The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-06-27
WITT CRACKS BRANDS
HIS PAL AS MURDERER
OF LAFAYETTE JACKSON
Escaped Convict Is GriIIed
Further ~ Cops for
Staying Motive.
FINALLY BREAKS DOWN
Hamilton Is Quizzed as
Train From Kansas
NearS City.
wits Confession on Page 81
BY HEZE CLARK


With confession obtained bv
police from one suspect in the slay-
ing OF Lafayette A. Jackson, Stand
ard grocery head, his ex-conyict
companion in the fatal shooting to-
day was undergoing rigorous grilling
as a train sped across midwestern
plains.
Breaking under forty hours of
quizzing by detectives. Charles Yer
non Witt, "a, late Friday signed a
statement in which he admitted his
part in the shooting of the chain
store head.
However, the escaped convict
cleared himself of having fired the
fatal shots, letting the blame fan
upon Louis E. Hamilton. whom he
named as the perpetrator of the
crime.
indianapolis detectives left lola.
Kan, Friday night with Hamilton,
bringing him back to indianapolis
10 lace murder charges with Witt.
ExtraditiOn Is Granted
Extradition of the parole vioIator
from the state penitentiary at Ian
sing, Kan, where he and Witt first
became acquainted, was granted
Friday by Governor Harry H, Wood
ring at Topeka, Kan.
Hamilton was taken into CUSTODY
without an opportunity to say fare
well to his family or his bride of q
lew days. He had been married
only twelve hours when police
naboed him as the trigger man
In the Staying. Under guard he is
10 arrive in Indianapolis early this
In his confession Witt told of
residing at a rooming house at
10281s Ashland avenue and there
meeting Hamilton, who was living
under the alias of Ed Allen. After
That many gaps appear in the es-
capped convict'S statement to de-
tectlves and in their efforts to fill
tnese, Witt was grilled again TODAY.
Gives No Motive
witt gives no motive for the Sc
lection Of a Standard grocery for
the stickup, which, he says. Ham
lIton suggested. He does not point
out why, passing several of the
stores, they went to the companv's
headquarters store at 419 East
Washington street.
Witt met Hamilton by arrange
ment at East street and Massa-
chuSettS avenue the morning of Nav
u, according to the statement. He
said Hamilton had car and sug-
gested Witt to use the sawed-off
shotgun lying on the rear seat. Witt
says Hamilton drove in front of the
store and he followed Hamilton into
the place, guarding the door.
According to Witt he ONLY fired
one shot into the Office after he
heard several shots fired after Ham
ilton entered. Witt admitted
and shooting a man who
the store. This was De-
tective Charles Bauer, who ran to
the scene, and who was shot in the
head by one of the gunner.
Abandoned Stolen Car
Witt said they fed to Twelfth and
illinois streets, abandoned the stolen
car and walked to Tenth street and
Park avenue, where Witt said his
car was parked. witt further stat
ed that he, his wife and Hamilton
drove to cambridge and later to
lola, Kan.
A man at the rooming house. it
was learned, was in constant fear
OF being slain after the shooting
He said the men told him they were
In the shooting and both said thew
were wounded, it is reported. It is
said that he declared both men
were armed continually and often
drew revolvers before entering the
house.
Wits statement leaves untold
how the car which was used in the
shooting later was found at Con
cord and Michigan streets. This
police believe, brings in the third
man reported connected with the
crime.
Friend of Wits
According to information the third
man is friend Of Wits, and was
mixed up in four other robbery
Jobs with the escaped convict be-
fore the Jackson Staying.
Under the Indiana law, Witt and
Hamilton, under the charge of first
degree murder, are accused of be-
ing equally guilty. The man who
actually fired the gun that slays the
victim and any accomplices of his
face the maximum penalty of death
IN the electric chair on conviction
under the statute.
The car used in the shooting was
stolen from Shelbyville a few DAYS
before tIle crime was committed.
Had Offered to Trade
Shortly before he wilted under
the grilling, police said Witt at
tempted to make a deal with them
for short sentence If he confessed
his part Of the crime. Police re-
fused and said he apparently de-
cided to bare his part, suddenly
saying he would dictate the staee-
ment.
Kansas officials are making no eff
fort to return Witt to the state
from which he es-
capped last, December. He was sery-
ing life sentence there for the
Staying Of a Kansas deputy sheriff.
Reward for the capture and con-
viction Of the slayers of Jackson
totals $500. This was offered
The Times after The Times
had offered the first amount of
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