The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-09-21
Four Children Are Unafraid,
Though, They Have
Sonny as a Guardian.
BY HEZE CLARK

In the Squalor of a tWO-room I'M
kempt shack at TIT East Ohio street
today, four children wondered at
the fate that has taken their
mother, baby sister and father
from them.
At city hospital, the father, Ike
Armstrong, AZ, is near death from
shotgun wounds received early to-
day when he is alleged to have at
tempted to steal chickens on a farm
near Greenwood.
The children do not know their
father probably will die. They think
he was hurt in an accident, but
soon will be home.
They nearly have given up hope
of seeing their mother again. Three
months ago, she sent four of them
to a movie. When they returned,
she had gone, taking Patsy Ruth,
g. with her A note said she had
gone to detroit.
NeighbOrs Uphold Wife
The children, Earl IL; James, 8;
Loretta Mary, 8, and Richard, g..
are being cared for by Mr.. and Mrs
Gilbert Brown, HOS East Ohio
street, who upheld Mrs. Armstrong
in her flight because her husband
was so brutal to her"
This moring, a few hours after
their father was wounded, Earl and
Richard were taking a bath in a
washtub when reporters arrived.
We're trying to get ready for
school, mister" Earl spokesman for
the group said. Our father was
hurt and our mothers gone. so we
have to do the best we can.
The front room was Uttered with
clothes and furniture consisted of a
cot, broken davenport and bed. The
tub and a table, on which was a
piece of bread and jug of milk, were
in the other room.
Alone Lot
We've been alone pretty much
since mother left" Earl continued
"A man told us father was hurt
last night, but I guess he'll be back
pretty soon. We have to go to
school over at No. every day.
Mrs. Brown has been taking care
of us since mother went away in a
taxi with Patsy"
We're all right, though, cause
we got Sonny and he's a real GOOD
collie dog, amt you Sonny?" Lo-
retta Mary said
Deputy Sheriff Harold Hungate
found the children after their
father has been shot by Row
Smithy, farmer, living near Green
wood
In a statement to deputies, Arm
strong is said to have admitted the
chicken theft attempt and named
two other men who are held in the
johnson county Jail.
Relating he was hard up,'' Arm
strong is said to have told deputies
that he and the other men first
intended to steal tomatoes, but later
decided on chicken thefts.
They went to Smithy's farm.
where Armstrong said he got out
of the car and tried to enter the
chicken house.
Smithy, awakened by the noise of
the car, told deputy sheriffs Homer
Gee and Jess Jones of Johnson
county that he called to Armstrong
to halt, but the latter fled. He said
he fired both barrels Of the gun at
the fleeing suspect.
The men in the car fled and Arm
strong crumpled against a fence
several hundred yards away.
The others held are Jesse Edison
"a, OF 221 Spring street, and James
Kennedy, 48, of the Dixie hotel
Edison, deputies said, denied inpli-
cation in the alleged theft, attempt
but Kennedy is said to have admit
ted readily that he was one of the
! trio.
Arrest of the other suspects in
the chicken theft case were made
by Hungate and deputies Harry
Cook and August Cato.