The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-12-03
FATHER OF 6,
CITY HAMMER
KILLER, HELD
Confession of Murder Is
Claimed by Detectives
After Quiz.
JUST GOT RELIGION
Slain Man Drank Before His
Children, Slayer Tells
Police.
JUST GOT RELIGION
BY HEZE CLARK

Arrested today in investigation of
the hammer Staying of Charles
Caldwell, 20, John L. Wilder, AZ, OF
849 East st. Clair street, father of
six children who says he got re-
hgion" recently, has confessed the
Staying, detectives announced.
Caldwell died in the city hospital
Friday afternoon. The wound was
inflicted Nov. 10.
Wilder was to be charged formal
ly with murder late today.
Caldwell, who died on his twen-
ty-ninth birthday anniversary, is a
son of Mrs Corene Edwards, who
lives at 555 Woodrow avenue, with
the victims stepfather, Cleo Ed
wards.
Objected TO Drinking
The couple formerly operated the
Hilltop barbecue stand five miles
south of Indianapolis on the Three
Match road.
According to Wilder's statement,
he objected to Caldwell coming to
his home drunk and drinking there
'in front of my children" Wilder
also stated he resented boarding
Caldwell without payment.
The two men engaged in an ar
gument over these matters at the
Wilder home Nov. 10, the state
ment continues. Wilder says Cald-
we'll had $125 he had obtained
from the sale of some eggs, and
offered it to Wilder for board
Hurled Hammer Head
Wilder says he refused the money,
demanding that Caldwell leave. He
says Caldwell hurled the money in
his face and struck him twice with
his fists. Howard Alice, %, SON
in-law of Wilder, and living at the
same address, interposed, and, seiz-
ing Caldwell sought to get him to
leave
Caldwell baked, and Wilder says
he threw the head of a machiniSt'S
hammer, which struck Caldwell be-
hind the right ear. Blood Spurted,
and the injured man was taken by
Wilder to the yard of the home and
blood washed from his coat Blood
spots in the snow were covered up
by kicking snow over them, Wilder
admitted detectives said.
Alice who is held as a material
witness, says he then took Cald-
we'll to Michigan street and the Big
Four railroad tracks
II left him there after he said he
was all right and could take care Of
himself, Alice states.
Wilder says he hurled the ham
mer head with his left hand, his
right being paralyzed as a result
of an operation performed several
years ago following injury in an
accident.
Claim is Denied
Caldwell, according to Mrs. Bur-
ton Dovey, 1908 East Washington
street, operator of rooming house
at that address where the dead
mans mother and stepfather re-
sided at the time, was brought home
the afternoon of Nov. 10 by Alice,
but Alice denies this. He admits.
however, that he brought a suit
case containing Allee's clothes to
the address.
At the time he brought the cloth
ing, Alice was questioned by Mrs.
Edwards, she states, because she
was worried over failure of her son
to return home after an absence
of a few days on a trip in truck
to Cincinnati with two other men
who were to bring back load of
lead for an indianapolis factory.
Mentioning the name of profess
sional bondsman, Alice is said to
have suggested to Mrs. Edwards that
she call the bondsman, as Caldwell
might have been arrested.
Men Found Walking
When the mother asserted her son
had done nothing to be arrested for,
Alice is said to have replied, You
never can tell"
Inquiry by the mother at police
headquarters revealed the son had
not been arrested and she could
find no trace of him at hospitals.
Arrest of Wilder and Alice was
made about noon by Detectives
Emmett Englebright and George
Hubbard after five hours effort. The
men, carrying hunting and fishing
equipment, were found walking on
the Nickel Plate railroad tracks
near Thirty-third street and Suth-
erland avenue.
Talked Eight Languages
Caldwell, who once served in the
United States army, had been an
engineer in the merchant marine
service for eight years. He returned
to Indianapolis few months ago
and had obtained employment as an
automobile mechanic to keep a
promise to his mother that he would
remain in indianapolis to be near
her.
At one time Caldwell was the
husband of sister of Allee's, now
Mrs. Ruth Stephenson. living at
Clermont He is said to have had
fluent command of eight languages
and five dialects as learned during
nine trips around the world.
TOM, DICK AND HARRY
He's All One Person, Is Infant