The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-11-11
DRY AGENT IS
MENACED FOR
KILLING YOUTH
Kissed by Indignant Crowds
as He Enters Courtroom
to Plead Self Defense.
LYNCHING THREATENED
Colorado Town InfIamed by
Staying in Seizure of
Three Ounces of Wine.

BIZ ScripPs-HOtoGrd Newspaper Alliance
LITTLETON, Colo, Nov, IL
Before threatening crowd of in
dignant citizens which overhowed
the rooms and Railways of the
-Arapahoe county courthouse here.
Henry Dierks, federal dry agent,
was arraigned late Tuesday on
charges that he murdered Milford
G. Smith, 20, of Englewood, Colo.
Smith died of a fractured skull
suffered when he was struck over
the head by DierkS during a scuffle
over possession of three ounces of
wine.
The dry agent was granted free
dom, pending trial, on $4,000 bail,
fixed by District Judge Samuel +.
Johnson.
Smith suffered his injury Satur-
day night. In company with an
uncle, A. l.. Green, he visited a
small Englewood restaurant. DierkS
entered, telling the owner, Leonard
Carpenter, that he wished to search
the place.
Struck With Revolver
At. that instant, according to
Dierks' report to Ralph L. Carr,
United States district attorney,
Smith displayed the bottle of wine.
Dierks says he grabbed for the liq-
uor. A scuffle followed in which,
according to Dierks, Carpenter and
! Green Joined with Smith.
The agent said he was forced to
draw his revolver and club Smith
over the head as a measure of self
defense.
Refusing the appeals of Smiths
! fiance, Victoria johnson, that the
youth be given medical attention,
the boy was lodged in the Denver
city Jail. More than seven hours
later turnkey, observing Smith in
commissions, called a doctor. Smith
died shortly afterward.
State District Attorney Joel Stone
filed murder charges In addition
the Englewood city council passed
a resolution branding the killing as
IAN unwarranted and ruthless slay-
ing"
Lynching Threatened
Copies of the resolution were sent
to Amos w. w. Woodcock, head of
the federal prohibition department,
President Hoover and the Colorado
senators and congressman.
A warrant was issued for Dierks'
arrest, but was not served when
United States Attorney Carr agreed
to produce the agent in court. The
arraignment was scheduled for
morning, but was postponed because
Of the crowds which packed court
house square.
Threats to lynch the prohibition
officer had been made and author
tiles feared violence. But as the day
wore on, the crowd remained and
Dierks was brought from Denver by
Carr. Special deputy sheriffs sworn
in to preserve order kept the crowd
back as DierkS was led to the court
room.
Agent Is Kissed
The mob, however, booed and
Missed the agent and while he was
before the court let the air out of
the tires of his auto.
Following arraignment, Dierks was
taken to court ante-room but was
not locked in cell while bond was
being provided.
Due to the show of feeling it was
believed that Carr, who as district
attorney, will defend Dierks at his
forthcoming trial, the date of which
has not been set, will demand that
the case be transferred to the fed
eral court in Denver.
Funeral services for young Smith
VIII be held Thursday. Many EngIe-
wood storekeepers, who knew the
boy since childhood, have an
nounced their intention of closing
during the hour of the service. 1t
was predicted several thousand per-
sons would attend