The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-12-11

Edward, {, maze" complete q
The older brothers plotted against
the school because their three sis
ters, two Of whom had taught at
the Mt. Tabor School, had been sent
to other townships and Mrs. Pearl
Applegate appointed instead, Rock.
hill said.
The accused, arrested late Friday
night and lodged in Jail here, plead
ed not guilty when arraigned this
morning.
Auto Banditry Charged
They will face trial first on charges
of auto banditry, inasmuch as the
younger lads said an automobile was
used to transport the poison to the
well.
Prosecutor Rockhill announced
that If he failed to convict the
brothers on that charge, which car
ries heavier penalty, he then would
prosecute them on poison charges.
Charges Threat
Attorney Allen Widaman, who en-
tered the not guilty plea before Cir
cult Judge Royce for the accused
youths, openly charged that the
three younger boys were threatened
with arrest unless they implicated
their older brothers.
The three lads were released.
Bail was fixed for the accused
youths at $500 on the poison
charge and $4,000 on the banditry
charge. Bail was not given.
The Boys Story
According to the younger brothers,
Athol and Samuel bought the poison.
took it home, mixed it with water,
and then drove in an auto to the
school. There Robert poured the
mixture into the well, the three
children said.
Thirteen OF the fourteen children,
who attend the Mt. Tabor school,
drank the water the next day at
recess. They became violently Ill
But the poison was so strong as to
cause nauseau rather than death,
and all recovered.
Petty Politics Blamed
Petty township politics, involving
assignment of school teachers, was
declared TO be back of the poison
plot, one of the weirdest ever I'M
covered in the State.
Prosecutor Rockhill Immediately
launched an investigation. ham
pered somewhat by inability to trace
the source of the poison. Practically
all of the farmers in this section
purchase paris green in large guam
titles to treat growing plants against
insects.
However, investigation revealed
alleged dissatisfaction on the part
Of the Riley family on the appoint
ment of Mrs. Applegate as teacher
at the Mt. Tabor school.
Sisters Teachers
There are three sisters teachers,
Mary, Beatrice and Ruth, who teach.
Last year Ruth taught in Pleasant
Valley Township and Beatrice at Mt.
Tabor. Last summer Beatrice applied
to County Trustee William Conrad
for a school closer to her home.
Instead Conrad transferred Beat
rice Riley from the Mt. Tabor school
to East Township and let Ruth re-
main in Pleasant Valley. Mrs. APP
plegate was assigned to the Mt.
Tabor school.
The youths are sons OF George B.
Riley, mint farmer. The father
and an older son, Loyal, came to
Warsaw this morning to consult
attorneys.
Riley is a farmer Of only moderate
means, renting his land.
Prosecutor Rockhill said no others
were involved.
Paris green is a powerful com
pound. containing large percent OF
arsenic, used as an insecticide and is
capable Of causing death.
No Chance for Accident
The we'll in which the poison was
placed is one of the old covered
variety and 1t was necessary for the
persons who, placed the poison Il
lift this cover, removing any posi-
bility that the poisoning was ar
accident.
Mrs. Applegate, the teacher, anC
another pupil, did not drink tn,
water, and were not affected. In
vestigation was started when tn,
drinking cups, used by the thirteei
children, showed traces Of arsenic
Samples of the we'll water were sen
to Indianapolis for analysis a weel
after the poisoning. The we'll ha
been dismantled since.
The poisoning created a sensation
in the county and scores Of parent