Evening star., 1924-05-31

heopoloS IatHcIs on the verge oL
collapse. apparently. and accompanied
by Jacob Loeb, wealthy insurance
man. former president Of the Chicago
school board and uncle OF Richard
Loeb. went to the states attorneys
office. accompanied by an attorney.
the lawyer said they had come TO
Leopold, ST., appeared to have aged
overnight, the states attorneys aides
said.
Mr.. Grove declared the case would
be presented to the new June grand
jury, the first case to be placed in
the jurors hands.
The stenographic notes of the
alleged confessions. he said. were
locked up, and although he said they
might be made public late today. he
was taking every precaution to make
the case complete.
Face Death Pentlty.
The kidnapping statute consequently
makes 1t possible for the prosecutor
to place the boys. when indicted, on
trial for two capital crimes. If mur-
der were not probable. the kidnapping
charge still would provide the ex-
treme penalty.
The statute says that any person
convicted of kidnapping for ransom
shall suffer death. or be punished by
Imprisonment in the penitentiary for
life or any term not less than five
years"
A speedy trial for the two youths
was indicated today by Chief Justice
Caverly of the criminal court. Speak
ing from the judicial standpoint, he
said:
Plans SPEEDY Trial.
This murder is no different from
any other. ] shall urge that the case
go to trial as speedily as possible.
Within thirty days justice should be
served
In connection with tho statement
OF the prosecutor that the kidnapping
plan had been Matched months ago,
lished small bank accounts outside
Chicago, using assumed names.
Leopold was said to have admitted
that he deposited a small sum in a
Peoria, Ill, bank. using an assumed
name. Loeb, similarly, it was said,
registered at Morris, Ill, hotel, and
under a different name opened an ac-
count with a bank there.
Disappeared on Way Home.
The Franks boy disappeared late in
the afternoon after he had started for
home from the Fairgrounds adjoin-
ing fashionable private school he
attended and to which young Leopold
also went before he matriculated at
college.
Franks body was found by a pass
ing workman the next morning as he
traversed the Pennsylvania railroad
tracks through a wild section on the
far outskirts of Chicago. The body
had been stripped and stuffed, face
downward. into a culvert under the
railroad between two lakes.
A score or more persons were
seized by city detectives and oper-
atives from Mr.. Groves office, but
the states attorney and his assist
ants let it be known that they at
tached chief importance to finding
about thirty feet from the lads body,
the same spectacies which for nearly
twelve hours had prevented identifi-
cation Of the body. The glasses were
turned over to an undertaken. who,
assuming the murdered lad the own
er. had fixed them in place on his
face.
Demanded $4,000 Ransom.
While vain attempts were made to
identify the body, Jacob Franks re-
ceived a neatly typewritten, perfect
ly phrased special delivery letter de-
manding $4,000 for the return OF his
boy. The letter assured the father
that young Robert still was safe
The letter was signed with a type
written George Johnson" with die
tation marks "Grk." 1t was followed
up by telephoned instructions to Mr.
Franks as to how to seal the money
and deliver it to the kidnapers He
had followed their instructions as to
obtaining the $4,000 in old bills of
$50 and $50 denominations and seal
ing it, and was awaiting further in
structions when relative. acting on
boy. went to the morgue and identi-
fled the body found in the culvert.
Loeb Aids Police.
After the Franks body was found
detectives said young Loeb aided
newspapermen and the police in try
ing to locate the drug store from
which two telephone calls were made
on. May % to the Franks home.
Leopold, it is said, had talked OF
| plans to go to Europe June IL.
The typewriter on which the ran
som letter was written was reported
| to have been thrown into a park la.
COON. There was belief that the let.
ter was written some time before the
kidnapping, as it was addressed Dear
Sir" and might have been sent to any
one.
Follow Auto Clue.
At an automobile rental agency, the
states attorneys assistants said, they
learned that on the morning Of May
21, red automobile of the same
make as Leopold's car, had been rent.
ed to him and Loeb.
The records showed the car ha6
been returned in twenty-four hours
after having been driven 118 miles.
At the automobile rental agency
| the state attorneys men learned Leo
pold, using the name OF Morton D
Ballard" established credit on May /
He gave as a reference the name Of
| Louis Mason" and a telephone mum.
Der, the agency manager said Ma
son." the investigators declared, was
admitted by Loeb to have referred tc
| him. and when he was called by tele.
phone by the agency he said Bal
| lard" was of good character. Or
May 9 Ballard" rented a car and re-
turned it properly, so that on May
21 he was considered a regular Gus.
toner when he obtained the red car.
Young Loeb collapsed in a faint
when identified today by Mrs. Ger.
trude Barish, owner OF a cigar store
as having gone there with Leopold
| on May 22--the day after the killing
and used the telephone. He was
rushed to 2 hospital.
PUNCTUALTTY ASKED