The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-07-23


destroyed the typewriter on which
the ransom letter was written.
throwing it into a lagoon in Jack
son Park.
Leopold Watches
Leopold watched Grove closely.
He seemed greatly interested in the
details of the crime ne had so care
fully planned.
AS Grove narrated the details.
Nathan LeopoldqSr. sat nearby, head
bowed tears trickhng down his
heavy robust face. Beside him was
Foreman Leopold. older brother of
the slayer. Jacob Loeb, uncle of
Richard and Allen, his older brother,
sat side by side near the Leopolds.
| Grove told how the finding of
Leopoid's spectacles led to the arrest
of the defendants. Grove described
how he extracted the confessions.
Loeb demanded to know why he
was being held" Grove said
II told him that we were holding
him because we were tightening the
web of evidence around his friend,
Nathan Leopold.
IT told him that we knew II
Nathan Leopold was found to be the
murderer that Loeb was also con-
rected with it.
My God. Is that right?'" Loeb
shouted, according to Grove. "'Give
me drink of water and III tell you
the whole story
"Then while Loeb was debating
his confession to one of my assist
ants Leopold called for me and said
he wanted to ask a hypothetical
question. I told~him to go ahead.
Leopold Asked Question
Surprising John Doe committed
this murder. don't you suppose II
he had parents as wealthy and in
huential as mine and could hire IA
nous criminal attorneys and could
go before a friendly Judge and bride
the jury-don't you think he could
| escape?' Leopold asked.
Nathan Leopold. am going to
give you that chance" Grove re-
sponded he said.
Leopold. dumbfounded. was then
told that Loeb that very minute was
giving his confession. according to
Grove. Leopold then broke down
and told his story.
CrowN ended his statement with
another dramatic plea for the death
penalty.
! ssx1vo -4-itr -bo,v +1a+ all ~ %ba=a
| terrible things happened in Cook
County. Illinois" Grove said.
And in the name Of the people OF
Illinois. in the name Of the mother
hood and fatherhood Of this country
and Of the children of this State. we
will demand that these wicked, cruel,
atrocious murderers be hanged"
| AS Grove sat down, barrow, the
sturdy chief defense counsel. arose
and started the opening statement
for the defense.
Judge Holds Fate
Chief Justice John R. Caverly,
chunky, grizzled little man. noted
! for his rigid enforcement Of the law,
| is a central figure in the drama TAX
| ing place in court, for in his hands
rests the fate of the two youths
whether they hang, are Jailed for
life or given a lighter sentence.
| There is no jury, for the boys plead.
! ed guilty to the crime and this trial
/ is to determine whether there are
any mitigating circumstances" to
save them from the gallows.
! Arrayed against Leopold and Loeb
is States Attorney Robert E. Grove.
a heavy-jawed. grim-faced man, who
is intent on sending them to the
hangman,s moose.
| The central figure Of the drama to-
day is Jacob Franks, millionaire and
aged father of the victim. The little
old man literally bowed down with
grief, is to be among the first Of the
States witnesses.
Franks is to identify the grewsome
exhibits. torn and tattered clothing
of his son. The clothing was ripped
from the childs body by the slayers
in an effort to hide the identity of
their victim.
The dingy little courtroom, with
a capacity Of about $50, was damned
with the battery of defense law
yers, the staff of prosecutors, the
four-score State witnesses. a veri-
table army Of newspaper men, OBJ
servers from Criminal Courts Of
other cities. leaving very few seats
for would-be spectators who damned
halls and streets in an effort to get
a glimpse of the drama.
Mother to Testify
Grove also plans to call Mrs.
Franks, the victims mother, to tho
stand. After. the Franks testify, the
coroner's physician is to take the
stand to tell of the condition Of
Roberts body.
Before introducing ahenists TO
show the defendants were and are
sane, Grove plans to place a large
number of witnesses on the stand,
to show, step by step, how the
youths kidnapped and killed Robert;
how they stripped the body and
thrust it into a culvert on the south
ern outskirts of the city.
Clarence Darrow, chief attorney
for the defense, win center his ef-
forts on saving the boys from the
gallows. He hopes to show the boys
were not wholly responsible for their
act.