Evening star., 1947-05-28
Boy, Is. io6e Hearing.
Today in Thrill Staying.
I0f Four PlaYnaies
BY HE Asseslated pr.ss

LAPEER. Mich, May 2s.-The
fantastic story of i6-year-oid
farm youth who admitted killing
four playmates because T.. won
|dered what it would feel like to
put bullet through human
being" was scheduled for court
hearing today.
Oliver, Terpening, jr, slim,
stolid youth, is charged with the
flower patch slayings Monday OF
16-year-old Barbara Smith, his
farm neighbor at INLAY City, about
20 miles from here.
State Police Commissioner Don s.
Leonard said the boy also admitted
killing Stanley Smith, her 14-year-
old brother and Terpening's best
Ichum, and her sisters. Gladys, IL,
and Janet, q.
Captured in Toledo, Ohio, and re-
turned yesterday to Michigan after
a night of evading authorities,
eTerpening waited quietly in his jail
cell here while Prosecutor Leslie
Smith OF Lapeer County went be-
fore Probate Judge Glenn G. Hol-
lenbeck to seek a waiver of juris-
diction over the minor prisoner.
Delay Till Monday Possible.
Then, Mr.. Smith said, the youth
was to appear before Justice of the
Peace Robert H. Perkins.
If he valves examination. his ap-
pearance in Circuit Court before
Juoge George w. Desjardins will
be delayed at least until Monday.
Mr. Smith explained that ''he's
a minor, and we're afraid Of tha+
Supreme Court decision'-a recent
ruling holding that extreme speed
in trial and sentencing may limit
justice.
Bewilderment over the Staying
was shown yesterday by the youth
himself, his father, the parents of
the victims and even by the medi-
cal examiner who questioned Ter
pening at East Lansing before he
was brought to the Lapeer Jail.
II don't know; I just don't know
why I did 1t. Mr.. Leonard quoted
the youth as saying, and DR.. LIE
Moyne Snyder. State police medico-
legal expert who questioned him,
could add only, Il wish I knew what
was wrong with him"
Killing Described.
| In composed, courteous tones, the
youth told the story of the killing,
Mr.. Leonard related.
| He described calmly, according to
the officers, how he fired first at
Stanley with the % caliber. rifle he
had been using to shoot frogs. A
few minutes later he turned it on
the three girls as they picked fiow-
ers, shooting the youngest because
she was old enough to talk" the
officer quoted him as saying.
Terpening faltered and dropped
his dark, close-cropped head in his
hands when Mr.. Leonard asked him
If he wanted to attend the funeral
OF his. girl friend" Barbara, and
her brother and two sisters.
mo, I never want to see them
again" the youth said with tears in
his eyes. II would be afraid to face
their family"
| William B. Smith, 67-year -old
father of the victims, said he bore
no hatred" for the boy.
| Father Asks for Justice.
II never hated any man in my
tlife,' he said. IT don't hate Oliver,
or his family. That's the way I've
always been But in these United
States there must be justice-justice
for my children: justice for other
children"
The boys father was at loss to
explain the shootings and could only
repeat dazedly, IF he did this,
can't understand why"
Young Terpening left his father
farm in the family car Monday night
shortly before Ella May Smith, 19-
year-old sister of the victims, found
their bodies.
| He abandoned the car In Port
Huron and hitch-hiked south through
Detroit, spending the night sleep
ing in a gas station near the
State border. After crossing into
Ohio in the morning. he was recog-
nized by 15-year -old Norman Dom
brosky, jr., whose father offered
Terpening ride and delivered the
unresisting youth to authorities.
! Sister Save Broken Home