The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-01-28
Butler Student Tells of Ten
mis- Date With Gene on
Fatal Day.
ATTACKS STATE THEORY
Youth May Take Stand in
Own Behalf Today.
BY EldOra Field
Times Staff Correspondent

DANVILLE, Ind, Jan. 2S.-Atter
two setbacks, defense attorneys for
Gene Alger, Indianapolis college
youth, on trial here for the murder
Of John j. Buchanan, Indianapolis
Negro trafficman, scored this morn
ing when Arthur Cope, 332 N. Euc.
lid Blvd, sophomore at Butler Uni
versity, testified that he and Gene
had an engagement to play tennis at
1 p. m, the day of the shooting.
The State has maintained that
Gene had planned to steal an auto
that day and drive to Detroit; that
he was apprehended in his attempt
to axe a car. Alger escaped the Off
Ger to whom he was turned over,
fed to the Boyer House, 225 N. Capi.
tol Ave-, where he shot and killed
Buchanan, who was looking for him.
The defense maintains that Alger
had no intentions of leaving the city
or stealing an auto; that he was
falsely arrested and, harrassed by
police. shot and killed in self-defense.
What arrangements had you
made with Gene to play tennis that
day?" defense attorneys asked Cope.
IF Gene succeeded i'll getting q
job, he was to call me so I could do
something else" Cope answered.
did he call you?"
mo"
On cross-examination, however,
cot !. e
the r. o. T. C. at Butler and he had
heard him say he enjoyed gun mark
manship.
The defense suffered a severe blow
at the opening of court. Special
Judge Edgar Blessing ruled a state
ment of John j. Fox, a roomer at the
Boyer home, could not be admitted
as evidence.
Judge Edgar Blessing ruled at the
opening of the trial in Circuit Court
this morning that the defense could
not admit as evidence the state
ment of Henry j. Fox, q roomer at
the Boyer House, 225 n. Capital
Ave, where the fatal shooting oc-
CURED.
The statement purported to quote
Edmund Boyer, the proprietor, as
saying that Buchanan fired at
Alger first through a door of
closet in which he was hiding.
Boyer, State witness earlier in the
trial said Alger shot first.
Denies Statement
Fox. a defense witness, was mt
on the stand Thursday to tell of his
interview with Boyer after the
shooting. When. Otis Gulley. chief
defense attorney read the statement
covering this interview, Fox suddenly
shouted:
Il did not say that"
Defense attorneys moved to i'm.
peach Fox. and that the statement be
admitted anyhow. Marion County
Prosecutor William H. Remy objected
and Judge Blessing announced he
would rule this morning.
Judge Blessing did not rule on the
move to impeach Fox.
Character witnesses were on the
stand most of the morning. Gene.
himself, may take the stand in his
own behalf late today.
Pathos marked the testimony of
Elbert Arnett, 2135 S. Emerson Ave.
His son, Russell, who recently died.
also is said to have had a tennis
engagement with Alger along with
Cope. Arnett's testimony, however,
was ruled out as hearsay.
When asked if his son was not
DEAD Arnett broke down the cheeks
of many of the spectators.
John d. Mckay, 80 N. Euclid
Blvd, character witness, testified
this morning that Alger was a mem.
ber of the Order of De Molay.
Mrs. Carl Alger, mother of Gene.
testified Thursday. She told of visit.
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