Evening star., 1924-07-28
WRITING EXPERTS
IDENTIFY FRANKS
RANSOM LETTERS
Battered Typewriter Also
lntroduced-Prosecution
Nearly Ready to Rest.
LOEB WAS "MASTER MIND"
IN OPINION OF ALlENISTs
Investigation Shows Domination
Over Leopold-Started
Crimes Early.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, July 2s.-The final pieces
of testimony with which States At
torney Grove has been building his
mountain Of testimony" in the hear
ing which is to determine the fate
of Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold
jr., were reached today.
After a morning session devoted
largely to expert Identification OF
handwriting and typewriter speci-
mems as those made by the defen-
dants, Mr.. Grove said that only one
or two witnesses remained to be
heard.
One of these is Johnny Levinson
the youth who was one of the last to
see Robert Franks alive and who
according to the confessions of Leo
pold and Loeb had once been con-
sidered as a likely subject for the
plot which ended in the abduction and
killing of young Franks.
Trial in Second Week.
Beginning the second week of the
trial of Loeb and Leopold. Grove
called the handwriting experts in
furtherance of what he has termed
his perfect hanging case"
John Tyrell of Milwaukee, Wis
a handwriting expert. with a record
of appearances in that capacity at
more than 200 important trials
identified the original ransom letter
hrh Ion
NJ. Franks. father of the slain boy
and another letter left in parlor
car for Mr.. Franks as having been
written on an Underwood portable
typewriter. A battered Underwood
fshed from Jackson Park lagoon
where, according to their confessons
Loeb and Leopold had tossed it pre-
dence.
Slayers Are Interested.
The train letter directed Mr. Franks
to toss the money, securely wrap
ped. from the moving train at a
designated place. AS Mr. Iyrell ex-
planned to Chief Justice John II.
Caverly. in whose hands their fate
finally will rest. Leopold and Loeb
strained forward to catch a sight OF
the typewriting specimens which had
guided Mr.. Tyrell in his determina-
tions and which had been passed to
defense counsel. They exchanged a
few smiling condolences over these.
Mr.. Tyrell went into a detailed ex-
nlQnQflnn ,ypf ~
acteristic printing of the Underwood
portable, and similar Information
was started on the handwriting
specimens. but Attorney barrow sug-
gested the facts were not disputed
and Judge Caverly said:
+. THE defense has no objection. so
all these Photographic comparisons
may go In as one exhibit"
May Check Story.
The day opened with another in
dication that the defense was not
through with the accusation that
Leopold and Loeb hoped to escape death
by pleading guilty, before a friendly
judge" Police Sergt. James j. Gort-
land, who quoted this alleged remark,
was back on the stand to correct a
detail to his testimony on which he
made notes of this talk. Mr. Darrow
questioned him closely as to the
identity of persons with whom he
discussed the alleged remark at Fair
bury. ILL.,, and Bloomington. 1t was
indicated this part of the serseants
story would be checked up.
Clarence Darrow, counsel for the
defense, said today that reports
by morning newspapers TODAY as
statements from defense alienfsts
were really only the reports of nbvs.
ical examinations made for the in.
formation of the defense experts m
mentality.
Explains Use OF Reporta
Mr.. Darrow said that there were
seven reports Of alienists intended
for defense use and that the two
printed were really the least i'm.
portant, since they were intended as
reports on the physical conditions OF
the youths for the alienists to work
from.
1t was pointed out that the re.
ports published this morning con.
tanned no conclusions as to the men.
tai conditions or capacities of the
defendants.
The reports purported to come from
DR.. Carl M. Bowman Of Boston and
DR.. H. S. Hulburt of Chicago.
Policeman Again Qui.xed.
Court opened promptly at 10 am.
Robert E. Grove, States attorney
called back to the stand Sergt. James
J. Cortland, saying he wished the
witness to identify some of the notes
from which he read the bombshell
of last Friday when he quoted Leo
pold as wishing to plead guilty
before friendly judge" The ques-
tioning had to do largely with the
exact dates on which Cortland made
the various memoranda. Judge
Caverly frowned and shook his head
as the tedious process continued. At
torney Darrow and Grove conferred
briefly as to the purpose of the State,
the former nodding and starting a
cross-examination.
'Mr. Officer" Mr.. Darrow said. you
now say these certain sheets were
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