Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-10-08
MANY DEMAND
LINKENFELTER
INVESTIGATION
Assailant of Little Girls, Freed
by Grand Jury, Called
Menace.
MAY QUIZ PROSECUTOR

Public indignation over the release
without trial of Roy -LinkenfeIter,
confessed assailant of so many Iittle
girls he could not remember them
all" today forced Prosecutor Claris
Adams to announce that he would
conduct a personal investigation of
the affair and gave promise of fore
ing an investigation of the prose
cutor's Office itself.
Linkenfelter, who obtained one
suspended sentence following an at
tack on little girl, was caught at
tacking another last August and con-
fessed he bad assailed so many little
girls he could not remember them
aIl.\
In spite of his confession he was
recommended for discharge by the
members of the Marion county grand
jury, to whom the prosecutors office
failed to present evidence It might
easily have obtained against LinkeR
felter.
GRAND JUROR BIAB6Es
PROSECUTORS OFFICE
John P. Hollenbeck, Ills North Templs
avenue, a member Of the grand jury, as.
serts that the prosecutors Office failed
to present sufficient evidence against
Linkenfelter to justify bringing Linken.
felter to trial
This failure of the prosecutor is the
subject OF much comment In Indian
apolis today and attorneys suggest
that the grand jury ought to be In
structed 10 bar representatives of the
prosecutor and conduct investiga-
tion as to why the prosecutors Office
failed to make an attempt to indict
Linkentelter.
The failure of the prosecutors ofses
TO do its duty in this case is so sim
liar to its failure to guard the sanctity
OF the grand jury room in the case Of
Harry Parsons, confessed auto fence, that
it is attracting considerable attention.
Charles W. Robinson, attorney for Par
sons, was permitted to examine three wit
nesses before a previous grand jury In
the defense Of his client and thereafter
faulty indictment was returned against
Parsons.
MANY DEMAND INQUIRY
INTO LEGAL MACHINERY
These two instances In which con-
fessed law violators have benefited by
the failures Of the prosecutors ofHce
have given rise to rumors that an inves-
tigation Of the prosecutors Office Itself IL
very desirable thing.
The members OF the grand Jury are
fully empowered to investigate the con-
duct of the prosecutor, his deputies,
Claude WOrley, the investigator" and
the conduct of several lawyers whose re-
markable success in defending criminals
whose cases go before the grand jury,
have been the subject Of repeated com
ment recently.
II they desired. the grand Jurors could
bar those connected with the prosecH-
tors Office and conduct their own inyes-
LEGATIONS.
The members OF the present grand jury,
who are not chargeable with any other
fault than too great faith in the prosecu-
tors Office, are, besides Mr. Hollenbeck.
Bennett Ellering, 1885 Churchman avenue;
August Dreyer, 1905 South Meridian
street; John A Miller, r. r. G., Box "a:
W. II. Dooley, 729 Roache street. and
Christian Martin, Five Points.
ASSISTANCE" OF ADAMS n.
NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY.
The public demand that these men
ascertain why Linkenfelter was handled
so leniently by the prosecutors office
is equally as great as the demand that
they reopen the Linkenfelter case, ana
| no particular significance is attached TO
the announcement OF Mr.. Adams that
! he will assist Ralph Jones, grand jury
deputy, in reinvestgation.
In fact 1t has been said that the
miscarriage OF justice in the Linken-
felter case was due more TO the in
fiuence of Mr.. Adams and Claude Worley,
the investigator. than to the lack Of
desire, on the part of Deputy Jones
to do his duty.
The Rev. H O. Kisner, 261O Roosevelt
avenue. who says he caught Linken-
felter on Aug. 13 with an S-year-old girl
in the vicinity of Hazel street and
Roosevelt avenue, and was responsible
for the mans arrest was not sum
/ moned by Prosecutor Ralph Jones to
testify before the grand jury.
The appearance Of other witnesses be-
fore the grand Jury and the failure OF
| Deputy Prosecutor Jones to summon the
| principal witness in the case resulted in S
the grand jury recommending last Sat-
urday that Linkenfelter be released from
| Jail and further prosecution because OF
| insufficient evidence.
The Rev Mr. Kisner, when Informed
of the action of the grand jury in recon
mending that Linkenfelter be released
from jaif, expressed surprise. and then
asked why he was not called as wit
| ness.
The Rev. Mr.. Kisner called at the
courthouse yesterday afternoon for the
purpose OF demanding that he be heard
| as a witness in the case.
at asked for Mr.. Jones and was in
formed that he was OUT he said, "and
I then called upon Judge James Collins
OF the Criminal Court and he statoa
he knew nothing about the grand .jury
investigation except that a return was
made recommending Linkenfelters dis
| charge from custody.
''The court told me to see Mr. Jones
and to return Friday morning" explained
Rev. Mr.. KisEer ''The court showed
me the previous record on Linkenfelter'
Last night Investigator Claude Worley.
called the Rev. Mr. Kisner to appear
fE0nffnuad