The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-02-01
Druggist Death Hearing Is
Set for Feb. Is; Mother
on Stand Today.
DEPOSITION END NEAR
Defense Lawyer ASSaiIed by
Widow as He Goes Out
of Court.
BY DAN CAMPBELL
United Press star Correspondent

COURTROOM, LOS ANGELES,
Feb. 1,-William Edward Hickman
celebrated his twentieth birthday
today by appearing in one court to
obtain a postponement Of trial f@k
the Staying Of druggist, and then
going to another to hear more depo-
sitions read to support his insanity
defense in the Staying of Marion
Parker.
Mrs. Eva Hickman, his mother,
was expected to be called to the
stand before the session ended to
sacrifice herself for her son by Civ
ing evidence designed to indicate
that Edward suffered from heredi-
tary insanity.
Hickman and Welby Hunt, his
confessed bandit companion, ap-
peared before Judge Carlos Hardy
disqualified at request Of the de-
fense from hearing the Parker case,
and asked continuance until Feb. Is,
Of their trial for the Staying of
Ivy Thomas in drug store hold-up.
Delay Is Granted
Judge Hardy granted the post I
ponment. When the Parker trial
was resumed after the appearance
before Judge Hardy, Jerome Walsh,
defense counsel, resumed the witness
stand and read more dispositions
from former associates of Hickman.
He expected to finish the deposi-
tions in time to call Mrs. Hickman
and possibly other witnesses, before
court adjourned tonight.
Dispositions remaining to be read
Included those of James Parker,
Kansas City grocer, and Charles Ed
wards, former police chief of Kansas
City. and his wife.
Edwards and his wife were ac-
quainted intimately with Hickman.
The disposition of j. L. Laughlin,
vice principal of Central High
School, Kansas City, was resumed
today at the point where it was
stopped by adjournment of court
late yesterday.
Wanted to Enter Girls School
In the deposition, Laughlin said
he understood Hickman had at one
time made application to enter a
girls school, and considered the in
cident very unusual.
1t was brought out in the depoSi-
tons record of crosS-examination
of Laughlin that Hickman had
many times told him he planned to
go to Park College, a denominational
school, as soon as he saved enough
money.
AS Walsh read the deposition to-
day, Judge J. J. Trabucco overrulcd
frequent objections by the defense
to portions of the crosS-examinatiol
in the depositionS. All assistant to
Asa Keyes, district attorney, had ac-
companied Walsh when he took the
dispositions in Arkansas and Mis-
souri,.
Even though the jury hearing the
Parker case should find Hickman
insane, the State would have an
other opportunity to seek the death
penalty in the ThomS druggist mur-
der case.
Widow AssaiIs Lawyer
Mrs. Ivy Thoms, the widow, cried
out in protest today against the
efforts of Attorney Walsh to save
Hickman from the gallows.
AS the youthful attorney was
about to leave the courtroom where
Hickman had obtained postpone
ment of his trial, the widow turned
upon Walsh and gasped:
ooh, how I hate you'll"
Walsh, taken back, turned away.
81 am sorry, madame" he
mumbled, and hurried to the door.
Too Tender Hearted to Kill
Of today's dispositions, one made
by D. L. Parker, proprietor of
Kansas City grocery store, stood
out. Hickman, at the age Of IA,
worked for Parker.
Parker said his assistants killed
chickens brought to his store. The
deposition said that Hickman was
too tender hearted to kill chicken
and threatened to quit his job
rather than do it,"
A report was current that Dis
trict Attorney Asa Keyes would
yorOdYIoa a e1trY0,.ica fodau uybicl1