The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-06-30
DEATH ASKED
BY STATE IN
JACKSON CASE
Prosecutor viii Fight to
Send Witt and Hamilton
to Electric Chair.
SHERIFF HITS LAWYER
Ira Holmes Punched in Nose
by Sumner When He
Visits Jail.

The state will seek in earnest to
put Charles Vernon Witt and Louis
E. Hamilton in the electric chair for
the murder of Lafayette A. jackson,
a move by Prosecutor Herbert Will
son showed today.
They were indicted under the
Hartzell act of 1929, which makes
mandatory the death penalty for
murder during robbery with arms.
Previously the pair had been in
dicted only for first degree murder,
under which they could nave been
sent to the chair or to prison for
life.
Both have confessed, police say,
to the robbery that ended fatally
when the wealthy grocery head drew
a gun to protect his money. Hamil-
ton Is said to have admitted he
shot Jackson.
Holmes After Vengeance
Meanwhile, nursing a battered
face Ira M. Holmes, criminal attor-
ney, will seek vengeance before the
bar for one-round decision he lost
to Sheriff Charles (Buck) Sumner
in front of Marion county Jail Mon
day afternoon, he told The Times
today.
And the only sufficient unguent
to soothe his rearranged features
and rumpled pride will be stack
Of greenbacks Of healthy denomina-
ton, which, laid end to end, would
provide an ample belt for any circus
fat lady, with enough left over to
paper the bearded woman'S dressing
room.
Just what sum he will ask Of
the blind goddess as balm for the
blows Buck delivered after a heated
verbal clash, when Holmes tried
to crash the jail's gate and see a
client, Holmes confided today he
did not know-yet.
Clients in Court Wednesday
For one thing, he hasn't Bucks
credit rating thus far, and for
another he's been too busy choos-
ing between not guilty and guilty
plea for Witt and Hamilton.
They will be arraigned on the
murder charge in criminal court
Wednesday morning. They will be
tried there in about two weeks,
Judge Frank P. Baker said.
An attempt to see Hamilton Mon
day afternoon caused the Holmes
Sumner collision. They staged their
pugilistic encounter for the amuse-
ment OF handful of police, deputy
sheriffs, bondsmen and other deni
zenS OF the police headquarters and
county Jail neighborhood on South
Alabama street.
Sumner accuses Holmes of irving
TO override Jail procedure governing
visits to prisoners. The lawyer ap-
peared with Hamilton's family from
Kansas, the father, the bride of a
week, and an 18-year-old sister.
whom he introduced to the sheriff.
Argument, Then Blows
Then followed the argument as to
Holmes tactics in his effort to in
terview the youthful murder sus-
pect. One thing led to another. &C
cording to Sumner, until Holmes re-
moved his glasses and led with a
right toward the Sheriff's eyes.
That blow, the sheriff said. was
too much. He returned the com
pliment in full measure. and.
leaving Holmes to mop the blood
from his face, strobe into his own
quarters to bind a swelling hand.
1t was not the first time that
Holmes temper seduced him into
fire eating. A year ago he battled
with a deputy sheriff in the iaiI.
and more recently, when fined for
contempt OF court, broke out in
denunciation of Judge Clarence E.
Weir in superior court four-but
paid SIS fine.
Holmes Blames Sumner
Holmes laid the blame for the
fight on Summers doormat. He
said the sheriff attacked him with
blackjack without warning.
Il never carried a blackjack in
my hfe," Sumner said. when I
have to use one to handle guys like
that, I'll quit"
While they awaited arraignment
for the Jackson murder, the two
suspects were being connected with
other crimes, according to police
Witt has been identified, they say,
as having robbed building and
loan association in lola of 1910 June
9. He escaped last December from
the Kansas prison, where he was
serving life for killing Kansas
deputy sheriff.
He also has been named by the
operator Of grocery in Groveland.
Ind, as one Of two bandits who