The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-12-16
JUDGE RULES
OUT PRYOR'S
FESSION'
Defense Wins Fight When
Collins Strikes Out
Murder Admission
DURESS CLAIMS UPHELD
MartinSviIIe Man Takes
Stand and Tells of
County Quiz.

The defense scored a signal VIC
tory today in the murder trial of
Ernest Pryor of Martinsville, when
Pryor's purported confession to the
poisoning Of his young wife four
months ago was ruled out Of the
trial by Judge James A. Collins.
After a two-hour wrangle between
attorneys this morning over admis-
sibility of the alleged confession,
Collins ruled that it was invalid
because Pryor made it under duresS.
Prosecutors objections fell on
deaf ears despite their pleas Pryor
made the confession at his own sug-
gestion.
The criminal court jury which has
been hearing evidence in the case
for seven days was excluded from
the courtroom most of the morning
while the arguments progressed.
Recalled to Stand
Pryor was recalled to the witness
stand when court convened this
morning to narrate the alleged NAL
treatment he sustained after his ar
rest by Sheriff Albert Lucas on a
first-degree murder charge. He
was on the stand several hours on
Monday afternoon as the state be-
gan it's attack on the alleged con-
fession.
Pryor testified that he was grilled
for four days, most of the time
without food. He was set on a stool
in the center of cell in the Nor
gan county jail, and was subjected
TO rigid cross-eXamination by a
swarm of men," he testified. He
was knocked off the stool once and
was hit with blackjack during the
questioning, he testified.
States Attorneys william r..
Ringer marion county, and Will
liam Bray Morgan county, coun-
tered after Pryor left the stand with
denials of Pryor's charge by au-
thorities who participated in the
grillins.
Witnesses Deny DuresS
On the witness stand for this
rebuttal was Sheriff Lucas, James
Woods. a spectator at the grilling;
Mrs. Helen Lucas, wife of the
sheriff, and Carrot Richard, Morgan
county deputy sheriff.
The witnesses individually denied
Pryor was maltreated or that he
was prohibited from eating.
Mrs. Martha O'Neal, friend of
Pryor's, who visited him several
times in the Jail because I felt
sorry for him" she said, was the
only defense witness to the alleged
maltreatment, except Pryor. Her
testimony was that she saw the
small town lover with a bump on
his head the size of an egg" She
witnessed no other improper treat
ment, she testified
Bray Given Clean BiIl'
Prosecutor Bray, who had been
accused Of helping on the grilling,
offered to take the stand to refute
Pryor's charge that he (Bray) beat
Pryor.
Collins ruled that Bray had been
given "a clean bill' and had no
reason to testify.
After he had excluded the pur-
ported confession from evidence,
Collins was forced a short time later
to warn Prosecutor Ringer that he
was guilty "of the most discourte-
Gus thing that ever happened in this
court"
Upholds Defense Objection
Ringer had taken the confession
and from it read partial statements
for violation by Deputy Sheriff Rich
ards. At the end of each question
the defense objected and the objec-
ton was sustained by Collins.
Ringer then entered the matter
into the trial record. making an Of
fer to prove. Jurors did not hear
the offer. Ringer rose about seven
times to make his offer to prove,
and spectators laughed each time.
Ruling out the statement, Col
Inns sustained Attorney John Royse's
objection on the ground that it was
incompetent, inadmisSable, and was
obtained under duresS. The state
ment was taken after Pryor has
been indicted by the Morgan coun-
ty grand jury.