Evening star., 1946-07-28
Heirens Ready to Admit Killing
Deqnon Girl and Two Women
BY the Assoeio,sd Press

Nil SAss&
BY the Assoeio,sd Press
CHICAGO, July o.. William
Heirens, his attorney announced to-
day, is ready to formally confess
three of the most lurid crimes in
Chicago's history-the mutilation
slayings of 6-year-old Suzanne Deg
nan, a 35-year-old former Wave
and a 43year- -old widow.
Asked his position If he is offered
a confession in consideration of
fife imprisonment recommendation
States Attorney William j. Tuohy
said, Il will consider it,"
Malachy Coghlan, one of five de-
fense counsel, said the strapping
17-year-old University of Chicago
student and wrestling enthusiast
would place before Mr.. Tuohy on
Tuesday complete details of these
three killings:
The kidnap-slaying and dismem-
berment last January Of the Deg
nan girl, youngest of two daughters
Iof Chicago OPA executive.
The shooting and fatal stabbing
OF Frances Brown, an ex-Wave,
in Chicago's mysterious "lipstick
murder" last December l0-less
than a month before the Degnan
killing.
The fatal throat slashing on June
g, l945 of Mrs. Josephine Ross, a
widow whose body, the head nearly
severed, was found by her daughter.
Talked With His Parents.
The defense feels the time has
come for Heirens to make known by
confession to the States attorney
the facts of the various crimes
charged against him." Mr.. Coghlan
said.
The defense announcements
move aimed at saving the youth
from possible penalty of death in
the electric chair-came less than
a day after Heirens had discussed
the slayings with his parents and
attorneys in the religious surround
lngs OF the chapel OF the county
Jail.
Previously Heirens, whose record
OF juvenile delinquency started when
he was IS years old, had denied all
reports that he had made any con-
fession. Similar denials had been
made by Mr.. Tuohy and the youths
lawyers.
The youths attorneys announced
earlier they would seek a mental
examination for him when he is
arraigned in the Degnan and Brown
cases Tuesday before Chief Justice
Harold Ward OF the criminal court
Linked by Finserprints.
1t has been reported unoficially
that State alienists have found
Heirens is victim OF schizophrenia
'split personality but is able to dis
tinguish right from wrong.
Under a 10-year-old Illinois law.
offenders may be sent TO mental
institutions II they suffer from Ger
tain types Of mental alterations.
even though claSsed as legally sane.
Illinois law defines a legally sane
person as one who can distinguish
right from wrong
Mr.. Tuohy had announced that
Heirens' fingerprints had linked him
to the Degnsn and Brown slayings
but had not disclosed anv evidence
tying the youth to the Ross killing
The Degnan crime shocked the
Nation with its brutality.
The girl was stolen from her bed
police have fixed the time at about
midnight-by an abductor who left
a note demanding $4,000 ransom.
Her father, James Degnan. discov-
cred her empty bed and open win
dow when he went to awaken her
for school.
Appealed by Radio.
Then he discovered the ransom
note. Mr.. Degnan Immediately
made a series of radio appeals to
the abductor, promising him i'm
munity II she was returned un-
harmed. Please don't hurt her."
he begged. She's only little girl"
That night, police detailed to
make a methodical search Of sewers
in the neighborhood, came upon her
severed head. The other parts of
her body were recovered from
nearby sewers.
The coroner's Office said the killer
evidently had strangled the girl
with his hands and length of pic
ture wire Immediately after kidnap-
ing her. Then he took the body to
the basement Of nearby apartment
and cut it to pieces, distributing the
parts in sewers.
An element Of grim mystery was
injected into the Brown Staying by
message printed in lipstick on the
wall Of her North Side apartment
which said: For Heavens sake
catch me before I kill more. I can
/ not control myself"
Her body was found draped over
her bathtub. She had been shot in
the head with a .32-caliber bullet
and 10-inch bread knife had been
pushed through her neck, protrud-
ing on both sides. A towel had
been wrapped around her head, pre-
sumably to stop the flow of blood
Police said medical examination
disclosed she was shot first but