The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-06-04

Trouble Is Not in Brainy
but in Heart They
Declare.
By GEORGE BRITT

|
RI HICAGO, June 4.-The diabOli-
III ' cal blackness of the murder
Of 14-year-old Robert Franks
will be the principal asset and de-
Tense of the slayers. Nathan Leopold
Jr.. and Richard Loeb.
This is the belief here as the city
rubs it's eyes at the nightmare kill
ing which remains a cold daylight
reality.
If the youthful millionaire muir
derers had killed primarily be-
cause they needed money, if they had
killed over a woman, if there had
been any element of hatred or of
fear, it would be comprehensive to
the man on the street. 1t would be
an issue of simple guilt or limo,
Cence.
But there is no precedent to guide
in motiveless murder.
Just to get thrill" explained
Leopold when asked why. If that is
reason for taking life, then black
is blue or green or red.
Sane or Insane
| Therefore, reason some psychia-
trists, the boys must be insane. If
they could conceive and carry out
as incredible a plot as they did they
cannot be normal.
| On the other hand, some of the
city's foremost alienists declare they
are normally sane in every respect.
Their trouble, say these scientists, is
not in brain and will but in heart
and conscience.
| There is the point, it is expected,
upon which win depend whether the
boys go to the gallows. Many be
Iueve the heartless. unbelievable
ruthlessness will favor the insanity
defense rather than strengthen the
prosecution $ case.
Foremost in rejecting any in
sanity defense talk are Drs. Hugh
r. Patrick. William O. Krohn and
Archibald Church, who examined
the youths while they We're in the
custody of States Attorney Robert
! +. Grove Notwithstanding the
uniqueness Of the case, it is ex-
plainable within perfectly sane
limits they assert.
Girl State Witness
Both slayers were precocious.
Leopold, the supercilllous aesthetic,
always was considered o genius.
-.oeb, the quick. lil5abla proGigate.
was a pampercd darling. And at 10.
they found life bore, with physical
stimu,ants stale and mental ad-
ventures exhalated.
Their "thriu" explanation is
logical. They are simply extreme
! products Of the Jazz aee-briIiant
swamp flowers with poisonous per
fume
So say The States alienists
Among the non-techni,af wit
uesses for the State, it may be set
down in advance that few will be
| watched more closely than Miss
Susan Lurie, beautiful University
OF Chicago student friend Of Leo
rolds. They were simply good
| friends. she declares. and they
aren't any more. But there never
was any question as to his being
sane, she Is ready to tell the world.
Crime Astounds City
While waiting for the law to take
its course, the city goes over again
in its mind the astounding facts Of
I the crime. 1t is super-fcuon
1 throughout--the Sherlock Holmes
hnraveling OF the mystery through
Il pair Of glasses lost on the lonely
Irairie. and a plot which no fiction
ist would dare suggest even as a
probability.
1 Decilng nine months in advance
to ki1pap 4 boy and kin him.
the pair rehearseG their actions,
|Tclished eff every tell-tale trace and
| Iracticed an identical alibi
When they We're perfection. they
picked up their neighbor boy. Rob
ert Franks, as the first convenient
subject. They had in mind a grand
son Of Julius Rosenwald or several
ether wealthy convenients of their
! vicinity, but Robert CHANGED along
land became the sacrifice
] They killed him in their auto