The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-09-19
STATE COP TO
MAKE PLEA IN
MURDER CASE
Carl Springmire Is Slated
for Arrangement at
C0nnerSViIIe.
KILLED AUTO SUSPECT
Four Visitors to Fair Saw
Officer Shoot Down
Fleeing Man.
BIZ Time. specinl

CONNERSVILLE, Ind, Sept. 49,
Carl Springmire Of Greensburg,
state policeman, arrested several
weeks ago on a manslaughter charge
in connection with fatal shooting
OF Staley Coomes of Economy, was
to be arraigned in Fayette circuit
court here today on first degree
murder charge.
A secret indictment for first de-
gree murder was returned against
Springmire by the grand jury in
session Tuesday night. However,
since the state policeman was under
bond on a manslaughter charge, no
re-arrest was made.
Tampering With Auto
Coomes was shot by Springmire
during a pursuit that originated,
the state policeman has declared,
when he found Coomes tampering
with an automobile at the Fayette
county fairgrounds, Friday night,
81.
Springmire's version Of the shoot
ing-an admission that he fired at
the fleeing man. but believed none
of his bullets took Effects contra
dicted by four Greensburg residents,
who claim they saw Coomes slain.
They are Mr.. and Mrs. Hallas
Brown and Mr.. and Mrs. Pierre
Beeson.
Browns story, an example of
those of the others, is as follows:
They were walking toward their
auto to return home after spend
ing the evening at the fair, when a
distant shot, like 2 firecracker, at
tracted their attention.
Officer in Pursuit
Soon they saw a man running
down the driveway in their direc-
ton, with a uniformed officer in
pursuit. The policeman was play
ing a flashlight on the fugitive.
Again they heard a shot, but could
not tell whether it was discharged
in the air or in the direction of
the running man, who did not stop.
When the fugitive was within
twenty or thirty feet of the Browns
and Blossoms, on the opposite side
Of the driveway with flashlight
still on him, Brown relates, there
was a third shot, and Coomes
pitched headlong to the ground,
falling in front of a parked car.
The man in the uniform walked
up to the body, gazed at it for
brief time, and then crossed the
driveway and disappeared in the
trees.
Soon a park policeman appeared,
and asked Brown if man had been
shot. Brown told him the body lay
across the driveway, and when the
park policeman asked whether the
fugitive had stolen something or at
tempted to steal something, Brown
replied that he knew nothing of the
case.
Remains on Guard
The policeman then walked to the
body, where the state officer joined
him in two or three minutes. After
a short conversation the state po-
liceman walked away, and the other
remained to guard the body
I'VE never heard the officer pur-
suing Coones order him to halt, and
Coomes made no cutlery when he
fell" Brown asserts.
Neither officer asked us our
names or addresses. The state Of
ficer must have known we were
there, because my young nephew
screamed, thinking he was going to
be shot" said Brown
Springmire, when told of Browns
story, denied having looked at the
body and walked away. He reiter-
ated his previous story, that he did
not know Coomes was shot, but told
Larue jerks, a special policeman
detailed at the fairgrounds, of the
chase, and admitted firing several
shots.
Springmire was charged Aug. IS
with voluntary manslaughter, and
released under $4,000 bonds. Afi-
davit was filed against him by Ray
Ynond Shank. former employe Of
the dead man.
State Police Chief Grover c. Gar
rett, has suspended Springmire
pending outcome of the case.