The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-01-21
HOTEL MAN
HEARD IN
ALGER CASE
Tells of Events Preliminary
to Fatal Shooting of
PatroIman.
SPECTATORS JAM COURT
Witness Rises to His Feet,
ThunderS Story.
By Eldora Field
-. =. q, .

DANVILLE, Ind, Jan. 21.-The
dramatic story of how Gene Alger,
IS, on trial for his life here, wild
eyed from a chase and running gun
duel With Indianapolis police burst
into his hotel, preliminary to shoot
ing down John j. Buchanan, Indian
apolis policeman. was told a jury in
Circuit Court room today, by Ed
mond A. Beyers, proprietor of the
Beyers House, 225 N. Capitol Ave.
Beyers told his stor yin a thunder
ing voice, rising dramatically in his
chair at times and illustrated how
Alger flourished his gun.
Alger had fled to the hotel after a
running duel through Indianapolis
streets with Indianapolis police who
had endeavored to apprehend him
for an alleged attempt to steal an
auto.
His Story
"On July g." Beyers said. 81 was
using a vacuum cleaner in one of
the rooms when / heard a crash of
glass and a noise that sounded like
the Whole side Of the building was
comig in. I went out of the room
into the hall toward the bathroom,
from where the noise was coming.
The defendant shot around the cor
ner."
Beyers arose TO his feet.
He pointed a gun at me-" Beyers
shouted. And that gun looked to
me like cannon. could see it was
cooked.
"He said: Stick EN- up
II said, All right; all right
Stick 'em up higher he said. :"
Here Beyers illustrated, reaching
for the ceiling.
Sure, I'll stick .em up higher,
anything you want"
Court adjourned for the lunch hour
at this point.
Beyers continued his story on re-
sumption of court at 1:20.
Mosbey Cross-Examined
Court opened with the cross-ex-
animation of John Mosbey, Negro
trafficman at Ohio st. and Capt.
tol Ave.
Mosbey was the officer who took
Alger in custody after he had been
apprehended by the owner of the
car he was alleged to have attempted
to steal. Mosbey took him to a tire
store at Ohio st. and Capitol Ave.
to call the patrol. There Alger broke
away after firing several shots.
Defense attorneys challenged his
| testimony that he fired into the air
when Alger broke away. rather than
fired at the fleeing youth. Self de-
| fense is the plea of the defense.
The defense also was baked when
! it tried to make Mosbey tell what
happened when he went to the city
hospital where the Alger youth was
taken after being wounded in the
battle with police.
Jesse Hadley, also a Negro, Mos
bey's partner, followed Mosbey on
| the stand.
Hadley said he went into the tire
store where Mosbey had taken
| Alger.
Watch that Boy
''Mosbey asked me for an arrest
slip and said: Watch that boy"
II was standing close to the boy.
| Suddenly he said, Stick 'em up and
l was looking into a 38. 1 ducked
behind a rack Of tires. getting out
my gun. When I rose up the boy
was running out the door.
II said Halt Then 1 ran to the
street door as the boy ran north. 1
fired one shot in his direction. Then
Mosbey shot. The boy did not stop.
1 ran to a police box and called the
emergency.
II lost track Of the boy and next
saw him near an alley between Indi-
ana Ave. and Illinois st. 1 called
again for HIM to halt and he turned
and shot at me. I pointed my gun
at him and fired. Then I lost sight
of him again.
Ford First Witness
Alvin e. Ford, horse thief detec.
tive, was the first State witness
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