The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-27
Opening Statements Made
by State and Defense in
Murder Trial.

AOAAOhOs
Schroeder sailed into Indian
apolis under false colors," Wilson
said. He registered at the Meek
er hotel under the name of H. G.
Flow, May a."
Describes His Actions
Then Wilson described Schroed-
er's actions in city, said he behaved
strangely around the hotel, sought
acquaintanceships, and told all he
met that he was going to California.
The defendant, Wilson declared,
went to the Memorial day auto
races at Indianapolis Motor Speed
way and disappeared that afternoon
about $50, not to reappear until
after midnight.
1.-THE state will show" said viii
son, that Ruby Blue, and Jack
Allen were coming toward Indian
apolis on Rockville road, when
about one-half mile from High
School road they saw a Chrysler
sedan burning"
He declared he will prove the in
tense flames were confined to the
interior of the machine, and, as
the couple started toward Indian
apolis, they picked up Schroeder
and brought him to Washington
street and Senate avenue, from
where he returned to the hotel
leaving indianapolis the next day
Body Is Found
In the car, deputy sheriffs found
the body of the unidentified man
with whose murder Schroeder is
charged, Wilson asserted. Nearby
was coat with the initials
H. H. s. with insurance papers
disclosing the fact that Schroeder
carried S25,000 insurance.
He will show said Wilson
that the body was taken from the
burning car by the coroner and ar
autopsy was performed by DR.
Lawrence Lewis, former deput!
coroner.
DR.. Lewis will tell you that The
top Of the head was burned off, tina
the arms we're burned off, botf
legs burned off, and that the Skin
from his face and body was burned
away almost entirely. The evi.
dence will disclose further thar
there was a wound one-half incl
wide going clear through the right
lung of the deceased, and in the
plural cavity surrounding the lung
the doctor found three and one.
half ounces Of blood.
HE will tell you this blood could
not be accounted for except from
the wounds. He will testify further
that the wound might have pro-
duced death within an hour or al
a lesser or greater time than an
hour.
Sought to Vanish
"He further will tell you that the
wound had to have been made
there. shortly before the burning OF
the body. Evidence will disclose
that Schroeder told witnesses that
he had written his wife from Nash
vile, Tenn, telling her to give the
body decent burial, and that he
was willing to drop out of the pic
ture, let it be thought that he was
dead, and be gone forever
Wilson then recounted Schroed-
.er's capture near his home in
Mobile, and his story that he picked
up young hitch-hiker who was
injured in an accident thirty five
miles west of Terre Haute.
He retold Schroeder's story OF
having become alarmed, and, re-
turning with the groaning man, set
fire to the interior of the car after
saturating it with an inf1ammable
liquid.
Holmes Hits Third Degree
Holmes, in his statement, de-
clared:
Schroeder would have made a
statement to anything to escape the
abuse that authorities heaped upon
him and to get away from constant
grilling."
Following former declarations
that Schroeder was insane at the
time of the crime, Holmes traced
Schroeder's ancestry, declaring he
will prove that the Alabaman'S
mother, Mrs. Ernest Schroeder OF
Clarion, Ia, and his grandmother
Mrs. Elizabeth King, both have been
inmates of an Iowa hospital for the
insane.
Holmes outlined Schroeder's ac-
tivitieS from the time he left his
Mobile home, May l, until May 81
when he fled from the flaming
Chrysler sedan on High School road
Holmes said Schroeder had been on
a business trip to Chicago and De-
troit.
Holmes wildly pictured Schroed-
ers forced visit to the Register &
Askin undertaking establishment.
where the charred torso of the I'M
known victim was held.
Punishment Is Charged
"Chain and manacled, this de-
PENDANT was forced to bear the hor-
rible sight when other people ir
the room left because of the stencil,
Holmes asserted.
Schroeder then, and later, was
punished SO severity that he had tc
appeal to she courts for protection,
Holmes said.
HE was browbeaten, intimidated,
abused, and at one time was threat
ened by Judson L. Stark, ex-prose-
cutor, to be mashed in the mouth
if he did not talk" Holmes added.
Holmes accused George L. Wink
Ter. ex-sheriff, Of rank forgery
u,hera the latter gave Schrneher q