The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-06-07
FEAR OF MOB VIOLENCE GROWS
WITH DEATH OF SECOND OFFICER
IN SOUTHERN INDIANA; THREE HELD
State Police Are Rushed to
New Albany to Avert
Possible Outbreak.
REPORT FEELING UGLY
PatroIman'S Injuries Fatal;
Suspects Arraigned
Before Court.

Increasing fears of mob
violence with announcement
of death today of a second
police officer, caused Captain
Matt Leach of the state police
to dispatch extra guards to
New Albany to protect three
bandits held as the slayers.
The second victim of the gun
mems bullets was patrolmen John
Pfaffenberger, 38, Seymour, who
died in Memorial hospital here.
Captain Leach said that he was
dispatching extra state policemen
to the southern Indiana Jail follow
ing telephone call from one of his
men who said that the feeling in
the communities where patrolman
Pfaffenberger and Deputy Sheriff
Harold Amick, the slain peace off,
GERS, were popular, had become
ugly"
Sergeant John Weir of the state
police is in charge of the special
squad sent to New Albany by
Captain Leach today.
Swift Justice Expected
Patrolman Pfaffenberger was
wounded when he attempted to
arrest the three young men on a
charge of failing to pay for gaSo-
line which they had obtained at a
Seymour filling station. Deputy
Sheriff Amick was killed at Under
wood short time after Patrolman
Pfaffenberger was wounded.
Swift justice is expected in the
trials of the desperadoes for whom
grand jury indictments now are be-
| ing sought. A hearing on the in
dictments has been set for tomorrow
morning in Jacksonville.
The youths, Edward Coffin. %,
Greenfield; Robert Neal, 20, Bloom
ington, and Lacell Long, %, Helms
burg, are accused of Staying the
peace officers Monday night.
Under suspension of regular
court procedure they were arraigned
before Circuit Judge George G.
Kopp shortly before midnight on
murder charges filed by Prosecutor
Clyde F. Crooks.
After the hearing they were taken
to the Floyd county jail at New
Albany. The Clark county jail here
is being remodeled.
Jury to Be ImpaneIed
Preparations were started imme-
diately for impaneling a special
grand jury session to return indict-,
ments against the prisoners. Thee
April term of Clark circuit court,
scheduled to be ended this week,
probably will be held over to try
the murder case.
Roundup of the suspects was
completed late yesterday, within
forty-eight hours after the Staying,
with the arrest of Coffin, paroled
convict from the state reformatory
at Pendleton.
Coffin, alleged trigger man." was
captured at Meals apartment in
Bloomington just as he was
changing clothes in preparation to
leave southern Indiana.
Admits Killing, Is Claim
He corroborated statements of
Neal and Long that he did the
shooting but refused to sign a con-
fession, police said.
He admitted KIDNAPPING Ralph
Shields, 10, Underwood, Tuesday
morning and forcing the youth to
drive him to Bloomington while
approximately 600 possemen searched
a woods near where the deputy
sheriff was killed, according to
police.
Capture of the three youths and
arrest of Noah Hamblen, 80, for
merly of Helmsburg, at Indianap-
oils, was heralded by southern Indi-
ana peace officers as the breaking
up of bandit gang that has VIC
timized filling stations and small
stores in the area for several
months.
Although Hamblen was not with
and Mr.. Pfaffenberger was wound
ed, he was implicated in a number
of minor robberies by Long, police
said. Hamblen was taken to Bloom
ington.
Arrest of Coffin frustrated plan
to wed Miss Pauline Meadows, 18,
Bloomington, who is held as a ma
terial witness.