The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-06-02
BOY KILLER OF
POLICEMAN TO
PLEAD INSANITY
Defense Attorneys Charge
Confessions Wrung
From Youths.
BIZ United Press

By United Press
CHICAGO, June "A defense
Of insanity will be made for Var
ner CORY, Is, who shot police
man with a pistol which he carried
because it fascinated him, attor-
neys for the youth and two COM
panions charged with murder, an
nounced today.
Charges that police inundated the
boys and took advantage of their
youth in obtaining confessions to
the shooting, also were made by
Ransom E. Walker and Samuel
Antonow, defense attorneys.
Society is on trial-not these
children" said Antonow. "At least
two Of these boys are not guilty,
and have my doubts about the
third. Citizens are losing power
every day to the police, as is shown
by the fact that confessions we're
squeezed from these three children"
While the boys sat wide eyed and
awed in crowded west side I'M
dertaking parlor, authorities puzzled
over what to do with them. If Var
ner is indicted on first degree muir
der charges and prosecutors ask for
his death, he faces the electric
chair. Earl and Schuyler likely will
be placed under jurisdiction Of the
juvenile court.
Boys Are Stunned
The story of the forbidden swim
and the killing Of the policeman
at the edge of the white-tiled pool,
as told by witnesses, seemed to stun
Warner, Earl and Schuyler. Warner.
a Boy Scout, a member Of the
Y. M. G. A., and regarded by his
teachers as 8 model student, was
particularly impressed. The story
goes thus:
The school was closed Saturday
afternoon. The flaming haired
Cory brothers and their compan-
ion Skinned up a drain pipe, forced
open a window, dotted all their
clothes and soon were laughing and
splashing in the cool water of the
pool.
In Warmers pocket was revol-
yer he had found in desk at the
schoolhouse a few days previously
Like the heroes in detective stories
he had read, Warner carried the gun
in a homemade holster.
JanitreSS Calls Officer
A janitress heard the youths
shouting in the water. She called
patrolman Smith. He rushed in,
ordered them from the water, and
told them to get dressed so that he
could take them to the police sta
ton.
They struggled, dripping wet, into
their clothes. Warner felt the gun
in his holster. He pulled it out
and shouted Hands up"
The patrolman ducked behind a
pillar, drawing his gun, but Warner
fired first, and Smith fell at the
edge Of the pool. The officer shot
once and Warner fired two more
bullets in his body. The boys rushed
out the window and down the drain
pipe, only to be recognized by play
mates in the school yard. Their
arrest followed.
Mrs. Helen Smith, widow Of the
slain officer, was among the inquest
witnesses. She pointed at Warner
and screamed Historically:
Wife Points Him Out
There's the boy who killed my
husband! There's that model
killer!"
Warner cringed. Earl Sobbed.
Schuyler seemed to shudder.
Mrs. Adelaine Cory, mother of
the brothers, was dazed with grief.
She told how she had attempted to
guide her boys in righteous paths by
giving them good books to read, by
encouraging them in their Boy
Scout and Y. M. G. A. activities.
Warner was g. good boy" she said
brokenly. "a model, I thought.
always tried to surround my chill
dren with the happiest and finest
influences in the belief that that
would help more than strict pa
rental discipline.
If Warmer had run around with
bad boys, I might have expected
something ike this, but fire.
quently had to coax him to leave
his books and play with other
youngsters.
"And my poor little boy, Ear
:" Tears choked off Mrs. Cor
rvs words. She has been an art
teacher in schools here for twenty
years.