The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-03-29
MAY
Save Child
FROM Cell.
Superintendent Refuses to
Stamp $3.50 Forger With
Criminal Brand.
PENALTY IS DEPL0RED
Daisy Sullivan Is Treated
Kindly in Detention as
Probe Cry Grows.
BY ARCH STEINEL

BY ARCH SIEINEL
The law that nailed Daisy Sulli-
van, 18, Of Bloomfield, Ind, to the
cross at Eastertide for forging
$3.50 check today pried at the nails,
to two to fourteen year sentence IN
the Indiana woman's prison, on the
anniversary Of another crucifiXion.
Tor while citizens Of indianapolis
revered the memory of Him who
gave all on this Good Friday, Gov
ernor Harry G. Leslie deplored the
severity of the hill-child'S sentence
and a kindly superintendent OF the
woman's prison refused to place the
crown of thorns, branding her a
criminal, on the head of Daisy Sui
Ivan.
I'll not take her fngerprints, her
Bertillon picture. 1t wouldn't be
fair to this poor, unfortunate child"
declared Miss Margaret M. Elliott,
superintendent of the prison in this
city.
LAS rule, we take criminal meas
urements and photos when the
prisoners first come in-but there's
too much to be looked into before
it can be done in this case. Shes
Just an innocent child, who may
not have known what she did and
it's consequences" averred Miss
Elliott.
Leslie Investigates
"I talked to her Thursday. She
told me of her mothers death-and
cried when she did. She told me
how her father tried to keep the
little family of four together. I
believe there's something more back
of this someWhere-other girls, may
be, older ones than she, who may
be to blame-and who left town at
the time this happened" Miss Eli
oft said.
Surety that Daisy's case would be
investigated personally by Cover
nor Leslie was given Thursday
night, when the Governor talked
before the junior Republicans at
the Columbia Club and reiterated
today.
ut is a IamentabIe affair. A girl,
lacking friends Or any kindly help,
forged a check for $3.50 and spent
20 cents of it for fruit, and then,
without any ceremony, was SEN
fenced to prison for two to four
teen years." he said.
and all this was done while a
banker in a nearby town Che re-
ferred to Jessup F. Bolinger, Shell
burne, Ind, banker, who received
the same sentence as Daisy for
forging $150,000 in notes. stole more
than 100000 and received exactly
the same sentence" Governor Les
lie said.
1--WE ought all OF us give a little
more public srevice and be willing
to help the other fellow. These
kids need some attention.
Should Get Help
Forging a check" he continued,
'is a disease. Ought there not have
been somebody to help that girl, so
that she wouldn't get into the ad-
vanced stages of the disease?"
1.-The girl should have been put
under the protection of some social
service group" added Indiana's
Governor. He believes in severe
punishment for criminals, but de-
cried "justice" tina trampled on
mere child.
He indicated in his remarks that
if the facts of the case warrant,
after investigation, a parole or full
pardon will be issued and Daisy
placed in the care of some social
service agency.
In the meantime, in her cell of
isolation-She remains there one
week before she mingles with the
feminine criminal element of In
diana-Daisy awaits physical ex-
animation by the prison doctor. The,
examination will be made Satur-
day.
Treated With Kindness
Nor is the law that tries to place
the stigma Of "forger" on her un-
kind at Easter, for Miss Elliott says
| Daisy's isolation quarantine will be
lifted Sunday to permit her to spend
the hours of the Resurrection with
kindly prison odicials-and not with
her thoughts.
Three indianapolis attorneys VOL
unteered their services today to OBJ
tain rehearing of Daisy's case and
parole from prison. They are Rus
sell B. Harrison, son of the late
President Benjamin Harrison and
former state senator; Verne Chap
man. Offices in the city Trust build
ing, and H. L. Ridenour, former
Greene county lawyer and head of
the Detective Guaranty Association
of this city.