The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-28
FOX HAUNTED
BY DANGLING
ROPE SHADOW
Youthful Slayer PAGES Cell,
Waiting Arrival of His
Attorney.
WEAKENED BY TERROR
Marion Parker Was Killed
by Fear, Finding of
Physician.

En- United Press
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 28-William
Edward Hickman, distraught and
haggard, paced his cell endlessly to-
day, awaiting arrival of his attorney
from Kansas City and the start Of
legal proceedings which may end at
the galloWS.
He was freed for the first time in
nearly two weeks from the strain,
first of escaping from his crime, and
second of being questioned after his
capture.
It was the first time he had been
at leisure, the first time his mind
had not been too occupied to dwell
either on the kidnapping and MUIR
der of Marion Parker or on the fate
that awaited him.
Apparently, so far as observers
outside his cell could see, he was
trying to justify his action in his
own mind. He conversed at length
with newspapermen and Jail at
taches.
Weakening Indicated
He gave, also, the first intima-
ton that he might weaken from his
asserted willingness to face what
ever punishment the State sought.
What do the people of Los An
geles want of me?" he asked.
'They want your life he was
told. No one seemed inclined to
al ell
that prosecutors and public were
determined that he should hang.
"Was what did worse than what
Loeb and Leopold did?" he asked.
Previously his only apparent in
terest in the case of the Chicago
youths who killed Robert Franks lay
in contrasting the publicity he was
getting with that which they re-
ceived.
Died From Fright
A faint chance that Hickman
might escape the gallows was seen
in a report of DR.. A. F. Wagner,
county autopsy surgeon, that Marion
died from fright induced by Hick-
mans attempt to strangle her, and
not from strangulation.
District Attorney Asa Keyes was
convinced, however, that Hickman
could not escape because of the new
evidence.
1.-THE guilt of Hickman and his
responsibility for Marion Parker's
death is established, regardless of
What actually caused her DEATH" he
said.
Possibility OF an insanity defense
was being considered, but Keyes
seemed confident such a plea would
not save Hickman from the gallowS.
Arraignment Delayed
His arraignment had been post
poned until tomorrow to permit his
attorney-Jerome Walsh, of Kansas
City, Mo, to reach the city
The arraignment, however, will
be a mere formality, If Hickman
stands by his plan to plead guilty.
DR.. Wagner's report was the first
indication that Marion had not died
directly from the kidnaper's vio-
lence. The condition of the lungs,
throat and eyes of the girl, the re-
port said, showed she had not died
of strangulation, and chemists found
no trace of poison in the body
The actual cause of death, how
ever, seemed but slight mitigation,
in view Of the Hickman confession.
Mob Danger Past
District Attorney Keyes said the
autopsy report was "only a theory, :"
and other officials believed the re-
port would not save Hickman from
hanging.
All danger of mob violence to
Hickman apparently had passed to-
day.
The Jail in the Hall of Justice Is
impregnable, and whenever the kid
naper is taken into court, he will
be surrounded by sufficient guards
to insure his safety.
Police have received several re-
quests to investigate whether Hick-
man could be identified as the per-
petrator or unsolved murders in
other cities.
While every effort was being
made to investigate these reports,
it was believed the kidnapping and
mutilating of Marion Parker was
Hickman's only major criminal Of
feneN.