The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-06-24
Distraught From GrilIing in
Mystery of Fatal
Sandwiches.
FIND STRYCHNINE CLEW
Arrest Believed Imminent
as Officials Discover
Capsules Source.
BY ARCH STEINEL
Times stan Correspondent

families of Boone and Hancock
counties was held today at the home
of Mr.. and Mrs. John w. Simmons,
seven miles northeast of here, over
the biers of their two daughters.
It was bitter reunion, as Bit
ter as the one that started jovially
Sunday and ended in the poison
Staying of the daughters Of the
wealthy Greenfield farmer and ILL
ness for two other members who
attended the picnic reunion in
Lebanon.
But unlike the first reunion, to-
days was rife with tears and
solemnity from the beginning, as
Alice Jean and Virginia Simmons
were borne from the family home
to a cemetery founded by great
grandfather near Willow Branch.
Weakened by Grilling
The parents were distraught from
grillings by authorities seeking in
formation helpful in solving the
mystery Of the poisoned sandwiches
which slew the two girls.
While the Rev. Omar HUI
ferd of Charlottesville intoned the
prayer for the dead and pacified
the family with the hope of "the
life beyond" preparations were be-
ing made by Boone and Hancock
county officials to requestion the
parents regarding incidents that led
up to the tragic picnic.
Selecting an excerpt from Mat
thew as the text of his sermon, DR..
Hufferd declared God is all-power-
full and that humans must suffer
and fight their way through trag-
edies of life.
Text Of his sermon at the Sim
mons home was Are not
two sparrows sold for a farthing
and one Of them shall not fall on
the ground without your Father"
May Act Thursday
Boone county and Lebanon
authorities conferred with prose-
cutting officials of Hancock county
prior to the funeral Of the girls.
The officials said they did not in
tend to requestion any members Of
the family Immediately after the
funeral, but probably would take
action Thursday.
They attended the services at the
home and cemetery along with
members of the deceased girls
family.
AS Mrs. Simmons, almost In nerv-
Gus collapse, viewed the bodies of
her children for the last time at the
family graveyard, officers laid plans
to have her re-enact the scene in
her kitchen when she made the
sandwiches which killed her daugh-
ters.
Curiosity Seekers Attend
Besides a crowd of relatives, num-
erous curiosity seekers attended the
ceremonies at the home. Autos lined
the driveway and the road in front
of the home.
Floral offerings banked the sides
of the twin caskets in the front
room Of the home.
The Rev. E. c. Fisher of Charlottes-
vile aided in conducting the flu
neral.
"Ohl this is awful" cried Sim
mons on the shoulders of relatives
and friends as he greeted them prior
to the rites.
Only the favored members of the
family were permitted to speak to
Mrs. Simmons. Her husband kept
constant guard to prevent newspa-
permen from speaking to her.
Mother Breaks Down
Mrs. John Simmons, frail mother
OF Alice Jean and Virginia, who
met death by strychnine poisoning
at a family reunion in Lebanon
last Sunday, collapsed as the fu-
neral cortege left her home.
Her husband, towering over her
in stolid bulk, showed no emotion
as he supported her and his aged
mother. Mrs. Charity Simmons, who
likewise was near collapse.
Every one from the Simmons Cor
hers community, it seemed, was at
the funeral, probably a thousand OF
them in all.
Photographers, representing news
papers and picture services, were
ushered bodily from the premises OF
the old brick mansion when they
attempted to shoot" funeral scenes
To some who expressed reluctance
at departure violence was threat
ened.
They met with similar hostility
at the Simmons cemetery-it, too
bears the name of the family, one
of the first to settle this part of
Hancock county.
Buried Side by Side
The two girls we're buried side by
side in the family plot at Willow
Branch.
Slowly, authorities have reduced
the poison plot to a few only
chances in which the strychnine
pellets might have been placed in
the pressed chicken sandwiches.
On top of this narrowing of av-
enues for the killer to have poisoned
the girls and others in the picnic
party, it has been aScertained that
another source of poison has been
found.
1t is this new purchase of poison
that it is believed eventually will
lead to the arrest of the person
plotting the death of the families.
Warrants for arrest on murder
charges must be sworn to by Boone
county authorities for the deaths
occurred in that county. A grand
jury viii be called into session in
Lebanon as soon as definite infor-
nation Is obtained as to the identity
Of the poisoner.