The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-29
Admits Killing Druggist in
HoIdup; TightenS Moose
Around Neck.
16-YEAR- -OLD BOY HELD
Accused of Part With Fox
in Fatal Robbery in
Los Angeles.
BY DAN CAMPBELL.
United Press stan Correspondent

LOS ANGELES, Cal. Dec. o.
William Edward Hickman faced
arraignment this afternoon for the
murder of Marion Parker, not as a
youth tempted to unspeakabls
murder by an impulse, but as an
accomplished criminal with a record
as killer.
Hickman eliminated any hope OF
a sentimental defense when he con-
fessed Wednesday night and early
today to a long series of hold-ups
including one in which a druggist
was shot to death.
Attaches of the prosecutors Of
flee were convinced Hickman's con-
fession to the killing of Ivy
Thoms clinched the case against
him so firmly that he could not
escape the gallows.
Meanwhile, police were taking
elaborate precautions to protect
Hickman when he is arraigned this
afternoon. They feared the new
murder confession might increase to
a dangerous point the resentment
against the kidnaper.
For hours Wednesday deputy
sheriffs questioned Hickman in his
cell on his criminal activities pre-
ceding the kidnapping and murder
of the Parker girl
Pictures Self as Hero
did you kill anyone else?' he
was asked repeatedly.
Each time the 19-year-old Kansas
City school boy shook his head.
He droned out stories of hold~up5
and petty thievery. Always he pic
tured himself as the dashing char
acter found in detective stories.
Shortly after midnight one of the
officers persisted:
But you did kill someone else,
didn't you?"
Hickman blurted out:
"Sure."
And then in the same calm man
ner in which he described the
butchering of Marion Parker, he
told Of the hold-up of Rose Hill
drug store on Christmas eve, 1926,
in which Thoms was shot to death
and a policeman, Don j. Oliver, was
wounded.
He named Welby Hunt OF Alham-
bra as his accomplice.
Hunt ConfesSes Crime
Hunt, named by Hickman as his
accomplice in the fatal hold-up OF
Thoms, confessed his part in the
hold-up today, police said.
The 16-year-old youth at first had
denied completely, but he broke
down today and confessed, it was
announced.
Hunts confession, police sah.
came after DR.. BENJAMIN. Blank.
jail physician, examined two scars
on the boys shoulder and declared
they we're from bullet wounds.
This fact coincided with Eick
mans confession in which he said
Hunt was wounded twice.
The two youths, according to their
confession, entered the drug store
late on Christmas eve a year ago.
wearing masks similar to a Santa
Claus face.
Hickman, in his confession. de-
clared he was using a .38-caIiber re-
volver that night, while he said
Hunt was carrying a .38-caliber au-
tomato.
Finger Prints Are CIew
With this information. checked
with the report Of the AUTOPSY of
the murdered druggist, it was hoped
TO establish which of the two actual
ly killed Thoms.
In the robbery and killing Of
ThomS, according to police records,
a Chrysler sedan bearing Kansas
City license number, 1876, 400, was
used
The car, the report said was sto-
len in Kansas City Dec. /, 1925, and
was found abandoned at a down
town street intersection Dec. 30.
Fingerprints found on the auto
mobile have been identified as
Hickman's.
Hunts confession gave a new de-
tailed account of young Hickman's
criminal activities.
Check Hickman's Career
Questioning of Hickman continued
today Only part of his story Of
crime. told with the same unfeel-
ing attitude exhibited in telling OF
the butchering of Marion Parker,
having been completed.
Following receipt of a telegram
from Chief Of Police Laubenheimer
of Milwaukee, Hickman was to be
questioned in connection with the
murder Of a girl in that city.
The telegram said Hickman an
swered the description of the man
who murdered Lillian Graf. Oct. IL,
1927. and asked that he be ques-
toned concerning his whereabouts
on that date.
Detectives also prepared TO as
certain if Hickmans murderous trail
led through Cottonwood Falls, Kan,
where the Staying OF an aged man
months ago was attributed to q
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