The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-10-26
SHERIFF RIPS
DEFENSE TALE
OF ruth Judd
Bullet in Her Hand First
Passed Through Victims
Heart, Officer Says.
CASE CALLED AIRTIGHT
Deed Premeditated, View of
Official; May Drop Ex-
tradition Fight.
BY GEORGE Z. HELMER
United Press staff Correspondent

- AAA@ACH ~ III
startling new theory as to how Mrs.
Ruth Judd received a pistol wound
in her hand was advanced today
as the "nerveless blonde" from
Phoenix threw her own defense
camp into confusion by agreeing
tentatively to return to Arizona and
face murder charges.
While her husband and attorneys
made almost frantic efforts to pre-
vent her eXtradition, and to sup
port her claim that she killed two
girl friends in self-defense, Mrs.
Judd told Sheriff James McFadden
of Phoenix she was ready to 90
back whenever he said"
Governor James Rolph Jr., of
California, announced from his hos
pital bed in San Francisco today
that he would sign eXtradition
papers at once for the return of
Mrs. Judd to Arizona.
1t was McFadden who advanced
the new theory regarding the wound
which Mrs. Judd claimed she re-
ceived defending herself against
Miss Hedvig Samuelson and Mrs.
Agnes Leroi, the two women she is
accused Of numbering and whose
bodies, one dismembered, were
shipped here as luggage.
Spent Bullet in Hand
"The bullet that passed through
the heart of Miss Samuelson was the
same slug that was embedded in
Ruth Judd's hand" declared Nc
Fadden.
"She shot the girl twice, then
probably supported the body with
her left hand while firing the final
shot with her right. The bullet
passed through Miss Samuelson's
body and stopped in Mrs. Judd's
hand.
IF that bullet hadn't hit anything
before it struck the hand, it would
have gone through. But it had
every appearance of being a spent
bullet"
Despite the efforts of defense at
torneys to block prosecution, Nc
Fadden predicted, after talking to
Mrs. Judd, that he would have her
back in Phoenix, scene of the STAY
ings, within a few days.
"Well, Mrs. Judd, do you want to
90 back with me, as soon as you're
able to travel?" he said he asked
her.
Il want to stay here awhile" he
said she answered.
well, Whatever you say Nc
Fadden said he told her, But you're
going to be in the Phoerix jail for
quite a while. And everything might
be better for you and everybody else
if you'd go back when 1 say the
word"
Faces Arrangement Today
The sheriff said she answered:
81 think I'll go when you say"
Mrs. Judd was ordered arraigned
today on a fugitive warrant charg-
ING she fled from Arizona after
committing a crime. A hearing on
a writ of habeas corpus has been
set for Nov. 3.
McFadden predicted, however,
that Mrs. Judd would return with
him as soon as he could get back
from Sacramento, where he went
today for an extradition warrant.
McFadden Scoffed at Mrs. Judd's
story that the killings occurred
Saturday morning, Oct. II, and
were in self-defenSe.
I'VE have plenty of evidence that
the shooting took place Friday
night" he aSid. AT least M of
the wCsnen vas murdered while she
lay in bed, and we have no doubt
that the whole affair was premedi-
tated."
Mrs. Judd, tired and worn after
long questioning, appeared indig-
nant when shown a copy of a news
paper containing Ruth Judd's own
story"
That's not my story" she cried.
"I've never authorized any story of
what has occurred. I want to rest
a few days. then Iii confer with
my attorneys and, then, if they
think it advisable, I will tell my real
story"
Clings to Story
Police officials tried without
success to break down her story,
that Miss Samuelson had tried to
shoot her and that Mrs. Leroi had
attacked her with an ironing board.
She refused to comment on an
asserted confession which was
found in the plumbing of a down.
town department store, where she
hid the first night she was in Los
Angeles.
Handwriting experts said they
would determine today whether
the letter was written in her hand.
Police believed it was and believed
it would prove important evidence
against her, being in reality a
confession" written even before
she surrendered.
Mrs. Judd's attorneys pointed out.
however. that the document was
not signed or witnessed, and de-
clared they would fight its introduce
ton in court.