The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-04-03
MYSTERY CAR
IS SOUGHT IN
STORE KILLING
Bullet Fired by Man Who
Meant to Aid Merchant
May Have Slain Him.
NEW ANGLE IS PR0BED
Coupe at Scene of Battle in
Which Frank J. Baden
Lost Life.

citizen intending to aid Frank j.
Baden killed the confectioner in
front of his store at 1901 r. Six
teenth st. Saturday night, compli-
Gated the police investigation of the
murder today. Heretofore it has
been assumed that Baden was vic-
tim of a bandits bullet.
The new theory, which Detective
Chief Jerry Kinney has ordered in
vestigated along with several others,
grew out of new statements Of wit
nesses that Ford coupe, hitherto
unmentioned. figured in the melee
in front of the store.
Baden was shot as he struggled
on the sidewalk with one of the
bandits who had entered his store
and demanded the days receipts.
From witnesses stories, detectives
estimate the number in bandit gang
at from four to eight men.
Bandits Flee Wildly
They scattered in all directions
after the shooting. some driving
away in a coupe and leaving behind
one of their pals mortally wounded,
/ in a parked sedan. He was not dis
covered until after the smoke had
cleared away.
He was not identified until late
Monday, when relatives said he was
Fred r. TomlinSon, %. of 1881
Haugh st. He died in city hospital
soon after Baden.
So many shots we're fired by the
bandits that detectives have been
unable to determine just where the
bullet that killed Baden came from
Today the detectives had informa-
tion that in the heat of the fight 4
Ford coupe was stopped in front o.
the confectionery and the driver and
/ his two companions fired several
shots in the direction of Baden and
the wrestling bandits on the side
walk.
Car Comes Back
/ Detectives Glenn and t-ing have
been informed this car was driven
rapidly west on Sixteenth st after
Baden fell, but some witnesses
said the car reappeared after police
arrived and remained at the scene
for several minutes.
The detectives are considering
the theory that the occupants of
the car thought they were helping
the confectioner when they fired,
became frightened when they saw
him drop. drove away either in
pursuit of one Of the fleeing
bandits or because they we're
frightened, came back to see just
what had happened. and then drove
away, the occupants deciding to
keep quite. for fear they would be
involved in a murder case.
Parents Claim Body
The identification of Tomlinson
came through local drug firm for
whom he formerly worked. The body
was claimed by his parents, Mr..
and Mrs. Ollie Tomlinson, with
whom he and his wife, Mrs. Olive
Bless Tomlinson and their 9-monthS-
old daughter, Patsy Lee, lived
Mrs. Frank Baden, wife of the
slain confectioner, viewed Tomlin-
sons body at the Moore 81 Kirk
morgue, 1880 Station ST., late Mon
day and told detectives that Tom
linson was one of the two bandits
who entered the store and the one
with whom her husband struggled
on the front sidewalk when he was
shot.
She also believed he was the one
who fired the shot that killed Ba-
den.
But what happened to his
gun?" perplexed detectives ask.
Tomlinson was found in the parked
sedan.
No Idea of Youths Fall
Tomlinsons relatives never had
the slightest idea that he was a
bandit. They say they thought he
was a salesman for a Cincinnati
soda fountain supply firm. He al
ways sent money home each week
for the support of his family.
He never appeared to have any
young men friends to whom the
family could direct police for clews
to the other bandits. Never did he
drive home in an automobile.
HE always seemed to want to do
things for kick" his father told
police, but he never seemed inter
ested in banditry."
Funeral services for Tomlinson
will be held at the home at 2 p. m.
Wednesday with burial following in
Floral Park cemetery.