The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-04-05
BOY, II, ON TRIAL FOR MURDER
VILLAGE IS
DIVIDED BY
Death Case


Bitterness and Intolerance
Marks Start OF Lads
Trial In Indiana
KNOX. Ind. April s.--Cocil Bur.
kett answers TO the state OF In-
diana today on a first degree mur.
der Indictment
The trial Is IN circuit court. where
an adult charged with similar Of
Tense would be tried No distinc-
ton wtii be made In the trial OF
Cecil Burkett because be is boy
OF only II years
TRIAL PROCEEDS
lPON STATUTES
The question OF the boys ac-
countahiiity. his understanding OF
the gravity OF murder. viii not
enter into the case
The trial Will proceed upon the
statutes of the state setting forth
tn. proof Of commission OF crime
and the evidence necessary for
conviction Tho extreme penalty
on conviction Is death by electro
cution.
.ru not ask for any change Of
vcnu-.- says w. J. Reed. attorney
for the boy defendant Circuit
court Is the proper place 20 try the
hoy. He did not shoot Benny
siavin and we expect to prove that
he did not"
Tho case Il being heard IN she
proper tribunal" says James A..
Dilts. prosecutor. The boy II &C
counfabie- He In old enough 20
know what murder is and TO plan
H. The grand Jury would not have
indicted him. were he not
Cecil Burkstt Ia on trial becaue
Benny siavin. Z. next door neigh.
bor and playmate. died Of bullet
wound he received last Thanksgtv.
ing day when playing In the Bur.
kett yard at Ora
FATE IN HANDS
OF CHILDREN
Aitho adults win prosecute. de-.
fcnd and pass scntence on the boy.
his fate IL largely In the hands OF
little children.
No adult witnessed the shooting
OF Benny Slavin. Only chiidvn
we're as the Burket home Thanks.
giving day At the time OF the shoot
ing.
Upon their testimony the tury
win decide whether Cecil Burkctt
goes TO his death. to prison or to
freedom.
Cecil says that he did not fire
the shot. that he did not see Il
fired. that he was just entering
his house when he heard the shot.
He says that he had left the gun
on the ground. ready 10 III spar
rows IL they came about the Mar.
tin house which he and Frederick
Schermann. II. wer- cleaning.
But this story Is contrndicted by
Frederick He ls the states prin,
cipai Witness
In fact. all Of the important wit
nesses for state and prosecution
viii be children.
Alfred Burkett. .. Cccir's brother.
will be in court SO will Clara
sIavin. 10. and her sister Elsie.
6. and her brother Albert. ..
Grownups viii testify. too. but
their testimony will only serve as
the wool thru which Is woven the
warn of testimony.
Indeed. most Of the village Of Ora
will be In court.
Scientists regard Ora as present
Ing a problem Of psychology. or soci-
ology. or criminology.
But Ora disregards the scientists
and looks within it's narrow confines
upon a tragedy that concerns every
home, every child.
The one man In Ora who would
like TO know how psychologists, or
sociologists. or criminoloRists, can
explain the tragedy is Harry Slavin.
father OF the dead boy.
what will they say OF Harry sia.
VIM" he asks. s''He moved to Ora
to raise his children, TO have them
away from the evil influences OF the
city. Now one Of thern In dead and
he is in court in a murder case.
FATHER COMPARES
VILLAGE AND CITY
"In a little place like Ora there is
not peace among neighbors. And
my boy is dead.
TN the city there are street cars
and automobiles and little sunshine.
A little town is the place to bring up
children. And now. looki Looki
when neighbors ceased to be
neighbors, ] wanted TO sell my little
store and leave here. But the sale
fell thru. I thought times would be
better and stayed. And for what7
To see my boy die.
Now the world sends experts 10
investigate this case--the case OF my
own flesh and blood.
what do experts know about
what is In n child's hearth What do
experts know about ancestry and
neighborliness and goodness?
The community knows. People
who live together for years and
years know more about their neigh.
bors than science can ever know.
There Ia just one punishment for
crtrne---ff must rff ft,c ertype--..n m cya