed that he rented a house near Forty-sixth street and Agnes avenue at the time of the Allman holdup and that he ordered the car driven to this house on that night.
