The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-06-18
CONVICTED OF
MURDER; FIND
BOY INNOCENT
Youth Free After Serving
Since October, 1881, on
Life Sentence.
OTHERS ADMIT CRIME
Always Knew You Didn't
Do It, Mother Tells
20-Year- Old Son.
BY LESLIE d. HARROP
United Press STAFF Correspondent

1N-~~@
DETROIT, June ia pale
youth Sleepily stumbled from his bed
in a modest home here today and
hurried downstairs to breakfast with
his father and intellectually freed
from life sentence in prison, for a
murder he did not commit.
Gerald Growden, 20, was not al
ways pale, nor did he possess that
hunted, fearing look in his eye when
on Oct. 81, 1881, he heard Judge
Guy A. Miller pronounce the SEN
tence of the court that he be con-
fined to Jackson state prison for
the remainder of his natural life.
Late Friday he stood before that
same judge. An ill-fitting cheap
brown suit, given him at the prison
hung loosely on his body. He twisted
cap nervouSly in his hands. Then
the same voice sounded through the
courtroom.
Promises to BE Good
Fortunately you now are free, "
said Judge Miller. THE sentence
will follow you, so be good boy.
am speaking as one free man to
another"
-Four boys, arrested in a police
roundup recently, suddenly changed
their pleas to guilty for the killing
of James B. Smith, Romulus, Mich,
and admitted they did not even
know Growden.
The prosecutors Office acted swift
ly, and Growden-who had been
returned from prison to testify in
the trial-was brought into the
courtroom where he had been con-
victed.
This time, new murder warrant
against him was quashed. He was
fred.
I'll keep out of trouble, Judge, .
Growden blurted, I'm going home
right now"
Father and Mother Waiting
Out in the neighborhood where he
was raised, Gerald found his mother
and father waiting for him.
1--WE always knew you were in
nocent," his mother assured him as
she led him upstairs to his room
a room daily kept ready for his re-
turn since the dark day when the
law took him away.
1t all began little more than a
year ago." Gerald said. when l
went down to report at the proba-
ton office. was working in a
garage then, and had to report fire.
quently to the probation officer for
term did at Ionia reformatory.
Where were you on the night of
Nov. II, 1921! the probation officer
asked me. I thought, but I couldn't
remember back that far.
Couldn't Remember Date
IT tried to recall. Time and time
1 thought over that queStion-where
had been on that night. I couldn't
say surely.
Then it seemed the next moment
I heard the jury finding me guilty
1 wasn't guilty. I knew 1 wasn't
but where had a I been on that
night when the man wah killed. !
thing was working at the garage
but couldn't prove it.
They took me to jackson prison
Da yafter day and night after night
I tried to relive those days in No
vember of 1929-to remember where
1 was that night so could prove my
innocence, but I couldn't.
Il lost hope. Always it seemed !
would wake up to hear changing cell
gates, and march into mess halls
and hear orders from guards.
boy! to Be Free Again.
Then two weeks ago they told
me that these other fellows had adj
hitted they did the job. I began
to hope anew, but was disheartened
when they changed their pleas to
not wguilty and went on trial.
Il dreaded the trial. I knew
what it would be. Where were you
on the night of Nov. IL, 1922 and
I still couldn't say positively.
Il only knew one thing-I wasn't
in on that murder"
Gerald stretched and relaxed in
a big overstuffed chair.
"Boy!" it is good to be free
again.