The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-07-10
GOOD BOY
OF
BANDIT SAY
Staying of Officer by Son a
Dark Dream Declares
Mother.
Ry EIdora Field

How can a good boy-studious'
obedient, gentle-become in the
twinkling Of an eye, a bandit, a
criminal, attempting daylight rob
berry, trying a getaway with all the
holiness Of an experienced despe'
RADIO, finally shutting out" human
life that barred his way to freedom?
How can this be possible?" ask
the stricken parents of Gene Algeri
IS, who fatally shot Pat-olman John
Buchanan, Negro, Friday when the
officer called for the boy to come
forth from hiding, after an alleged
attempt to steal an automobile.
City hospital doctors said that AL
ger had a chance to live, and the
State prepared to prosecute him on
a murder charge. officers and citi-
zen witnesses in the murder were
questioned, and it is expected that
they will be summoned before the
grand jury.
Expect Fatal News
All through the hours of the nighf,
the parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Carl
Alger, expected to hear fatal news
from the city hospital where the boy,
himself shot by officers in his at
tempted get away, is lying at the
point Of death. They sat in the
simply furnished rooms of their
apartment-home, 1710 E. Ohio ST.,
trying to see through the thick veil
OF mystery that it seems to them has
! closed about their boys life, his
thoughts.
The youth was shot after he had
murdered Buchanan, who discovered
him hiding in a closet at the Boyer
House hotel, 225 N. Capitol Ave. Al
ger had taken refuge there follow
ing his escape from two other OFF,
GERS who had arrested him at Ohio
st. and Capitol Ave. on an auto
theft charge.
Police said the youth, in a signed
statement, admitted that he tried to
steal the auto and that he shot Blu
chanan.
"Why, 1 told the officers, it was
impossible--the boy simply couldn't
have done that thing. that he didn't
even know how to handle a gum"
the father said.
ooh this can't be true, it's a
hideous~ dark dream the mother
walled. "Why Gene has always been
the best of boys. Not because I'm
his mother, l say this. Ask any
BODY who knew him-his teachers,
why they'll tell you, he was good.
good. Why he didn't even smoke
and he loved his studies and his
music and he didn't run around at
Itnight-none Of those things. Oh,
this Just can't bei'
Loved Music
The father led the way to the
bows room. Here's where Gene
studied" he said simply. A pretty
little room it is, with a fond moth
er's attempt to brighten her boys
surroundings, showing in the little
ruff1ed curtains, the small decorated
study lamp, the homemade stand
cover. Above the single bed, with
its neat white Counterpart, hang
banners and remnants of Tech High
School, Butler and Camp Knox, KY.
where the boy once spent a sum-
mer. Lying near by, is the boys
cornet, for he was a student of
music at the Metropolitan School of
Music and had played in the orches-
ira at Butler, where he had finished
his first year.
docs this look like a bandits
room?' the father asked sorrow
fully.
Son, Mother Pals
1.-THE boy and his mother were
great pals the father said after a
moment. THE boy so wanted an
education and his mother wanted
him to have it, so she insisted upon
going to work at a cafeteria to help
him. He hasn't been happy at the
arrangement. Since school let out,
he's been trying to find work. and
I know he'd have had her stop work
if he could have found anything to
do. The fact that she was working
has worried him terribly.
This horrible thing has all come
from that. Never in, trouble before,
the realization that he was under ar
rest just drove him crazy with fear.
He told.me so at the hospital" the
father said.
Yes, that's the explanation, he
just went mad with fear. Oh, moth.
ing can explain it," the mother
walled. Nothing. It's just a mys-
tery-a terrible nightmare. But
why shouldn't come to a good boy?'
and the parents settled into puzzled
and agonized silence.
Funeral services for Buchanan
will be held at 1 p. m. Monday ut
the Simpson A. M. E. Church, 1884
N. Missouri st. Six Negro police
officers will be ~pallbearers. Burial
will be in Crown Hill Cemetery.
Carl Schaffer, 36, Of 1044 W.
Thirty-sixth ST, a. citizen who was