Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-14
TORCH KILLERS PUT
IN PRISON FOR LIFE.
Trio Who Slew Four in Auto
Start Terms Six Hours
After Confessions.
Continued From First Page.>

Fred Smith, one of the convicted men.
She admitted being with the men
Monday night, but said that she left
the party before the hoid-up and
Ceilings occurred.
Lieut. Neil r. Black of the State
police today said that Miss Keller is
niece of the late Judge Darwin T.
Curtis Of Ypsilanti, and that she was
aeft sum of money reported to nave
been $4,000, by the judge at the time.
of his death.
The closing of the doors of the prison
ut Jackson 38 miles away, few
minutes before midnight, ended the
most riotous day in the history OF this
university community.
: Four times angry crowds attempted
TO snatch the prisoners-Smith, 3D. eX-
convict, David Blackstone, SO. itinerant
Negro and Frank Oliver, l9-year-old
s1sainter-from a half hundred officers
guarding them and impose their own
spenalty.
= The first attempt occurred at Ypsi-
slanti, eight miles away, where the three
men we're arrested, questioned and con-
gfessions obtained.
The second came when they were
brought here and placed in the county
jail
The third, in which tear bombs were
used to dispense angry residents press
sing against police cars, took place as
the prisoners were being transferred to
the court house for sentence.
Mob Mauls Slayers.
I The fourth attack was made as police
began the trip to Jackson with the
prisoners.
The prisoners clothing was torn.
their faces and hands we're scratched
and their bodies mauled as the mob
fought to take them from the officers.
Blackstone, during the ride from Jack
son, still aching from the pun1meling
he received, told Sheriff Jacob Andres
sof Washtenaw County that he would
rather be in prison than free. the
other prisoners were non commital.
The wind-up of the most sensational
crime in Michigan IN many years came
with breath-taking rapidity.
The clue that provided the key Tor
the solution of the case was the find
ting of the gun used to STAY the victims
Soaked Bodies With Gasoline.
The weapon was turned over to the
EWashtenaw County deputies by an I'M
Adercoyer man for the Ypsilanti Police
sIoepartment. It was established that
THE gun had been in the possession OF
sSmtth as late as Tuesday morning.
The arrest of Smith and Blackstone
followed Thursday morning. Then came
several hours of grilling by prosecutors
i IF Wayne and Washtenaw Counties. The
/ car in which the charred bodies were
Hound marks the boundary between the
1.-TWO counties.
Finally Blackstone gave in. He adj
fnitted that he. Smith and another
white man killed the couples AFTER ROD
bing them, carried the bodies IN the
wear of the automobile of Thomas
4wv1 oF victims drove
mast the home of Harry Lore, the other
bow. and then, seeking to dispose OF
the evidences Of their crime, soaked
the bodies and the automobile with
gasoline drained from the tank Of the
machine and applied q match
81 Drank 'eHoOch" Before Crime.
soon Smith. who was being question
ed In another room, also confessed.
Blackstone had named Oliver as the
hther member of the murder party. He
J was arrested while painting mouse
IN Ypsilanti. few minutes after be-
ing taken to the Ypsilanti City Han,
where the questioning was bsing con-
Quoted. he cried out, II did IL, did It,
and then gave a full confession OF ms
part in the brutal affair.
Confessions of the men and the tes-
tirnony of two of them at the trial were
= SaHDILng, BdipA-t 1Aau a 49, -
numerous minor details indicating the
condition Of the killers when they slew
! the young couples.
Smiths statement that 1--WE got dis
orderly on hoochn before the crime
added to the indications that the slayers
were berserk with alcohol.
81 National Guard Called Out.
The mob scenes around the jail and
court house here and those at the
Ypsilanti City Hall were unprecedented
in Michigan In the last 100 years.
Soon after announcement was made
Of the confessions q crowd began gath
ering around the Ypsilanti City Han.
Z Officers then made preparations 70
bring the prisoners here for aTraign-
ment at the county seat.
AS the men were led out the crowd
surged forward and attempted to lay
4 hands on the prisoners Oliver was
sournrneled and scratched, but the ofa-
& GERS rescued him and the trip here, a
E distance Of miles, was made with
Z but incident, although roads were
b blocked by the many automobiles which
swung in behind the police party.
< Reaching the county jail here, anoth-
er crowd gathered and ropes were
9 stretched by state police to hold back
z the throng. During the excitement
+ Andres. fell and fractured his leg while
taking the men 70 their cells.
Z The crowd around the jail, which Is
+. located in the downtown section, grew
f rapidly. AT length q company OF Ma
tional Guardsrnen and American Le-
gion volunteers was called out
Says Co-Slayer Assaulted Girl,
: At $40 pm, an hour and five min
e utes after the confessions had been
given at Ypsiianl, the prisoners were
taken across the street in two auto
& mobiles and arraigned before Justice OF
& the Peace Jay Payne. They waived ar
4 fragment and pleaded guilty.
Z Still the crowd grew, and a quarter
of an hour later, when the men were
Z started across the street 20 the court
s house In two automobiles, the enraged
citizens pressed against the machines.
Tear-gas bombs were discharged by
the police, the crowd gave way, and the
( prisoners were taken into the court
room Of Judge George w Sample.
Smith and Oliver repeated 10 the
Judge the confessions they had made
Z at Ypstlanti. Smith gave as the rea-
son for the crime the fact that he was
identified by the two boys during the
robbery Of the couples while they were
parked on Tuttle Hill road. several
i miles from the scene Of the burning
{ OF the auto.
oliver also said that the colored
slayer twice assaulted one Of the girls,
Anna May Harrison, Of Cleveland.
Smith made no mention of an assault,
Each Gets Four Life Terms.
The other girl victim was Vivian
Gold. also Of Cleveland,
! Judge Sample then pronounced SEN
] tence--iife imprisonment in Marquette
q - -. - Sea- RSr