Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-01-28

Buckner fell when shot through the
head. Mr.. Evans said the evidence
| showed Buckner not only armed himself
for the trip, but provided another negro
Of the party with revolver.
BUCKNER
ON STAND.
Judge AlOnzo Blair allowed an hour
and half to each side for arguments,
which began at o'clock this morning.
The Introduction of evidence was con-
cluded at o'clock Thursday afternoon,
after Buckner had been on the witness
stand in his own behalf for nearly two
hours. Buckner calmly outlined his po-
sition Of innocence and admitted he fred
two shots during a fight when twenty
gallons Of white mule" was being trans
ferred from the "bootleggers' machine
to the auto of Henry Lee, a negro.
Buckner claimed that Harold Kaufr
man made the arrangements with Ma
pariu to meet the former health inspec
tor on the West Tenth street road, where
Mt least twenty gallons Of white mule"
would be delivered to Kaufman at $50
gallon. Kaufman was to receive two
gallons gratis for buying the whisky,
Buckner claimed.
Buckner maintained the only interest
he had in the transaction was that he
was engaged by Kaufman to drive his
taxi in which the whisky was to be
brought back to Indianapolis. He said
he was to receive SIS for this service. He
admitted that when his car was too small
to carry the large load Of corn whisky,
the car Of Henry Lee, a brother Of the
notorious "Goosle" Lee. was used.
Buckner admitted Lee drove the car
q N Cd y,VC L.. i
he furnished one Of the colored men Of
the party revolver and also went to
his home and obtained a revolver for
himself prior to leaving for the place on
the West Tenth street road where the
whisky was to be delivered to Kaufman.
Buckner named as members OF Kauf-
mans party John Montgomery, known
as "Beefhead;" Nike MCGUIRE, Henry Lee,
Lawrence Allen and Edgar Harrison.
Buckner denied he told Detective
George Sneed of indianapolis "Beefhead,'
Mcclure, Allen and Harrison hid in the
weeds and then jumped out on to the
unsupported "hunkies" Of the Napariu
crowd, who brought the white mule" 70
West Tenth street, as the part of a con-
spiracy to steal" the corn whisky.
DENIES TESTIMONY
OF STATES WITNESSES.
Buckner said he hred two shots" in
the air after a "hunky" had attempted to
strike him with a club. He said he was
sure he did not hit any one and at
tempted to maintain that three shots were
fired before he fred two shots into the
"air."
The States witnesses had represented
Buckner followed Napariu, who was at
tempting to run away from the fight, and
that Buckner fred and struck Napariu
while the health inspector was running
away. This Buckner denied.
Buckner said he did not know Ma
pariu had been killed until several days
Later in Danyille ILL.,, where he admitted
driving his wife on the Sunday follow
.ng the tragedy.
Buckner denied he made a statement
to Detective Sneed that he boosted Oh
getting a hunky" while returning 10
indianapolis with the whisky stealers.
He admitted Kaufman gave him a gal
Ion Of whisky on the following Sunday
and said II "smelled and tasted like
wood alcohol" and he threw it out. The
court refused to permit Buckner to
qualify as an expert" on the smell and
taste OF wood alcohol.
- On cross exam nation. Buckner failed
to explain consistently why he was so
heavily armed and also the reason for
accompanying Kaufman and the others
to the West Tenth street road when
Buckner's car was not used by KaufH-
man. Prosecutor Evans forced Buckner
TO admit that while in Danville, H., he
received letter advising him the police
were looking" for him.
Buckuer appeared calm on the witness
stand and obtained slight delay In an
swering most Of the questions put to him
on cross examination by causing Mr.. Ey-
ans TO repeat nearly all Of his ques-
tons.
Six character witnesses were intro
duced by the defense as well as Mrs
Lillian Buckner. wife of the defendant.
The State concluded the introduction
of its evidence by introducing Henry
Lee and Lawrence Allen, two negroes.
who are indicted with Buckner on first
degree murder charges. Lee maintained
Buckner chased Napariu down the road
and that shots we're heard from the di
rectIon in which Napariu and Buckner
we're running.
Both Lee and Allen denied they had
been promised leniency by the State for
testifying against Buckner.