New Britain herald., 1924-07-21
Only Question Is As to Boys Sanity and the Defense Agrees They Should Be Permanently Isolated From Society,""
PROSECUTOR TO ASK
 DEATH FOR EACH BOY
By The Associated Press.


 Chicago, July 21.-After a plea of guilty today, the fate of Nathan Leo- pold, Jr.. and Richard Loeb, indicted for the Kidnapping and murder of 14 year old Robert Franks rests with the mercy of the court"
 A plea of guilty was made in court by Clarence s. Darrow. chief counsel for the boys, and affirmed by them they had been duly warned by the court of the consequences of this plea"
 The degree of punishment, which may vary from an indeterminate prison sentence through life sentence in the penitentiary, incarceration in an asylum. or death, will be determin- ed after hearing which is to start at 10 a. m. Wednesday.
 In entering the plea of guilty Attor- ney Darrow said that the defense ad- mitted the correctness of the facts. substantially as printed in the news- papers,
 Wants Mentality Judged
 He asked permission of the court, however. to "offer evidence as to the mental condition of these young men and their degree of responsibility
 The defense was willing to submit the question of mentality to a joint conference of alienists employed by the state and the defense, but Robert Grove, states attorney, objected to this, saying:
 Are sane, state Holds x
 "The state is in position to show that these boys are not only guilty of the facts which they here admit, but that beyond any reasonable doubt, they are sane and fully cognizant of the consequences of these acts"
 To Ask Death Penalty
 States Attorney Grove declared in a statement issued after the proceedings that he would insist on the extreme penalty" for both defendants.
 The statement of States Attorney Grove follows;
 There was nothing left for Loeb and Leopold to do but plead guilty. The proof was so overwhelming that no jury could return any verdict ex- cept one of guilty.
 
 premeditated and atrocious that no jury could fix any other punishment except death. There is only one proper punishment. That is death. and I shall insist on the extreme penalty as to both of them"
 Judge John R. Caverly agreed with the attorneys, therefore, to hear such evidence, both as to facts and mental responsibility as the two sides might wish to present to him for his in- formation.
 Judge Caverly told the attorneys he would let nothing interfere with as spedy a conclusion of the hearing as possible.
 Prisoners Smiling
 The youthful defendants, only slightly wan from their incarceration in jail, greeted their attorneys with smiles as they entered court and calmly affirmed the plea entered in their behalf by Mir Darrow. Leopold was called first to the bar of the court and was asked this question:
 "Knowing that the court may sen- tence you to death, to Imprisonment for life, or for a term of years, do you still desire to plead guilty"
 "Yes sir" was the response.
 The same question was asked of loeb and the answer was identical. Both boys were neatly clad, freshly shayen and wore correctly fashioned bow ties.
 Aside from their first greeting to counsel, and their initial glances about the crowded space before the bench. they gave little evidence of curiosity as they sat quietly in front of guards who brought them into court.
 Big Crowd Gathers
 Outside the building hundreds of curious gathered in . compact mass about the entrance. Three policemen on guard there were kept busy push ing the crowd back and clearing space about the doors.
 Persons summoned for jury duty in the various branches of the court members of the county grand jury. witnesses summoned to testify in some of the constant grind of cases in Cook Justice Mill. court attaches, attorneys and newspaper men were passed as they presented credentials. A favored few also had passes as spectators at the Franks case.
 Guards on Duty
 Once within the portals another set of guards examined credentials be- fore admitting anyone to elevators or stairways. The elevators were all stopped at the fifth floor. story be- Inv Judge Cayerly's court room. Again