The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-01-22
WITT LASHED
AS DESPERATE
BANDIT-K|LLER
Final Arguments Started in
Jackson Murder Case
at Lebanon.
ALIBI IS WAVED ASIDE
Prosecution ASSaiIS Story
Told by Relatives in
Defense Behalf.
81 Times special

BB Times SpeCtdt
LEBANON. Ind, Jan. 22.-De-
scribing Charles Vernon Witt as an
exponent of modern crime who
robs and kills" Floyd Mattice, Mar
ion county deputy prosecutor, today
opened final arguments in the trial
of Witt for the murder of l.. A.
jackson, Indianapolis chain store
chief.
Eliza Rogers, defense counsel, re-
viewed the defense alibi case this
afternoon. Ira M. Holmes Of the
defense was to follow him, with Ben
Scifres, Boone county prosecutor,
closing for the prosecution.
After instructions by Judge John
w. Hornaday, the fate of Witt, for
mer convict, will rest with the jury
about 6 o'clock, the termination OF
a ten-day trial
Branded Modern Criminals
"Witt and Louis E. Hamilton, the
co-defendant, are long distance
holdup operators, with their termi-
nails in Indiana and Kansas" Mat
tice said. They use all the tools Of
modern crime-guns, automobiles
and women"
He waved aside the alibi of the
defense that Witt was in lola, Kan,
with Hamilton, May 81, 1881, five
hours after Jackson was shot in his
East Washington street store.
It's the story of blood relations"
he said. Would they lie for one of
their own. or are they mistaken"
Attacking Mrs. Naomi Witt, wife
of the defendant Mattice charaC-
terized her as "the typical gang
sters' MOL"
Wife Is Assailed
Ninety days after Witt goes to
the chair-that's where he's going, -
he told the jury, shell be married
to some other Stickup man."
The case neared its finale after
the defense failed to present testi-
mony Of three rebutta4 witnesses to
counter the blow of the state at the
alibi, when Miss Sue Sawyer, SO,
lola invalid, testified Thursday aft
ernoon.
Talking in a clear, low voice, the
woman, attended by a nurse, de-
clared Hamilton and man and a
woman, whom she later learned
were witt and his wife, arrived at
p m, May %.
The defense has built its case on
be- ~
friends of Witt and Hamilton that
the alleged murderers were in lola,
Kan, at 2:30, lay 81.
The defense inference has been
that the trio could not have driven
from indianapolis to the Kansas
town in the few hours after the IA
tai shooting.
Tells of Arrival May %
THE Hamiltons live across the
street from me-" she said. Il saw
Hamilton and another man and a
woman come to his parents house
the afternoon of Friday. May 90.
remember it was about 4 in the
afternoon and raining.
1.-The next day was Decoration
day and I wondered whether the
rain would hurt the flowers I was
going to put on graves the next
day.
Later they we're on the porch of
the Hamilton house when neigh
Dor who rents the Hamilton garage
came to put his car away and
found the garage locked. Il heard
his ask why the garage was locked
and Louis told him his car was in
there.
Louis said they had an accident
near st. Louis and the car was being
kept there until repairs could be
made"
Under the state law, applicable tc
Wits case, alleged murder during
preparation of a robbery, death in
the electric chair is mandatory.
The only other verdict possible ir
the case is acquittal. Under ordi-
nary first degree murder charges
the defendant can be sentenced tt
die, to spend his life in prison, anc
for lesser terms under manslaughtel
decisions.