The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-08-14
Special Guards Placed Over
Negro and AccompIiCeS;
Suicide Feared.
CHASTITY STORY TOLD
HoWIing, CurSing Mob Tries
to Tear Prisoners
From Officers.
3y United Press

By United Press
JACKSON, Mich, Aug. 14.-Fear-
ing their twisted minds may inspire
self-deStruction, Harry Jackson,
warden of Jackson prison, today
placed special guards at the soli-
tary confinement cells Of Michigan's
three torch SlayerS.
The murder trio, a Negro and two
white youths, spent sleepless night
and restless morning in their tiny
cells-six feet square-Jackson said.
They desperately paced their
cells all night long, and have
placed special guards over them to
prevent suicide attempts" he said.
The slayers will be taken by train
to Marquette branch prison, prob
ably late today or tonight, to serve
four life terms each for the wanton
killing and burning of two Cleve-
land girls and their youthful Ypsi-
lanti escorts.
Rescued From Mob
Their confession late Thursday
was followed by arraignment and
sentence in record time-Michigan
law fighting running battle with
vengeance-Seeking mobS so that
Michigan justice might prevail.
The three killerS-David Black
stone, giant Negro hot tamale ped
dler of Ypsilanti; Frank Oliver and
Fred Smith, both white, the latter
an ex-convict-Were trapped as re-
suit of a dream" by Negro ac-
quaintance of Blackstone and an
other Negroes eye for rewards.
The convicts arrived here near
midnight, their clothing in tatters,
their faces SCARED and scratched by
contact with struggling thousands at
Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and here, their
bodies bound together by chains
all fearing for their lives.
Extra Guards Patrol Prison
One hundred extra guards
patrolled the area outside the prison.
They had been called by Warden
Harry Jackson to hold back crowd
here which, unlike the surging mobs
at Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, was
more inquiSitive than hostile.
The prisoners probably will be
started to Marquette today. to serve
their sentences with no hope of
parole.
The terms are the most severe
punishment possible under the laws
of the state of Michigan. They fol-
lowed confession of crime the
brutality of which had Mortified the
state, and aroused nationwide in
terest.
-Four youngsters-Thomas Wheat
ley, Harry Lore, Vivian Gold, and
anna May Harrison, all II years old
or younger, were found slain in a
parked car in lovers lane not far
from Ann Arbor.
Bodies Burned in Car
The bodies had been mutilated
by blows, and by bullets. Case
line had been poured over the auto
mobile with three bodies piled in
the rear seat and ore in the front
seat. A match was applied, and
the flaming torch that resulted at
tracted attention of a nearby
farmer.
The crime, apparently, was the
result of a robbery. The three
feared the youngsters would report
them to police, although one con-
feSSion claimed the Negro at
tackled one girl.
Two itinerant, illiterate brothers,
Paul and Lawrence Keene, had been
held in connection with the crime.
when tips from two Negroes, one of
whom reported he had a vision"
and the other attracted by rewards,
led to arrests, confessions, forma-
ton Of the mobs and speedy SEN
fences.
Dreamed of Murder
Frank johnson, Ypsilanti Negro
glass worker, read about the muir
ders Tuesday. He dreamed that
night, he said, that three men did
it.
Next night I saw Hot Tamale
(Blackstone) and his right hand
was cut across the middle. I says
to him, how come you cut your
hand, Hot Tamale?' and he said, it
was an accident, Johnson said.
Then 1 says, how about those
murders?' and he begins to shake
from head to foot.
II got powerful suspicious, and
ran to the police station"
The second Negro, George NeIls,
was given the pistol used in the
murders. 1t came from Otis Ogden,
Blackstone's landlord. Nells turned
the weapon over to police after he
saw notices of rewards.
Mob Menaces Prisoners
Arrests followed. Questioning
brought confessions. Blackstone
and Smith implicated Oliver. all
at Ypsilanti.
Crowds formed. Deputies rushed
Oliver toward the jail The mob
outside almost tore the clothing
from his body before he was placed
inside.
Reserves we're called. Oliver
whimpered fear. He begged for a
chance to tell everything.
Blackstone had told his story,
cold, brutal recital of bare facts:
Monday We thought we would
rob a gambling game at Milan. We
went, but it didn't look good 70 US.
Sc we said we would go down low
ers' lane and knock of some of
these here PETERS. They is always
easy.