The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-03-07
TWO WITNESSES
WILL POUND AT
DEFENSE STORY
Jurors Told How Prisoner
Refused to Point Out
Accident Scene.
ALlENISTS TO REPORT
Officer Denies Defendant
Was MiStreated in
GriIIing.

Adjourned for the weekend, the
trial Of Harold Herbert Schroeder,
Mobile, Ala, garage man, will be
resumed Monday, when the state
will complete its case.
Jurors Friday heard testimony
that Schroeder refused to take
authorities to the spot near Mar
shall, ILL.,, where, he says, his car
plunged into four-foot ditch, acct
dentally killing his unidentified
hitch-hiker passenger.
Prosecutors indicated two wit
nesses remain to be heard before
the states net OF circumstantial
evidence is woven.
Clarence Colder, city detective
sergeant. told jurors that Schroeder,
about June 25, announced he would
take authorities to the alleged &C
cident spot.
Schroeder Changes Mind
I'VE got in the emergency car and
started for Illinois. When we got
to the Marion Hendricks county
line, Schroeder said he had changed
his mind. 1t doesn't concern this
case" he declared. according to
Colder.
'At the same time" Colder said,
Schroeder told us he would point
out the house where he stayed. He
was unable to do that"
A telegram Schroeder is alleged to
have written at Louisville, while
fleeing from Indianapolis, under the
name of III. G. Flow" was intro
duced in evidence by Prosecutor
Herbert Wilson. The wire was adj
dressed to the Meeker hotel, In
dianapolis, where, witnesses testi-
fed, Schroeder stayed for seven
days without paying his bill.
Handwriting of the telegram and
that on the register of N1eeker no
tel we're identified by handwriting
experts as being the same. In the
wire, Schroeder informed the hotel
clerk to keep a small amount Of
baggage in lieu of paying the bill.
Surprise Evidence Sprung
Surprise testimony, that a man
answering Schroeder's description
was seen in the vicinity of High
School road seven hours before the
flaming car, the charred body of
an unknown man within, was
found, was heard by jurors Friday
from william E. Harris, 1913 East
Twenty fifth street, who told of
following the car past the scene.
Other witnesses who took the
stand Friday included Judson l..
STARK former prosecutor; George
w. Eggleston, former deputy pros
ecutor; George L. Winkler, former
sheriff; j. L. Wagner, Abs Carroll
ton avenue, owner of the Meeker
hotel; Paul Shideler, photographer
for the Indianapolis News, and
Harris.
Stark, Winkler and Eggleston told
of returning Schroeder to Indian
apolis from Mobile, where he was
captured three weeks after the
tragedy, and OF questioning the
ALBANIAN.
Denies Schroeder Abused
Colder said that Schroeder ad-
mitted pouring three and one-half
gallons of lubricating Oil through
the interior of the car and over the
body, before setting it afire.
Against charges of Ira Holmes,
Schroeder's attorney, that forcible
methods were used in questioning
after the prisoners return to Indi-
annapolis, Colder said officers did not
strike him.
Report of alienistS who examined
Schroeder a week ago is to be sub
mitted to Judge Frank P. Baker for
q ruling before defense evidence is
placed before the jury.
DR.. Rogers E. Humes, one OF the
alienists, sat on the bench with
Baker several days last week, APP
parently observing Schroeder. The
findings will determine whether the
case will be given to the jury.