The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-12-02
GARY YOUTHS
bound OVER IN
GIRLS DEATH
Five Men Are Arralgned
on Charges of Killing
Arlene braves.
MOTHERS ARE SHOCKED
Booze Parties Blamed for
Tragedy by Parents of
Principals.
BV United Press

GARY. Ind, Dec. Five young
men charged with having caused
the death Of pretty 18-year-old
Arlene braves, waived preliminary
examination in Gary city court TO-
day, and were bound over to Lake
county criminal court on charges
Of first degree murder.
Prosecutor Oliver Starr announced
Immediately that the county grand
jury would be called into session
next Monday to consider indict-
ments.
Clarence Johnson, a suspected
bootlegger charged with selling Ii
Quor consumed at the party attend
ed by Miss braves. and the five men
Saturday night before she died, also
was arraigned today.
Johnson's case was continued I'M
til Friday and it was indicated that
charges Of being an accessory be-
fore the fact in Miss braves death
would be dismissed unless an au-
topsy shows the liquor was poison
Gus.
Defendants to Funeral
Authorities indicated the five de-
PENDANTS. Virgil Kirkland, Paul Bar
ton. Leon Stanford, Harry Shirk
and David Thompson would be al
lowed to attend the girls funeral
at 2 today under a police guard.
Burial will be at Reynolds, Ind.
Indication that defense of the
youths might be based on conten-
ton that Miss braves died OF poison
liquor instead of from attacks was
seen today in declaration of R. B.
johnson. one of the defense attor-
news. that. prohibition booze, not
the boys, should be blamed"
City Chemist John zumfeld was
making chemical tests Of contents
of the girls stomach to ascertain
whether traces Of poison liquor
might be found. He expected to
announce his findings in the next
two days.
Youths Refuse TO Testify
At a coroners inquest Monday all
of the youths charged with the
murder refused to testify.
Gary mothers and fathers who
have children in their teens or
early twenties, recovering today
from the shock of the sensational
conclusion to the party, expressed
the opinion that parties similar to
to that in the Thompson home are
not uncommon among young people
nowadays.
1T was just like any other party, y
said Mrs. Mary Shirk, whose son is
one of the quintet facing the electric
chair as the result of the affair.
i've worried, of course, as all
mothers of this generation have, but
nobody guessed the tragedy that
would come of this party. There is
liquor everywhere. Nobody can es-
cape it.
We've Fought Losing Battle
Mrs Leon Stanford, mother OF
one Of the boys, lamented condi-
tions in which parents today must
rear their children.
I'VE mothers hae done our best
but we haze fought a losing battle
A party isn't a party any more I'M
less there are drinks. Most Of the
stuff contains poison, and after q
few drinks a boy or girl isn't re-
sponSible for what happens"
However, the coroner's jury which
Monday recommended first degree
murder charges against the five
who confessed that they assaulted
Miss braves, contended they were
responsible and should be held for
their acts.
The party at the home of the
ThompSons, young married couple
with many unmarried friends, be-
gan at 9 p. m. and before midnight
a gallon of alcohol had vanished
among the dozen or more guests.
COnfesses to Attack
Young Kirkland confessed the
attack, saying Miss braves passed
out" and he took her to the front
porch to revive her. There he at
tackled her
Il was drunk. I didn't know what
l was doing" he said.
The others are alleged to have as
saulted the girl in an automobile in
which they took her for a ride to
sober her. and to get food. En- route
back to the Thompson home they
discovered her heart stopped beat
ing. and took her to DR.. R. O.
Wharton's Office. where she was pro-
nounced dead.
1t was just like any other party.
We drank a good deal and all that,
but what happened to Arlene is too
terrible" the youthful Mrs. Thomp-
son sobbed today.