The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-10-26

witnesses III the TRIAL OIL Vic
Wolf, it will be recalled,
was a member Of that IA
nous band of desperadoes,
the Gerald Chapman gang,
and was convicted of the kill
ing of Mr.. and Mrs. Ben Hans,
gnear Muncie.
Calling attention to an old law
which allows transportation OF a
witness from one county to another,
Mr.. Wilson showed in his budget
where the $4,000 originally allowed
for this expense was cut two years
ago to $500, and is scheduled LOT
next year at $1,000. The approprla-
ton is listed under expense for the
investigation of criminal cases.
Crime Now Is Profession
lone big case would use up all
the money allotted the prosecutor S
office for that service" he said. In
the days when crime was a local
matter the original $4,000 probably
was enough. Now that crime has
become a profession, and criminals
travel in one days time from one
state to another, this is just as silly
as some of our other laws
Prosecutor Wilson also called at
+ention to the conviction of Charles
Witt and Louis Hamilton, Tor the
murder of Lafayette A. Jackson
TndianapoliS merchant, whose case
has been appealed to the supreme
court.
TT was necessary to send an Of
ficer to Kansas to check on a VII
ness there" he said I'VE had no
time to ask for an appropriation to
cover such an expense. Prompt &C
+ior in sending an officer there
meant the uncovering OF four otner
important witnesses.
1--WE found it necessary, also, 10
bring from the western part OF
Kansas another witness, whose nus
hand had been killed. Another
witness became i'll while here walt
ing to testify, and it was necessary
to defray her expenses, mcluolng
the services of a physician.
Relatives Met Expenses
of relatives of Mr.. jackson had
not been able and willing to spend
approximately $4,000 in rounding up
the evidence in this case, 1t woulo
have been a difficult matter to nave
obtained a conviction.
A short time ago, word came from
Detroit that prisoners there an
swered the description of the men
who robbed the Antlers. Prosecutor
Wilson found it necessary to send
men there to investigate, but hao
no money to defray expenses.
"I had to call the offices OF the
insurance company who insured the
Antlers. and ask them to pay the
axnenses." he said. They pro-
tested. saying that they felt that
thew paid taxes to cover such ex-
nense. but when explained tnat
we had no funds available, they
agreed"
recently, Mr.. Wilson called a wit
ness for a criminal case from an
other county. The man objected,
saving that he just had obtained
work. after three years unemploy-
ment. and could not afford the ex-
pense of the trip, or to be away
from his job.
Uses Contempt Threat
when I told him that he would
be guilty of contempt OF court II ne
did not appear, he said that ne
would have to come if forced, but
that he would not make a satiSfac-
tory witness for the state under
those conditions. Mr.. Wilson said.
Mr.. Claycombe recalled a bill in
troduced by him when he was
member of the legislature, asking
that a fund be appropriated sufti-
Gent to cover the transportation OF
witnesses in criminal cases.
1T was voted down in both houses,
ON the ground that it would cost the
state too much money he said. 1T
is because of this lack of money that
state officials find it difficult to con-
vict criminals. The federal author
tiles have no such problem; they are
allotted a fund sufficient to trace
criminals. transport witnesses, and
protect them until the time OF
trial"
Mr.. Loftin was instrumental in
having the bill presented to the leg
islature by Mr.. Claycombe. He be-
came interested in such legislation
when he was called as witness in
the trial of "One Armed" Wolf.
Obtained Dying Statement
Together with James Babcock. at
torney. he was returning from
Muncie to Indianapolis, when they
saw Mr.. and Mrs. Hans in a corn
field, where they had been left, the
victims of gun wounds.
Il took Mr. Hans dying state
ment," Mr.. Loftin said, and as
result. was forced TO pay my ex-
penses to Muncie for the trial, or be
guilty Of contempt of court. At
least twenty other witnesses we're
there from other parts of the state
at their own expense. Since that
time I have talked with officials in
a number Of states. They al feel