The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-04-23
WORk-N0RN
Mother FACES
jAz.zl-GIN TRIAL
Jury of Twelve Prominent
Women Surprised on
Seeing Defendant.
YOUTH PROBLEM ISSUE
Whole Question of WiIdness
Up in TruanCy Case:
Delay Won.
YOUTH PROBLEM ISSUE
BY JAMES n. MARTINDALE
United PreSq staff Corresnondeut

CHICAGO. April 23.-Aided by a.
jury of twelve prominent women
whose presence attracted a court
room full Of f1appers, scrub women,
gold coast society matrons and
few curious fathers, Municipal
Judge Alfred o. Erickson today un-
dertook to solve the gin, jazz and
girl problems Of modern youth.
Who is to blame for the inSt1tu-
ton of the school kids gin party?'
Whose fault is it that boys and
girls of grammar and .high school
age are careening down the road to
ruin in sport model with one lax
hand on the steering wheel and the
other grasping a silver flask?
Those were the questions that the
square -jaWed jurist with the black
ribboned nose glasses hoped TO find
answers to as he summoned an un-
official jury composed Of society
women and prominent Chicago So
cial workers to pass upon the guilt
or innocense of Mrs. Jane Liston,
who was charged With contributing
to the truancy OF her 15-year-old
daughter, Coletta.
Educators Are Aroused
Coletta attended the grammar
school gin party two weeks ago in
which George Lux was killed. 1t was
her story Of the mad goingS on OF
the Young people that aroused edu-
ators. authorities and parents OF
Chicago to begin an intensive study
OF the so-called youth problem
After the handsomely dressed
Jury had assembled in the jury box.
Mrs. Liston vas Brought in to de-
fond herseh against the charges that
she had aided her daughter III es-
Gaping attendance at school.
A long Way from the jazz moth
err was MRS. Liston.
Her knuckleS bore the evidence OF
hard work, Tisps of her hair pro-
trued from beneath her plain blue
felt hat.
The jury seemed surprised.
They had been looking for one or
those parents who are so involved
in their own gin parties that they
have no time to keep their children
in the narrow path of obedience.
Indifferent, parents were to be
made an example of by Judge Erick-
son. who agreed with the educators
who sat upon the Lux inquest jury
that here lay the real seat Of the
trouble.
Mrs. Liston looked frightened.
Her husband. a laboring man,
stood in the rear of the room
crowded with social workers and
curious parents who had turned out
for the widely hearalded test case
He took no part in the proceedings.
Continuance Is Granted Girl
Young Coletta did not appear.
Her mother. however, was accom-
panied BY an attorney who spoke to
Judge Erickson. After surveying
the notables in the unofficial jury.
Your honor said the attorney.
There are several phases OF this
case that I would like more time to
investigate. I would like to have a
continuance Of one week.
Judge Erickson froWned but
granted the continuance.
Mrs. Catherine Waugh McCul-
lough. prominent attorney, appealed
to the Judge against the photogra-
pliers who we're edging closer to the
jury box. SheiwaS allowed to leave
before the booming of flashlights
began.
Thus ended the first round in the
city's attempt to solve the gin, jazz
and girl problem. Attaches Of the
court, which hears scores of truancy
cases every month, we're inclined to
see nothing unusual in the case OF
Mrs. Liston and her girl, Coletta.