The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-01-20
'TATE ASKS JUR Y FOR DEA TIL OF AL GER
Deputy Prosecutor Stark
Makes Opening State
ment in Murder Case.
NINE MEN ARE FARMERS
IA Witnesses Sworn by
Clerk as Trial Opens.
BY EldOra Field,

DANVILLE, Ind, Jan. 20.-Dep.
uty Prosecutor Judson Stark de-
manded the life Of Gene Alger, is,
of Indianapolis, for the murder of
Traffiicman John j. Buchanan, Ne
gro, July 9, in the States opening
statement today in Hendricks Cir
cult Court.
Stark opened the States fight for
the death penalty after a jury was
obtained at 1905 a. nj. on the fourth
| day. The last juror selected was
| the forty-eighth talesman tn be ques-
toned. a new panel was drawn this
| morning.
Special Judge Edgar Blessing
swore fourteen States witnesses at
ter Clerk Alvin Woodland had sworn
in the jurors.
With tears in her eyes Mrs. Carl
Algert, the defendants mother,
bowed her head and left the court
room shortly after Stark began his
statement. 1t lasted more than an
hour.
Alger Squirms
Through a glass door she watched
the deputy prosecutor and her son.
Using a blackboard which bore a
chart of the scene of the shooting
Of the Buchanan, Stark Dramatically
traced incidents leading to the
tragedy.
For the first time since Monday
Alger lost his poise and squirmed IN
his seat. Seated with the four at
torneys who he expects to save him
| from the electric chair, Alger picked
at pieces of a newspaper while Stark
spoke
The youths throat throbbed with
inward fear His father also was
disturbed. but remained in the court
room with his son.
Stark declared that Alger on the
morning of the tragedy had with
him a gun, overalls and was pre-
pared to embark on a career of
crime Alger also had a small piece
Of steel used to pick the locks of
Chevrolet autos, which, it is charged, |
Alger had intended to steal, Stark
declared.
Carries Death
THE evidence will show that the |
defendant did not resist arrest, and |
did not shoot in self-defense. From
the beginning he was in fault. the
evidence will show. Only luck pre-
vented him from killing several who !
got in his way" Stark told the jury. |
THE evidence will show that the |
defendant is guilty of first degree |
murder" Stark concluded. First de- |
gree murder carries the death pen
atty.
States witnesses were to be heard |
this afternoon.
Nine of the twelve selected 10 de-
eide the youths fate are farmers.
The jury.
Edgar Stevenson, Danville Wal
lingford Cooper, Clayton; George r.
Blake, Lizton; ElvlI Gtvte, Middle |
Township; Edwin Scarce, .Ianville;
Howard Cox, Washington Township: |
Alfred T. Cooper. Stilesville; d. V. |
Broadstreet, Stilesville; Verne Wolfe. |
New Salem, ana Frani; W. Allen, !
Clayton, merchant; Charles Beascy. |
Danville. telephone manager. and |
Amos V. Smith, Coatsville. travel |
ing salesman.
Father Nervous
81 certainly feel sorry for that /
mother" is an expression frequently /,
heard in the halls.
ArS Ca,1 Igat- ,,,otbar Of tbo liz
PENDANT, Wednesday gave way to |
tears for the first time since the trial |
began. The father suffers, too Ner- |
vously Directing when asked permits |
sion to take the boys picture. the |
man showed the great strain he is
under.
"My son, my son." he said bro
kenly. II don't want him pictured as
criminal Oh, wish 1 could go |
through all this for him."
Report that the long grind of Sc
Letting a jury was near an end, after |
three days of questioning. filtered |
out over town late Wednesday, and |
for the first time since Monday every |
seat in the courtroom was filled.
People lined the walls and groups /
stood outside in the hall, looking |
curiously through the glass doors. |
The air grew tense, for the fight for
a human life was about to begin, UNI
der unusual circumstances. The de- |
PENDANT, accused of firing with the |
hand of a Jesse James and killing |
an officer of the law, is an innocent |
looking blue-eyed youth with dim
seems ready to break into friendly |
smiles any moment.
Does that boy look like a bandit
and murderer" people ask each
other and answer their own ques-
ton with a puzzled but emphatic |
Mo-
Students in Court
Students with books in their arms |
both boys and girls-a constant
ly coming and going, and many of |
them go round the front hall and |
through a glass door, commanding |
front view of the young prisoner S /
face. gaze long and earnestly at hi;n. |
Alger did not shrink from their
glances. His eyes, bright and friend |
ly. greeted them with the comra,:- |
ship of youth. He appears to- be |
waiting for some interesting aud m
personal drama.
Talks Sex Problems
" NE AZ