The Bismarck tribune., 1924-08-23
BARROW AGAIN
PLEADS MERCY
BEFORE COURT
Veteran Criminal Lawyer
Condemns Hanging as a
Relic of Barbarity
COURTROOM IS SILENT
Even "Silent" Typewriters
Are Heard During the
Tense Moments u.
COURTROOM is SILENT

Chicago, Aug. %, (By the A. P.)
Clarence S. Darrow today again
matched his eloquence, logic and
philosophy in an appeal to Judge
John R. Caverly for mercy toward
Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb.
Before a packed court room in
stiffness that was punctured
by the muffled click of "silent''
typewriters and the telegraph in
struments, the grizzled veteran of
the bar talked to the gray-haired
judge, pleading for mercy for "two
diseased minds" picturing the sit
uation condemned to lifetime
living in cell and denouncing the
barbarity Of hanging in general
and in this case in particular.
There was fiery denunciation,
too, of the testimony given by state
alienists, particularly DR.. William
Krohn.
The crime was so aimless that
the defendants did not even have
a definite victim in mind" Mr.. Dar-
row said, and he pictured Loeb
picking first one boy and then
another "bent on killing but not
knowing where he would go or
whom he would get"
"And get picture, too, of DR..
krohn going in and out of court
for 16 years." said Mr.. Darrow,
Staying his victims without regard
to their age or sex or circumstan-
ces. But he had a motive. 1t was
cash." and the last word exploded
as it rang in the tense atmosphere.
Mr.. Darrow was not burdened
.Nslth a vest today. He, therefore,
Mad free access to his suspenders
and frequently rested his gesticula-
ting hands by hooking the thumbs
into his trousers supporters.
Early in his address Mr.. Dar-
row A9eated his point of yester-
day tnat the crime was senseless,
without object or motive, that could
not be understood unless it was
explained on the defense basis of
mental sickness.
A Senseless Thing
"The killing of Bobby Franks was
a senseless thing. an unreasonable,
unexplainable and foolish act that
could have been conceived and exc
cuted only by diseased mirbl,"
said Darrow. 67-year- old veteran of
criminal court battles, in the begin
ming of his plea yesterday after
noon.
"Why did they kill little Bobby
Franks 2" asked the gray haired
pleader. pointing shaking fore
finger at the judge. "Not for mon
ey. They had that. Not for spite.
Not for hate. They killed him as
they might kill a fly or a spider.
for the experience.
Because somewhere" and here
the strident tone sank to pitch of
regret, "in the infinite PROCESSES
that 60 to making of the boy or the
man. something slipped. And now
these unfortunate lads sit here ha-
ted. despised, outcast, and with the
community shouting for their
blood"
The appeal proved too much for
the self control of the culprits.
Throughout most of the afternoon
they sat tense, Loeb following every
movement of the pleader, Leopold
growing pale beneath his customary
ruddy flush.
Boys Break Down
But when Mr.. Darrow's eloquence
pictured disgrace to the families, the
grief of mothers, the sorrow of IA
theirs, the blasted hopes for the boys
themselves, Dickie flicked tears from
his cheeks and Leopold stumbled
from the courtroom with bowed
head.
So overcome was the latter that
he struck blindly against parti-
tion narrowing the entrance to the
"bull pen" the impact drove him
sidewise, but he did not raise his
head. With extended arms he plow-
ed past the bailiffs and fairly plung-
ed into the elevator which was wait
ing to convey him to the approach
of Cook county's "bridge of sighs."
Judge Caverly leaned forward
resting his chin upon his clasped
A'NhNo cAhN hAo CySS uPOu VIC
speaker. But what went on behind
the judicial mask was not visible.
Millions Handicap
At the outset of his argument, Mr..
Darrow declared that the millions of
dollars possessed by his clients fam
lilies had been a positive handicap
to the defense. He spoke of the at
titude of local newspapers which, he
charged, had inflamed public opinion
against Leopold and Loeb.
"There are times when poverty is
fortunate and this is one of those
times," he said. "Wildly extrava-
giant stories were published without
basis of fact. They said this was
to be an effort to save the two boys
by the use of money"
Mr.. Darrow denied that, pointing
out that the experts called by the
defense we're to receive fees based
upon their regular charges for pro-
fessional services, and that he and
Continued on page 81