Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-06-05
TRIAL OF AUTO
THEFTCASESIN
FEDERALCOURT
Eleven Defendants Involved
in Alleged Conspiracy
Answer to Charges.

Trial Of the automobile theft conspiracy
cases involving eleven defendants, a
number of whom are residents of this
State, began in Federal Court befDr re
Judge Albert i. Anderson today, and
probably viii not reach the jury until
Tuesday
Details Of wholesale traffic in stolen
motor cars. which extended from Chi
cago to Tennessee, were barred by VII
liam Hnmbert. %. of Alexandria, the
only defendant to enter plea Of guilty.
Those on trial are Louis l.. Cook,
former Hamilton County farmer, now liy
Ing near Tazwell. Tenn. James Il Click
Of Greensburg formerly of Anderson ::
Hubert Seals and Porter Garland. young
farmers living near Noblesviilel: Harry
saunders of Anderson and Carson Rose
of Lone Mountain. Tenn.
Four defendants, Tom Sutton, Albert
Esplin. John +. Wentzell and David
Cooley, never have been arrested and
the Government nolled charge against
Claude Reeder Of Knoxville, Team. when
the ease was called today.
According to Humberts story to the
jury he made II n business OF stealing
motor cars IN Chicago. taking them 70
Anderson and selling the hot cars as
stolen automobile are called, among
motor thieves. to other defendants
Some of these cars later were taken to
Tennessee and sold
ADMITS STEALING
CARS LAST SUMMER
When court adjourned at noon Hum
bert had Implicated Cook, Click, Saun-
ders and Seals in the conspiracy. Ac-
eording to his story, he ana other de
PENDANTS under arrest stole four cars in
Chicago at different times In the summer
of 1921 One of these was sold TO Saun-
ders, who he said. wanted To Use it for
running whisky. Later Saunders trad
ed back the car for another, which also
was stolen.
Click and Seals bought two cars from
him later. knowing when the purchases
were made the machines We're hot cars
These cars were purchased to be taken
to Tennessee to be sold again Later,
Cook and Seals were arrested Mt Taz
we'll, Tenn, with one in their possession
FATCETT yERIFIES
STORY OF HUMBERT.
The testimony of Humbert, as far as
It concerned Saunders, was verified by
T. NJ. Faucet, formerly chief Of police
of Noblesville. who was present when
Humhert made q confession in writing
while in the Hamilton County jail last
September.
Faucet testified Saunders admitted the
truth of the confession, except he insist
ed he had paid $500. instead Of 30, for
the stolen automobile. On cross exam
nation Charles X. Bagot Of Anderson.
attorney for Saunders had Faucet nd
nit he had not been present the entire
time uumbert was making his confes-
sion.
When court convened at . o'clock,
Humbert resumed his testimony and
gave evidence Of other transactions In
yolving other defendants In the case.
The Defense Judging from the open
ing statements Of Its attorneys, does not
intend to deny the defendants standing
trial purchased cars from Humbert, but
will attempt to show the prices paid for
the machines were far higher than those
quoted by Humbert, and they had no
knowledge the cars We're stolen when the
deals were made.
COLLECTOR OF LOOT SENT Up.
Charles Williams. 40. 32S East Washing
ton street visited four stores Saturday
and made a collection of shoe strings.
rings, handkerchiefs and other merchan-
disc valued at about 81. according to testi-
mouy in city court today, and Judge Del
bert 0. Wilmeth fined him 81 and costs
and sentenced him to serve sixty dds on