Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-04-27
DEMANDS LIFE
OF NEGRO FOR
GIRLS MURDER
Prosecutor Brands Crime On
Bank of Eagle Greek as
Fiend's, Addressing Jury.
TESTIMONY TO BEGIN


cutor Claris Adams in the opening
argument for the state.
Adams brand~1 the crime rs the work
of a "nend" and brute" and declared
that the evidence viii warrant not only
verdict Of murder In the FIRST degree
but also the death penalty
Adams concluded his opening argu-
ments at 1915.
Strs. Sarah Smock. mother Of the slain
girl. was the first witness called to the
stand.
She walked rather feebly to the wit
ness chair.
In almost whispers she related how
Martha, happily ran to her and told her
man was going TO give her some
clothes.
TkEAsLISG DEFENDANT
CLOSELY GUARDED.
Ray, trembling with fear. was led
out OF the courtroom at the noon recess
by Sheriff Robert Miller. Capt Franklin
OF the police department and other OF
hcers
Under police protection the twelve jH-
rors, who are sworn to favor a death
penalty II the evidence should warrant
such 4 verdict, were escorted from tie
courtroom and to n nearby restaurant
a large crowd lined the way Of the
jurors.
There was no demonstration.
with one exception the Jury which
was sworn in shortly before IL 30 is
made up OF farmers and ruralites
The jurors are:
John E. Evard Jeweler. 112 North New
Jeresy street, city.
Charles S. Earl farmer, r. L. I, In
dianapolis.
William H. Rose. farmer. R. Z. D..
Perry township
Henry K. Whiunger, farmer, L. IL. NJ.
Indianpobs.
David Small, farmer, r. r. J.. Indian
apolis.
William A. Honer. farmer, Franklin
Walter E. Houer. farmer. Franklin
township.
Charles J. Names, farmer, r. Il A.
living near New Augusta
Daniel Lucas. grocer. Washington
township
Thomas Heimes. business man, Cassle-
ton.
Joseph MAtlock, farmer, II. z. u. Perry
township.
Paul G. schwartz. meehan!cSl engineer,
Washington township.
The state questioned prospective Jurors
closely 10 determine II they had any
seruples against capital punishment
Prospective veniremen peered at the
negro as they stepped into the Jurors
box 70 be examined.
DEFENDANT sTAREs
AHEAD TACANTLy.
Meanwhile the defendant sat staring
ahead yacnntly.
Occasionally he would glance around
the courtroom somewhat apprehenslvely.
he wrinkled his brow from time to
time and every so often shifted his
hands on the arm of his chair
Police were in evidence on all slides.
Uniformed men were stationed all
around the rear wall Of the courtroom
and grouped sentinel like at the doorway.
The police halted every person who
sought 10 enter the courtroom.
only court attaches, prospective Jurors,
lawyers on the case and newspaper men
were permitted to enter.
Two policemen guarded the railing
opening leading to the inner court area
Outside the police were preventing per-
sons from going TO the second floor,
where the courtroom Is located.
Just before the defendant was taken
into the court room a sanity commission,
DIR. L. n. Tilson and Or. Earl B. Rinker.
secretly appointed by the court late
yesterday, pronounced Ray OF sound
mind.
The two doctors said they found the
defendant OF normal mental faculties,
with conception OF right and wrong"
The commission was named at the in
stance of Frank Symmes, county at
torney for the poor, who, under the
statutes. is required to defend the negro.
DEFENDANT MUTE
AS INDICTMENT is READ.
Judge James a. Collins took the bench
a few minutes after o'clock and imme
diately summoned the two doctors.
At III Ray was brought into the court
room.
lie customary motion - quash on the
part Of the defendant WIS Gverruled.
The indictment, charging first degree
murder, IN i've counts, was read aaI Ray
stood mute.
The court entered plea of not guilty
for him.
Ray was taken to the courthouse at
1880 through the secret tunnel from the
county Jail, which has not been utilized
for many years.
Wiltsie, Kuhns and Jackson and Special
Investigator Claude worley accompanied
the prisoner.
At the entrance of the courthouse the
party was Joined by Patrolman Arthur
McGee. and Ray was escorted to n Sc
cret room where he waited until court
was called.
The negro was nervous.
The slightest noises appeared to dis
turb him.
Prosecutor Adams in his opening argu-
ment told the jury that Ray lured Martha
Huff to her death with the promise of
getting her some pretty. clothes.
Martha and her step p-slster, Nora
Smock were Misunderstanding as only
innocent girls can laugh when Ray ap-
peared," said Adams.
Little Martha and her folks had
moved to Indianapolis only about three
weeks ago and were not accustomed to
city ways.
TELLS OF FTENDISH
DESIGN ON CHILD.
They lived in Brownsburg, Ind, and
that is where little Martha spent most of
her time.
This defendant conceived a plan in
his fendish mind to lure one Of the girls
to her ruin and he told them that
woman he knew wanted to give some
girl some pretty clothes which belonged
to her dead daughter.
"The two girls ran home to tell their
mother about this and Martha and Nora
started out to go with this defendant to
a home of a Mrs. Ginis, who does not
exist.
Near the railroad track Ray told Nora
to wait while he and Martha went to
get the clothing.
Nora then took up her long vigil and
waited nearly two hours, until in fear
of approaching night she went home to
tell her mother that Martha never came